Coffee in Turkey
Coffee was introduced to the Turkish court in 1555 by two Syrian traders. By the late 17th century, the Sultan had his own coffee-maker, with 40 assistants and the women in the harem wiere given intensive training in its preparation. It is an important element of hopistality; one local proverb says that ‘a cup of coffee commits one to 40 years of friendship.’ After finishing and draining your cup, you are said to be able to read your fortune int he coffee grounds.