When I went to Greece and saw ‘Greek coffee’ on the menu in cafes I pretty much thought it would just be regular coffee that is grown in Greece but I was wrong. Of course real greek coffee should have been grown in Greece but that’s not the point. There are many differences between ordering a coffee or cappuccino and having a greek coffee, let’s discover those now.
Texture
Usually to make an instant coffee you use instant granules, but to make a fresh coffee you need the arabica coffee beans. The coffee beans are blitzed in a Coffee grinder and then they can be used in a French press (for French coffee), in a percolator or coffee machine. The difference with texture of greek coffee is that it is ground a lot more, in fact by its look and texture it doesn’t resemble coffee, it resembles a powder.
Aroma
When you walk into a coffee shop or make your morning drink, the coffee aroma fills the room but as greek coffee is ground into a powder it has a stronger aroma and taste. When you sip it you will get a huge array of flavours that will taste different to everyone, kind of like when doing a wine tasting. Without milk added, the flavours I got were acidic dark chocolate with a slight nuttiness.
How its made
Typically normal coffee is brewed whereas greek coffee is boiled, if you’r confused, don’t worry because I was too. Let me explain; regular coffee is brewed by adding boiling hot water to coffee grounds and then it is strained. Whereas with Greek coffee, water is added to a briki coffee pot, the sugar and coffee is added to the water where it is heated and then poured into a cup ready to drink.
Because the coffee is not strained, the beverage can have a sandy like texture from the spent coffee. This forms a thick layer on the bottom which is why this type of coffee is not for everyone.
Health
In terms of health both ways of having coffee are similar, although the greek coffee has a slight edge as it is boiled instead of brewed giving it more nutrients, antioxidants and health boosting compounds.
Trying Traditional Greek Coffee (Video)
Greek coffee: Frequently asked questions
Turkish coffee vs Greek coffee
Both beverages are made in the same way and are basically the same thing, however Turkish coffee may refer to the coffee being grown in Turkey whilst greek coffee would have been grown in Greece.
Up next: Jamaican Coffee (Recipe)
