From a "war contrivance" of the early tribes of Ethiopia, who chew a kind of handmade dollops from coffee beans to gain strength to the "coffee to go" of modern cities, coffee, the second beverage in consumption after water, has become an art.
Espresso single or double, with or without caffeine, cinnamon or nutmeg for the gourmet friends of coffee, with or without sugar, frappe or Irish with a few drops of alcohol, the options are many. However, Greek coffee is always in our hearts, the heart of the Greeks. This is no coincidence. Greek coffee was introduced in our life during the Ottoman Empire. In Northern Greece, the Greeks included coffee in their habits, coexisting with the Turks in the first coffeehouses built in the 15^th century. In Athens, the first coffee houses appeared much later, in the 17^th century, with the Turks being their most loyal customers. Its propagation throughout Greece was a matter of course.
Over the years coffee was renamed as Greek coffee and our pride for it is superfluous. The enthusiasts insist even today on making it on ember (on hot sand), a technique, which derives from the Bedouins of the Middle East. In a coffee pot with water, coffee and sugar are stirred until dissolved and then we wait to swell in order to make the thick froth, a sign that we have succeed in its making. Whisk the coffee pot 2-3 times on the kitchen counter to subside and serve. Traditionally it is served with a shortcake or Turkish delight.
To be honest, I really don't remember a single afternoon of my childhood without Grandma's coffee. Gathered around the table with her friends and the Greek coffee boiling in the pot, they would discuss the neighborhood’s news. My own "coffee" was a cup full of milk with a small amount of Greek coffee, i.e. what was left in the coffee pot, just enough to feel like a full-fledged member of the women's bevy. Now, looking at my double cappuccino latte next to the laptop I see that from a very young age I was probably familiar with ... Grandma's latte. And if the new-coming Western habits seem to divert us from the Greek ones, they probably only bring us closer. Or we do after our own manners!