Ashraf AboArafe
The Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Cairo marked Turkish Coffee Day, celebrated annually on December 5, with a vibrant cultural gathering that brought together figures from Egypt’s artistic, cultural, and media circles.
Guests were welcomed with freshly brewed Turkish coffee, traditional Turkish delight (lokum), and an array of assorted sweets. A visual presentation featuring videos and photographs took attendees on a journey through the history of Turkish coffee, its preparation methods, and its deep-rooted place in Turkish cultural life.
The presentation highlighted that Turkish coffee has been an essential element of the Turkish kitchen since the Ottoman era. It was introduced to Istanbul in 1517 by Özdemir Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Yemen. Prepared in a copper cezve using methods developed by the Ottomans, it became known worldwide as “Turkish coffee.”
With a legacy spanning five centuries, Turkish coffee has shaped social and cultural interactions across the Ottoman lands. By the 16th century, Istanbul’s coffeehouses had transformed into hubs of intellectual exchange and social life. Its fame soon spread across Europe and, eventually, the world through travelers, merchants, and diplomats. In 2013, Turkish coffee was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
In his remarks, Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen recalled the well-known Turkish saying, “A cup of coffee guarantees forty years of affection.” He emphasized the beverage’s centrality to Turkish culinary and social culture, noting that the average Turkish citizen enjoys two cups daily. Coffee, he added, is indispensable on all occasions—from family visits and gatherings with friends to work meetings. “A marriage proposal without coffee,” he joked, “is simply unimaginable.”
Ambassador Şen also reflected on coffee’s origins in Yemen and its cherished place in Turkish collective memory. He explained how Turkish coffee—and Turkish culture more broadly—spread across the world through Istanbul’s historic cafés and shops. He noted that Egyptians, too, consume Turkish coffee widely at home, at work, and in cafés and restaurants, helping build a shared cultural bond between the two nations.
He concluded with a hopeful message:
“I trust that together we will advance our peoples, our culture, our economy, and all our shared values—for Türkiye and Egypt share a common future.”
