Turkish coffee charms Yunus Emre Institute guests at Beijing event
A cup of Turkish coffee next to the traditional pot the drink is brewed in. (Alamy Photo via Reuters)


Freshly brewed Turkish coffee enchanted attendees at an event run by the Yunus Emre Institute to promote Turkey's culture in China's capital Beijing on Saturday.

The event was attended by Chinese guests, including industry representatives, trainers and coffee enthusiasts and was held at Beijing's Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center.

The institute team made a presentation on the history of coffee in Turkey, its culture and its place in social life and human relations.

The presentation covered how Turkish coffee is made, the tools used for grinding and making it, and service elements.

After the presentation, the guests had the opportunity to smell and taste the freshly ground coffee.

"I felt like I was not just drinking coffee but also experiencing culture," said Guo Lijun, one of the guests.

Lydia Li, a coffee instructor, described the event as "ice-breaking."

"I have never been to Turkey. We cover Turkish coffee in our training but to understand the depth of a country's culture, it is necessary to experience it firsthand," she remarked.

Li said she expected Turkish coffee to be darker, bitter and predominantly cinnamon and spice in the aroma but instead encountered a soft aroma and a fresh coffee scent.​​​​​​