#turkish coffee
Mmmm coffee ☕️
The method of preparation of Turkish coffee is a part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage program. The coffee is brewed in a special copper coffee pot called a cezve, very carefully and attentively, not letting it boil in order to avoid the bitterness, and then served in very specific cups. The other amazing thing about Turkish coffee is that it is often prepared on hot sand, which gives a great show to the tourists who decided to stop by and enjoy a cup. Read more
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Brewing up Turkish coffee in the Welsh mountains on a stormy day- the perfect antidote to a sleepless night.
Perhaps we should’ve expected the inevitably wet British weather on our camping trip to Snowdonia, but not knowing what to expect was all part of the fun. We’d spent a rather long time trying to find a suitable camp spot that day, eventually settling in a small, untouched patch of pine forest that had not yet been logged unlike its surroundings.
We busied ourselves pitching the tent, lighting a fire and preparing some dinner, and it was only once we had just finished setting up camp that the heavens opened. As our campsite quickly flooded with rain and the fire crackled and hissed, struggling to stay alight, Ben and I frantically began lashing a tarp to the surrounding trees, cutting pieces of cord with an old hunting knife and tying them to whatever branches we could find as rain streamed down our faces and up my sleeves.
You’d think this would’ve been the last straw at the end of a challenging day, but somehow as we sat eating fajitas in the car by the light of the fire that glowed beneath our newly constructed shelter, we caught eachother’s eyes and couldn’t stop giggling. Sure we were wet and cold, our tent was damp and our socks were soaked, but we were having fun nonetheless. We were out here alone, not another human in sight, just battling with the elements and keeping each other company.
The fondest memories we make aren’t always of the best times, and even the best-laid plans often go awry, but we embrace every moment of freedom we can find. Where adventure waits, there lies challenge, and we are prepared to follow.
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Starbucks is shutting down Kismet, a local Turkish cafe under the claim they serve espresso
Spoilers: they don’t. It’s Turkish coffee.
In the center of Alderwood Mall in Washington, there’s two kiosks.
One is a creation built from the ground up (Literally. They had to install the plumbing and electric themselves.) by a married couple from Turkey. They had a restaurant before immigrating here, and chose to set up shop in a region with a huge middle eastern population. Achma, simit, baklava, Nutella Bomb (Bomb of Izmir remix), börek, and whatever baked goods they’re giving a whip up are worked on as they chat with you. Turkish coffee is brewed and served in beautiful little cups, Italian sodas prepped, and with a baked good of choice enjoyed at the wrap around counter. The place has become a tiny cultural island of familiarity, where friends and families gather to chat, eat and drink.
The other is a duplicate stamp fast food kiosk by a bloated multi-billion dollar corporation that’s already shut down one of its three (3) locations within the mall, leaving yet another unoccupied dead space.
For years, it’s ignored Kismet’s presence while it made the usual hard climb from startup. But it’s gotten popular. And they don’t like it.
And so they walk up to Brookfield Properties who own the mall, and whip out the contract of no one else on the property serving espresso (yes. they have that. insidious isn’t it?) demanding that the Turkish coffee shop close. Here’s the screamer though: They. Don’t. Serve. Espresso. But Brookfield won’t squirm under the thumb of the megacorp unless it’s made loud and clear what a big mistake that is.
If you would like to help, even signing the petition will carry this forward. Reblog and share it too, and let’s see if we can’t give Starbucks a well-earned kick in the groin.
Update as of today (June 1st):
“Many of you have asked how you can help support us and our employees. Thank you! Your donation will help us handle expenses while we regroup and try to find a new path forward. Alderwood Mall gave us a Final Eviction Notice for June 1st.The lights are out at Kismet, and our Alderwood Mall café is closed. But, we are actively looking for a new location and we are determined to re-build our dream!”They now have a GoFundMe to restart the Kismet Cafe at a different location.
Fuck you, Starbucks.
For those of you who are not aware, Starbucks actively pushes the landlords of the malls it leases space from to ban all other tenants in the same mall from selling any coffee products including local cafes, bakeries, and restaurants. A few years ago they also tried to ban a local Cuban bakery in Miami from selling Cuban coffee—even though Starbucks does not even sell Cuban coffee—but the Starbucks was bullied so hard by locals that they ultimately surrendered:
Miami Coffee Lovers Stopped Starbucks From Bullying Pinecrest Bakery
Bullying and boycotting multinational chains works. When they become public nuisances it is totally legitimate to withhold your business, leave bad reviews, and discourage everyone you know from patronizing their business—they are not as immune to public pressure as one might think.
So, Kismet’s location has officially shuttered, but they are looking to begin again. Here is their GoFundMe page!
Help Kismet Turkish Cafe & Bakery, organized by Jake Fawcett
