FAQs


Q:

Is coffee good for my health?

A:

Absolutely! According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's article on beverages, coffee is categorised together with tea as the second healthiest drink after water (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks-full-story/).

The article especially praises coffee's positive effect on type 2 diabetes. Various studies show that drinking coffee regularly is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, and liver disease, including liver cancer.

Coffee’s health benefits derive from not just a few compounds, but more likely the combined effects of many different compounds, minerals, and antioxidants. And while most people think of caffeine when they think of coffee, both regular and decaf coffee have the same effects when it comes to blood diseases and diabetes.

The article comes with a warning though: the addition of cream, sugar, whipped cream, and flavourings can turn coffee or tea from a healthful beverage into a not-so-healthful one. So, if you want to get the most out of your coffee, you should enjoy it plain. 

Q:

What makes Turkish coffee different than other types of coffee?

A:

Firstly, Turkish coffee is made from the finest ground coffee particles. To enjoy Turkish coffee at its best, one coffee bean is cut into 15,000 to 35,000 pieces, whereas one coffee bean is usually cut into 3,500 pieces for standard espresso.

Finely ground coffee is added into water at room temperature. Then, the mixture is heated to almost boiling point (but should not reach the boiling point, otherwise coffee is burnt).

Lastly, there is no filtration in the Turkish Coffee brewing process. Once ready, everything, including the coffee grounds at the bottom of the pot, is poured in the cups. These ground are traditinoally called "telve" and are used for fortune-telling after the coffee is fully consumed.

Q:

Can I create different tastes with Turkish Coffee?

A:

Of course. To start with, you can sweeten your Turkish coffee by adding sugar, sweetener, or even chocolate before starting the brewing process. You can do this with all Okka series Turkish coffee makers. It is also popular to add various spices into Turkish coffee. For instance, majority of people in the Middle East prefer their Turkish coffee with cardamom. In western Anatolia or Greece, mastic is a favourite ingredient.

Why not even trying pouring your Turkish on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream?

Q:

Can I use any coffee with my Okka series Turkish coffee machines?

A: 

You can use any Turkish or Greek coffee available in the market with your Okka series Turkish coffee machines. They usually come in plain form either, medium or dark rostaed. But sometimes you can find them mixed with beautifully tasting spices such as cardamom, cinnamon or mastic. You can try adding a small piece of chocolate (instead of sugar) to your coffee before starting to brew to reach a heavenly beautiful taste.

Q:

When will my order be delivered?

A:

We deliver all orders over £50 placed on Ebay or Coffee Talks online shop with special delivery in the UK. So, if you live in the UK and have placed an order for one or more of our products from Ebay or this online shop, you can expect to receive it in one working day.

If you think that your delivery has been delayed, please feel free to contact us on info@coffeetalks.co.uk and we will investigate the issue for you. 

Q:

Do your products come with warranty?

A:

Yes, all our products come with 2-year warranty from the date of purchase. Our warranty covers any defects in material or workmanship under normal use during the warranty period.

Q:

Do I need a power adaptor for my product?

A:

Our products fully comply with the UK regulations and electrical standards including the type G power plug which is the standard plug for a lot of countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. So, if you live in the UK or one of the countries where type G is the standard for power plugs you do not need to use an adaptor with the products you purchase from us.

Q:

How can Okka brew coffee at the ideal temperature?

A:

It is very important to heat water to the ideal temperature to make the ultimate Turkish coffee. In the traditional way, you should make sure that cezve is taken off the hob just seconds before it starts boiling. That's because if water is let to boil then the coffee grounds are burnt. 

This is difficult to replicate within an automated system, because water boils at different temperatures at different altitudes. In order to overcome this problem, we have developed and patented the "auto altitude detection system". With this system, Okka runs a setup cycle when it is started for the first time. During the setup cycle, it detects its altitude and sets its brewing temperate at the ideal level, just a few centigrade below the boiling point.

Q:

What is fortune-telling?

A:

Drinking Turkish coffee is an intrinsic and inseparable part of Turkish culture and, in many ways, it is like a ritual that goes hand in hand with heartfelt conversations with friends. Usually fortune-telling is the final phase of the ritual.

When the coffee is finished, the cup is turned upside down in the saucer and left in that position for a few minutes until it cools down. The, the fortune teller, whether a professional or just a friend, takes it and reads the symbols created by the dried coffee residue inside the cup and the saucer. Each shape has a meaning and the expertise of the fortune teller is measured according to how skilfull he/she is in interpreting these shapes. Seeing a fish, for example, is interpreted as love is on its way, or bird means a news from the lover.