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Turkish coffee is being brewed in heated rock salt instead of traditional sand in Türkiye's central Anatolian province of Cankiri, where a local business owner says the unusual preparation method produces a thicker consistency, richer flavor and more foam.
Known for its extensive rock salt deposits, Cankiri has brought together two elements of local cultural heritage by using the region's famous salt as a heat source for preparing Turkish coffee.
Unlike the traditional method of brewing coffee in heated sand, the process involves placing a cezve, a small, long-handled pot used to make Turkish coffee, directly into heated, finely ground rock salt, allowing the drink to cook slowly.
Local business owner Sahin Harmanci said the technique draws on Cankiri's salt deposits, which he described as dating back approximately 9 million years, and combines them with traditional coffee-making practices.
According to Harmanci, the coffee beans are ground into a fine powder using a 400-year-old millstone before being brewed in the heated salt.
He explained that the salt surrounds the cezve, allowing the coffee to cook more slowly than it would in heated sand, which he believes improves its flavor and produces a thicker, foamier drink.
Harmanci described the preparation method as a way of turning Cankiri's long-standing association with salt into a cultural experience.
Salt and Turkish coffee are traditionally associated with marriage proposal ceremonies in Türkiye, during which a prospective bride may prepare salted coffee for her future husband.
However, the method used in Cankiri is different, as the salt serves as a cooking medium rather than an ingredient added to the drink.
Harmanci said the preparation technique has attracted attention both locally and elsewhere in Türkiye, with visitors traveling from Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul to try the coffee.
He added that tourists frequently stop by the area around Cankiri Castle to experience the unusual brewing method, which brings together the province's salt heritage and Turkish coffee culture.
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