modern-day istanbul

Did The Ottoman Empire Ban Coffee?

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Purist Muslims wanted it banned because of its stimulating nature and because it was an innovation. The chief religious authority among the Ottomans during the reign of Süleyman and his successor, Şeyhülislam Ebussuud issued a fatwa, or decree, against drinking coffee. Did the Ottomans drink coffee? Coffee and tobacco were common to both European and … Read more

How Did The Ottomans Drink Coffee?

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When coffee reached Constantinople (modern-day istanbul) in the 16th century, the Ottomans developed a new brewing method: they roasted the beans over a fire, ground them and then gently boiled them in water over the fire They called the drink “kahve”, the origin of the word we use today. How did the Ottomans get coffee? … Read more