"Does your favorite coffee mug have a funny pun or cool art? Or maybe an intricate ceramic design? How about stepping things up and having some jewelry with your java? Enter the zarf, a Turkish word meaning "envelope." It refers to decorative devices used especially during the Ottoman era to hold hot cups of coffee. And more recently it could be a term for those ubiquitous cardboard sleeves that keep your hands from overheating."
"That's where the zarf comes in. "The zarf is actually a handle for these tiny little coffee cups," White says. "It's supposed to be functional, but at the same time is the symbol of Ottoman luxury lifestyle. It's more like, you know, a statement of rank or elegance, sophistication, because Turkish coffee is a cultural treasure for the Ottomans." Zarfs have come in various forms, from stripped down metal to intricate floral designs, colorful enamel and carefully inlaid jewels."
Turkish coffee serving was a ritual and an art form during the Ottoman era, encompassing brewing, serving and presentation. The Turkish method grinds beans very finely and slowly cooks coffee and water to produce a thick foam served in small cups. Coffee entered Ottoman lands by the 16th century and has cultural importance recognized by UNESCO. The zarf is a decorative handle for tiny coffee cups that provided function and signaled luxury, rank and sophistication. Zarfs ranged from simple metal to elaborate floral enamel and jewel inlay. The term now also applies to modern cardboard sleeves that protect hands from hot cups.
Read at www.npr.org
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