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Salt-brewed coffee is the newest lure for the visitors of the Ocnele Mari salt mine in Valcea County, actually a variation of Turkish sand coffee reinterpreted and adjusted to the serving location - inside the belly of the salt mountain, as mine representatives say, Agerpres reports.
For many years now, the Ocnele Mari saltworks have been among Valcea County's most popular places for spending leisure time and chill. Looking to breathe in natural saline aerosols in an environment with a constant temperature of 13-15 degrees Celsius all the year-round, thousands of tourists from all over the country descend into the underground salt halls, especially on weekends. Even off-season, in winter and spring months, the salt mine welcomes on average around 500 - 700 tourists daily.
"This is a reinterpreted Turkish coffee. The salt hall's unique underground setting has also reshaped the coffee ritual - as a Turkish proverb says, coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love. Most tourists buy salt-brewed coffee because, as you know, ibrik coffee is no longer a widespread habit, whereas here we find it every day," says Bogdana Nechersu, tourism organizer at the Ocnele Mari salt mine.
From the copper pot immersed in the hot salt bath and skillfully handled by Mr. Emil, a former explosive technician at a local mine, the rich coffee aroma quickly hits one's olfactory senses. The barista says that thanks to this specific technique, all the pleasant flavors of the coffee are kept unaltered, and the brewing time is only a few minutes.
"First of all, you need to put your soul into this coffee. Secondly, you have to observe the preparation recipe. It should be brewed at a temperature of 300 degrees. The temperature helps a lot because all the flavors are preserved in the drink, the coffee oils must remain intact," the barista explains.
Mr. Emil says that he learned the art of salt coffee relatively easily, and that if he were to compare the coffee made in the kettle at home, on the stove, with the salt-brewed one, he would certainly choose the latter, which has more intense and sweeter aroma.
"The main difference is given by the fact that the respective oils are preserved because the brewing is very fast and you enjoy the coffee with its original taste," Mr. Emil says.
"It's a more aromatic coffee because the salt mingled with the drink takes out the bitterness, and the sweetness of the coffee is more intensely felt," adds Bogdana Nechersu.
The Ocnele Mari salt mine has an area of 40,000 square meters fitted for visitors, featuring also an ice rink, mini-sports fields, a restaurant, art exhibitions and even a chapel, where services are held every Sunday. At this time of the year, the salt mine is open daily until 4:30 p.m., except for Mondays and Tuesdays.
