"Any time is coffee time" Top 5 Page for this destination Sarajevo Local Custom Tip by TheWanderingCamel

Khava, coffee - is more than just a drink in Bosnia and Hercegovina - it's a way of life! There's no time of day or night that's not the right time for coffee, and if you can share it with someone else - so much the better. And for traditionalists, that means strong, black Bosnian coffee, brought to the table on a tray in the the pot it was brewed in, a džezva ,and drunk from in a handless cup that may be sitting in a copper or brass holder - a fildžan. The holder's to keep the coffee hot, so leave it on the table when you take a sip. There'll be some sugar cubes and probably a square of Turkish Delight as well.

It's not just the pot and the cup that have their own names. People don't just drink "a coffee". There's a name for each and every one. You start the day with a razgalica and when you meet friends later in the morning you go for a razgovoruša. There are lots more.

So there you are, coffee in front of you - what next?

Wait a little while, the coffee needs to brew and the grounds to settle before you pour your first cup. A gentle stir of the top will help the settling, but don't do it too vigorously or go right to the bottom, you'll just stir them up again. When the coffee develops the distinctive crema on the surface, it's ready to drink.

When you pour, do it gently so the grounds stay in the pot. Locals won't stir the sugar in, they dip it in the cup and eat it. And the Turkish Delight's for eating when you're done - not for dipping or for having coffee poured over it!

If you really can't take your coffee strong and black, ask for kahva sa mlijeko - espresso with steamed milk, not really a capuccino but as near as you'll get probably.

English-style tea drinkers aren't so well served - unless you ask specifically for Chai crna (black tea -pronounced chy chorna) you'll be given whatever comes to hand - herbal tea, fruit tea, mint tea - it's all the same to a coffee drinker.