Coffee, chocolate festival kicks off in Turkish capital

By Kubra Chohan

ANKARA

A four-day coffee and chocolate festival kicked off on Thursday in the Turkish capital.

The festival at Ankara Congresium will host 30 seminars, more than 10 workshops, contests, concerts and shows.

Local and international coffee, iced tea, chocolate and desserts were offered to the liking of enthusiasts accompanied by a live jazz quartet.

A workshop for children with Down Syndrome was held where award-winning chef Hakan Dogan taught children how to make chocolate lollipops.

Also, Gurkan Kumak, Starbucks 2015 European and Middle East and Africa Barista Championship winner, narrated "the story of Turkish coffee" to a jam-packed hall.

Atilla Narin, founding member of the non-governmental organization Baristas Foundation, pointed to the importance of coffee in Turkey's history at a seminar called "the lost coffees of Anatolia".

He said exquisite coffees, such as those which use nigella seeds and chickpeas, should be introduced to the world.

The festival, expecting to host some 60,000 people till Sunday, has the theme "two tastes, five senses".

It may be held annually.