A few weeks ago, Le Bon Marché offered us something we wouldn't have dared to imagine ourselves: organizing a client event in the heart of the store. We said yes without hesitation.
The topic naturally presented itself: coffee ground reading. And that morning, settled at La Table, the restaurant at La Grande Épicerie at Le Bon Marché, we understood that the mazagran wasn't just there by chance.
What is coffee ground reading?
Coffee ground reading, or tasseography, is the ancient art of interpreting the shapes drawn by coffee grounds at the bottom of a cup. After drinking one's coffee, the cup is inverted onto its saucer, one waits for the grounds to settle, then reads the symbols that appear on the sides.
This practice is deeply rooted in the cultures of the Middle East, the Balkans, and Turkey, where it is passed down from generation to generation. In France, it remains rare, and that's precisely what makes it fascinating.
The symbols that appear – animals, geometric shapes, letters – are interpreted according to a precise grammar. A mountain suggests an obstacle. A bird, a message. A snake, a transformation. Reading coffee grounds means learning to see what's before your eyes in a different way.
How a coffee ground reading session unfolds
For those who would like to try it at home, here is the protocol Douna taught us that morning.
The grind. Coffee ground reading requires a fine grind, like for Turkish coffee. Filter coffee or capsule coffee will not work — the grounds must settle naturally at the bottom of the cup.
Preparation. Pour hot water directly over the ground coffee in the mazagran, without a filter. Let it steep for two to three minutes, then drink slowly — without stirring, without rushing.
Waiting. Once the coffee is drunk, place your hand on the mazagran, mentally formulate a question or intention, then invert it onto its small saucer. Let the grounds drain for at least five minutes.
Reading. Turn the cup back over and observe. Symbols appear on the inner walls and the bottom. Start from the top; shapes near the rim concern the near future. Those at the bottom concern the past or the subconscious.
Douna, one of the few practitioners in France
From the conception of this workshop, we wanted to do things well. That's how we found Douna, one of the few coffee ground reading practitioners in France, and an absolutely exceptional woman.
She traveled to Paris to accompany us all morning at La Table, spending time with each participant with rare attention and kindness. Her way of guiding gave the experience something both serious and light.
Why the mazagran is the ideal cup for coffee ground reading
What we discovered that morning surprised us. The shape of the mazagran, its smooth inner wall, slightly flared upwards, its wide and stable base, is particularly well suited for reading coffee grounds. The symbols have room to form. They are legible.
This is not a historical coincidence: the mazagran was born in a culture of slow coffee, shared coffee, coffee that you take the time to drink to the end. Coffee ground reading fits into the same gesture.
To practice at home, mazagrans in light colors, Nude, Caramel, Blue, Green, Lemon, are your best allies: the grounds stand out better on a light background, and the symbols are easier to interpret.
A coffee ground reading guide is coming soon
We are preparing a practical guide to start reading coffee grounds at home: the basic symbols, how to interpret them, and some concrete examples from our morning with Douna.
In the meantime, if you want to get started, our mazagrans in light colors are available here.
