A few weeks ago, Le Bon Marché proposed something we never would have dared to imagine ourselves: organizing a customer event in the heart of the store. We said yes without hesitation.
The topic naturally presented itself: tasseography. And that morning, settled at La Table, the restaurant of La Grande Épicerie at Le Bon Marché, we understood that the mazagran was not just there by chance.
What is Tasseography?
Tasseography, or coffee-ground reading, is the ancient art of interpreting the shapes formed 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 drain and settle, and then the symbols that appear on the sides are read.
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 is 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 is learning to see what is before our eyes in a different way.
How a Tasseography Session Unfolds
For those who would like to try it at home, here is the protocol Douna taught us that morning.
The Grind. Tasseography 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. Hot water is poured directly over the ground coffee in the mazagran, without a filter. It is left to steep for two to three minutes, then sipped slowly—without stirring, without haste.
Waiting. Once the coffee is drunk, one places their hand on the mazagran, mentally formulates a question or intention, then inverts it onto its small saucer. The grounds are left to drain for a minimum of five minutes.
Reading. The cup is turned upright and observed. Symbols appear on the inner walls and the bottom. One starts from the top; shapes near the rim concern the near future. Those at the bottom, the past or the subconscious.
Douna, One of the Few Practitioners in France
From the conception of this workshop, we wanted to do things right. That's how we found Douna, one of the few tasseography 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 Tasseography
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 originated in a culture of slow coffee, shared coffee, coffee that one takes the time to drink to the end. Tasseography is part of 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 Tasseography Guide Coming Soon
We are preparing a practical guide to start reading coffee grounds at home: 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.
