Fortune Elkins, a 44-year-old Web designer, sat down with three friends around a lazy Susan in midtown Manhattan one recent afternoon to perform her favorite relaxation ritual: coffee cupping.

First, Elkins tenderly roasted and ground the beans, steeped them in water and cleared each brew of stray grounds. She then poured the coffee into neatly arranged rows of cups for her fellow tasters.

Using deep sterling silver spoons, Elkins and her friends then began to slurp furiously. They brought the steaming coffee to their lips as quickly as they could before the beverages went cold, and then spit each spoonful into a spittoon. The luscious smell of roasted beans filled the air as Elkins and her friends sucked the coffees into their mouths, emitting a sound that reminded one listener of opening a Velcro fastener.

Find out more about coffee cupping at www.azcentral.com.