Tea is a common drink in almost all Muslim countries, as it is a sign of hospitality and respect. But Turkish tea has a series of peculiarities that make it different from that of other countries in its surroundings. In this post, we tell you what it’s like and how to drink it, as you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to enjoy it on your trip: it’s one of the country’s hallmarks and will help you better understand the local culture, especially if you’re lucky enough to drink it with someone from here.
Ingredients of Turkish Tea
The first thing you should know is that Turkish tea is different from that produced in other countries of the world, including those with Muslim majorities. One of the differences is its place of production: practically all the tea consumed in Turkey is produced within its borders, specifically in the Rize area, on the Black Sea coast.
The cultivated variety is the usual green tea (Camellia sinensis), but it is classified as black tea because the leaves of this plant undergo a longer oxidation process. This not only darkens its color but also increases its caffeine content.
Preparation and Presentation of Turkish Tea
Regarding the preparation, the use of a double teapot (çaydanlık), one on top of the other, is noteworthy. Or rather, a teapot with two levels, connected to each other. This is to control the intensity of the tea. In this way, when serving the tea, it’s easier to adapt the intensity to each person’s taste.
In these teapots, the lower level is filled with water, while the tea is placed in the upper part. This way, when the water boils, it is poured into the upper level to infuse it. And when served, its concentration will be diluted to each person’s taste with the hot water from the lower level. As can be seen in the photo, a strainer is used to filter the tea.
The use of glass cups is precisely related to this: being transparent, it’s easier to understand the tea’s intensity level and thus leave it in the desired mixture, without needing to taste it first. In this sense, the desired level is between the two extremes: strong is darker and is called koyu, and light is clearer and is called açık.
Another curiosity related to the glasses is their shape, slightly like an inverted bell. This is because they apparently keep the tea’s heat better, for longer. Also, they are not usually filled to the top, but several centimeters are left free to be able to grip with the fingers, precisely where the glass widens, which facilitates the grip.
The Social Component of Turkish Tea
Lastly, it’s worth highlighting the social component of Turkish tea, which is comparable to that of coffee, which we talk about in this other post. Drinking tea is not simply a technical stop to replenish energy, but it is usually a social act to share time with other people, whether it’s an invitation at home or in a “neutral” place in the city. In fact, the tradition of the street tea vendor who, equipped with a huge double teapot, serves a glass of tea to whoever demands it on the street, still persists.
For all these reasons, it’s not surprising that there are so many sales stands and that the Turkish people are traditionally the largest tea consumers per person, with about 2.5 kg per person per year, according to some estimates. According to other statistics, more than 85% of Turks declare themselves regular tea drinkers, which accounts for its spread in society.
