- How to drink Turkish tea
- The benefits of Turkish tea
- How to make Turkish tea?
- Çaykur Rize Tea
- Other types of Turkish tea
People unfamiliar with the country assume that the national drink is coffee, but in fact, tea is the drink inseparable from Turkish culture.
Women, family, and friends often meet in tea gardens, while men flock to the male-dominated tea rooms that are the rallying point of most villages and towns.
In Turkey, the daily ritual of tea tasting saves you from having to use your phone, Facebook, or any other means of communication.
It is always a personal experience and, in most cases, for strangers, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
It even has its own proverb that connects it to love.
In this article, we will talk all about Turkish tea: the national drink of Turkey and its benefits.
How to drink Turkish tea
Called Çay in Turkish, small tulip-shaped glasses, placed on round saucers, are used to drink tea.
Turks never add milk, but usually insist on having two or more sugar cubes.
It is then enough to drink it slowly to appreciate the taste.
It is more than likely that Turkish friends will serve you tea when you visit them at home.
They can also invite you to meet them in tea gardens, which are family destinations.
Tea rooms, usually located in the village or town center, are predominantly male environments, and it would be infrequent to see a woman in one of them.
The benefits of Turkish tea
In addition to being a social experience, Turkish tea has many health benefits.
Studies in the Netherlands have shown that black tea helps regulate blood vessels and the heart, reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack.
The flavonoids contained in black tea also help reduce cholesterol levels, stabilize our metabolism, and reduce the risk of diabetes.
How to make Turkish tea?
Traditionally, a two-tire steel pot called çaydanlik is used to make Turkish tea.
Take the largest pan at the bottom and boil some water on the fire.
Put two tablespoons of tea leaves in the top pan and fill it with the boiling water from the bottom pan.
Place it on the bottom pan for about 10 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, fill a small tulip-shaped glass, a quarter to a third of the way up, with the tea mixture from the top half of the çaydanlik.
Top up with clear water from the bottom pan.
You can modify this mixture according to your taste, depending on whether you like strong tea or weak tea.
Add sugar cubes to taste, then stir and drink.
Çaykur Rize Tea
The most widely used brand of tea in Turkey is Çaykur from the northeast region of Rize.
This province, known as the tea capital of the country, has a mild climate suitable for the green mountains covered with tea plantations.
One in two adults works in the tea industry in Rize, which is estimated to be the leading trade in the region.
Çaykur produces many varieties of tea, although the Rize Turist is the best selling.
If you are in this region, visit the Çaykur Tea Gardens for a refreshing brew and a fantastic view of the city and its tea plantations.
Other types of Turkish tea
You will find other types of tea in Turkey, but black tea is the most common.
Oralet is a fruit tea with flavors such as orange, apple, lemon, and cherry.
Rather than using traditional tea leaves, the consistency of the mixture resembles chips used to decorate cakes.
It has an unusual bright color, a fruity taste, and generally, thanks to its sweetness, it does not require additional sugar.
Generally sold on local weekly markets, this type of tea attracts more tourists than Turks.
There are also Turkish herbal teas, but it is worth mentioning here apple tea.
It has earned a reputation in the tourism industry as the ideal drink for travelers, especially while shopping.
The truth is that Turks rarely drink it. According to them, the black and sweet variety is the only way to drink tea like a Turk!
If you wish to buy tea from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.
