It’s no secret that tea is one of the most popular and well-loved drinks in the world, with a strong following in most countries and cultures. From the way tea is produced, served and consumed, various unique traditions can be observed around the world. Read on to find out more about these quirky and interesting tea ceremonies!
Eastern Europe
While British tea drinkers have their favourite mug, tea drinkers in many Eastern European countries drink from glasses, slotted into an ornate glass-holder known in Russia as a ‘podstakannik’, literally translated into ‘thing under the glass’. Tea is often served after dinner and brewed using large leaf black tea with sugar and lemon but without the addition of milk.
Middle East and Africa
Tea (despite being a hot drink) is a firm favourite in the sunny countries of Africa and the Middle East. In Egypt, tea is the national drink and is so popular that coffee can’t even compete! To start their day, Egyptians have a morning shot of tea and a compulsory cup of tea after lunch, mostly of the black tea variety. On the contrary, tea in Morocco is primarily green with the energising addition of fresh mint, while tea in Turkey is often sweetened with beetroot sugar.
South Asia
It should come as no surprise that India, one of the biggest producers of tea in the world, has a strong tea culture. Indian tea is served much like English tea, with milk and sugar, with some of the most famous black teas Darjeeling and Assam produced there. In Pakistan’s Kashmir region, however, a pinkish tea called ‘noon chai’ is the drink of choice, which has a distinctive colour and is flavoured with cardamom and pistachios.
What’s your favourite way to drink tea and what tea traditions have you encountered on your travels?