When we first came to this amazing country of Turkey, it was a huge discovery for us, a usual drink such as tea.
It is not even the amount of tea that the Turkish people drink that is a huge surprise, but the fact that they drink it at all seasons of the year.
Coming to any house, you will immediately be offered a cup of Turkish tea, it is strictly forbidden to refuse, because drinking tea with a guest is a real tradition.
Turkey, according to statistics, occupies a leading position in tea consumption. And this is not surprising, there is even a position for a tea-making worker.
This is usually done in large office objects, where staff are hired to make tea during the day and deliver it to the workers.
Tea Production
Turkish tea, which in Turkish is called tea (çay), is produced on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, where there is a mild climate with a lot of precipitation and fertile soil.
Almost all Turkish tea is produced on the Black Sea coast in Riza, forming the basis of its economy. In 2004, 205.5 thousand tons of tea were produced in Turkey (6.4% of the total tea production in the world). In the same year 2004, Turkey recorded the highest consumption of tea in the world – 2.5 kg per person, which was more than in the UK, where consumption was 2.1 kg per person. In terms of tea production, Turkey ranks fifth in the world, after China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka, overtaking countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan.
Which kind of brands of tea in Turkey they have?
In total, there are 4 most popular brands of tea in Turkey: Çaykur, Doğuş, Doğadan, Karali, but in fact, there are much more producers.
We recommend the Çaykur brand, as we use it ourselves.
How to brew tea correctly?
Traditionally, tea is brewed in a special teapot, it is two-level. The water comes to a boil at the lower level, then part of the boiling water is used to brew several spoonfuls of crushed tea leaves in a smaller upper kettle, where a very strong brew is obtained. The remaining water is used to dilute the tea, based on individual preferences: either strong tea (tur. koyu — “dark”), or weak (tur. açık — “light”).
Tea is served in traditional tulip-type glasses.Their correct name is:armudy. These glasses are very popular in Turkey, they are decorated in various ways and sold for expensive price.
Powdered Tea
Powdered tea is not real tea, but only a fake and an advertising move. This type of tea is actively sold in tourist cities, as well as in popular places for tourists.
How do you understand that the tea on the shelves is powdered? It’s very simple. The package has a weight of 200 grams, all information is presented, as a rule, in Russian and in English. Also on the packs you can see the inscription “granulated” (granulated). This “infernal mixture” is also called “Khazer Baba” and “Ali Baba”.
We recommend that you try to bring the Turkish tradition into your life and truly enjoy this warming drink.
You can read this Article in Russian language: Турецкий чай
