How to Make Turkish Tea - Turkey - The #1 Tea Consuming Country!

Turkey is the number consumer of tea in the world, per capita (Source: Wikipedia, 1/09). As popular as drinking Turkish Coffee, Turkish Tea is a very distinct drinking experience, drunk in in a very unique way.

The Turks do not drink their tea in ceramic mugs, or brew it the convenient single serve way. It is servcd strong, black and steaming hot in small, tulip-shaped glasses called 'ince belli.' The Turks serve multiple glasses of the red-colored tea. Also, tea houses are customary in parks and public spaces. The tea house is going through a transformation to more trendy tea pubs.

Turkish Tea is both brewed and drunk in Turkey similar to Russian Tea, moreso than the English or Chinese enjoy their tea. Both Turkey and Russia brew tea in a a samovar – a brass water boiler that is charcoal fueled, using rich black tea. Both cultures brew tea for fifteen minutes or more and then mix it with very hot, but not boiling, water to lighten it to taste. They then sweeten it with sugar to taste, but never add honey or milk to their glass tea cup. The Turkish and Russian cultures also both drink their tea in small, thin glasses, rather than ceramic or porcelain cups.

History of Tea Drinking in Turkey

Tea drinking in Turkey actually dates back to the 1600s. According to one legend, Back then, coffeehouses had quickly become places where men would gather to drink coffee, puff on hookahs, play their table games like tabli, and discuss the day's affairs.

After a series of fires caused by hookahs swept through the land around 1633, all the coffeehouses were ordered to be closed by an angry sultan. The Turks switched to tea as an alternative, and became quite fond of the substitute.

How To Make Turkish Tea

1. Prepare a small teapot by adding about one heaping teaspoon of full-bodied, rich black tea per cup (Kings English Breakfast Black Tea, Kings Dimbulla Black Tea, Jaf Majestic Ceylon Pekoe Black Tea work very well).
   



2. Boil about 1 cup of water per cup of tea on a stove top or in a samovar.



3. Pour HALF of the steaming water into the teapot. Let it steep for at least 15 minutes, keeping both the teapot and the remaining water piping hot.



4. Pour the tea into a small glass cup, or ince belli, about halfway. Add the water to fill the remainder, with sugar to taste. But remember that the Turks never add milk or honey!

While the U.S. is #20 in worldwide tea consumption, as a melting pot of cultures, many like to enjoy a new brew, or at least learn how another culture might enjoy theirs. It helps us appreciate our own culture and the luxury of having so much variety available to us all!

While we carry a full selection of single serve brewers, we also carry a full line of gourmet loose leaf teas. Our rich black teas are a great substitute for Turkish Black Tea, with its rich flavor and aroma.

The Coffeewiz Single Serve Glass Tea Brewing Solution will be up on our website within the next day or two. Join us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to be the first to know!

Please share your comments on this Turkish Tea post, for Tea Time Tuesday!