2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Given Turkey's position on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, it is no wonder that tea is the most popular beverage in the country. But did you know that Turkey is the largest country drinking tea in the world?
It is estimated that seven kilograms of tea are consumed per person per year in the Middle East, so it can be said that the preparation and drinking of this product is an integral part of Turkish culture and everyday life.
The tea officially arrived in Istanbul in 1856, when British and French soldiers came to the city as allies in the Crimean War. During this time, tea parties were held at embassies and became popular among social groups in the city. Once tea found its way into ordinary homes, it became as popular as coffee.
After World War II and the loss of the southeastern territories, the cost of importing coffee increased significantly. Thus, at the insistence of the founder of the republic - Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish people turned to tea, as it is easily obtained from local sources. It has since remained the most popular hot drink in the country.
Today, Turks have one of the highest levels of tea consumption per capita, averaging about 1,000 cups a year.
Along with the world ranking of tea consumption, Turkey is among the five largest countries in the world where tea is grown. It produces about 6 to 10 percent of the world's tea, but most of it is consumed in the country.
Turkish teas are divided into 3 main classes by strength: strong dark teas known as koyu; medium-strong brownish-red teas called tavşan kanı, meaning rabbit blood; and weak light teas called açık.
What is a good recipe for authentic Turkish tea?
To make Turkish teaYou don't have to be a master, but as always, there are some very important tricks to reproducing authentic Turkish tea. Of course, these tricks will not work if your tea is not of good quality.
Most black tea in Turkey is processed by the oxidation method, so boiling hot water is needed to make it successfully. In addition, the use of bottled water or water that does not contain traces of lime will make a big difference in the taste of your tea, as well as the use of a porcelain teapot.
The right one Turkish method of making tea includes the following steps:
1. Pour 1/4 cup of water into the small teapot. Add the tea leaves (5 tablespoons for 6 people) and cover with a lid.
2. Fill the large kettle with water. Put them together (small over large) on the stove at medium heat. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes so that the heat reaches the tea leaves in the small.
4. Transfer more than half of the water from the large kettle to the small kettle. Fill the large one with extra water and put them back on the stove. Again the little one over the big one.
Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to the lowest temperature and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The tea will be brewed as the tea leaves will sink by the end of this time. You can then leave the kettle on the stove at the lowest temperature so that the tea stays hot.
To serve: Fill each cup only up to 1/3 with boiled tea mixture. The rest of the glass should be topped up with extra boiled water. However, the proportions can be adjusted according to your taste. Good Turkish tea should be almost red when served.
The Turks choose to serve the tea in small tulip-shaped cups so that the drinker can appreciate the red color of the drink.
The aromatic liquid is not traditionally drunk with milk or lemon, but is instead served with two small sugar cubes. In Erzurum and other cities in eastern Turkey, tea is drunk in the katlama style, where the drinker puts a lump of sugar between his tongue and cheek while sipping his smoky drink.
Never place the small teapot containing the leaves directly on the stove to shorten the time! This will spoil both the taste and the type of tea. We have to wait for this brewing process. The tea in the small teapot is heated thanks to the steam caused by the boiling water in the large teapot and this takes time, but the result is worth it. Served with burek or Turkish baklava.
Recommended:
How To Make A Pie - A Guide For Beginners
The pie is a traditional Bulgarian dish that is present at every festive table next to the bread, savory, salt and honey. It is especially revered on Christmas and Christmas Eve, as one of the brightest holidays. Bulgarians are used to eating a pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner, between meals, afternoon breakfast or even dessert.
How To Make A Burek - A Guide For Beginners
There is hardly a person who does not like pie. This is a dish from our national cuisine, which is typical not only for us, but for all Balkan countries. The options are numerous, the name also changes according to which country on the peninsula we try the wonderful dough temptation.
How To Make Chicken Soup - A Guide For Beginners
On cold winter days or when we are sick, the best option is to focus on a warm chicken soup. It will eliminate the temperature, relieve sore throats and headaches, unclog the nose, and feed us without straining our stomachs. This type of soup is a favorite of many people.
How To Make Roast Chicken - A Guide For Beginners
Here you will find out how to cook a delicious roast chicken Step by Step. Choosing a quality chicken is easy. First, pay attention to the surface of the skin. If it is dry, then the bird is fresh, but if it is sticky - this is a clear sign that it has been stored for a long time.
How To Make Turkish Coffee - A Guide For Beginners
To make good Turkish coffee, the coffee must be fresh. Turkish coffee with old coffee leaves a sour taste in your mouth. So make sure you use a fresh product. The simplest way to keep coffee fresh is to buy it in small quantities and buy a new dose after it is consumed.
