In my quest for new inspirations to create beverages for markets, I love exploring how people around the world prepare and enjoy their favorite herbs. Below, I've compiled some of my findings, ranging from the traditional to the more exotic.
1. Moroccan mint tea
I recall visiting Marrakesh and experiencing a pot of mint tea at a café overlooking a bustling market. The sweetness surprised me, as did the generous amount of sugar added to the mint. Moroccan mint tea ceremonies, often led by the head of the family, involve multiple servings, each stronger than the last. Along with it, they usually serve little dessert like Briouat (sweet puff pastry typical, it's filled with almond or peanut paste and then dipped in hot honey with orange blossom essence), Halwa dyal Makina (piped biscuit with chocolate).
According to Safa, author of Moroccanzest, the ceremony of making moroccan tea was done by the head of the family, the father.
First the material and ingredients are brought to the living-room to the guests on silver trays. At least 3 cups of tea will be made each one stronger than the previous one. According to a Moroccan saying the first glass of Moroccan mint tea is as soft as life, the second as strong as love, and the last as bitter as death.
Gesture is important in making moroccan tea, the person making the tea will pour high to get more foam into the drink, which will result with more flavours and texture.
Ingredients: Spearmint leaves, Gun powder green tea, Sugar, Heatproof tea pot, Spices like cinnamon or herbs (optional). For instance, they will add rosebuds, verbena, cinnamon for parties and mariages as it enhances the mood.
2. English's Afternoon Tea
The custom of afternoon tea is quite recent, as tea made its appearance in the mid 17th century England. It is only in the 19th century that the "Afternoon tea" was brought by the seventh Duchess of Bedford. One day, feeling hungry around 4pm and with dinner not scheduled until 8pm, she requested a tray to be brought to her room. From there on, it became a habit to have a late afternoon tea served with pastries and little triangle sandwiches.
Nowadays, the most popular tea in England is the English Breakfast tea, a blend made of Ceylon, Kenyan, and Assam teas, and it's a perfect pick-me-up to drink in the afternoon. Another favorite is Earl Grey, a blend of Chinese Keemun black tea with bergamot (bergamot oil), giving it a distinct citrine flavour.
3. Taiwanese Boba tea
Recently, this taiwanese drink has gained in popularity with its vibrant colours and flavours. Although, its origin is being disputed by two Taiwanese companies, we can say that the first Boba tea was made around the 1980's. "Boba" is slang for breast but it isn't considered as an offensive name.
Boba or bubble tea is simple to prepare, as the tapioca starch pearls can be readily purchased pre-made. Then you simply have to brew your favorite tea, prepare or buy a sweetener (simple syrup, agave, honey...) and optionally add your milk (non-dairy or regular).
Russian tea's origins trace back to the time of Peter the Great's reign. It was during this era that the emperor forged an agreement facilitating trade between Russia and China. As early as the 1720s, China commenced large-scale tea exports to Russia.
The tea that was imported was of the black variety. Upon leaving China, the tea was in a dry and consumable state. However, given the duration of the journey, which could last for weeks or even months, and the absence of suitable containers to protect the leaves from moisture, the tea had to undergo another drying process upon arrival. This additional drying had an impact on the taste of the tea.
The samovar, the water container you can see on the picture, was invented to heat the water and keep it warm as there was no electricity. They were also using this typical glass called podstakannik to drink their teas. Their primary purpose is to be able to hold a very hot glass of tea, which is usually consumed right after it is brewed.
5. Tibetan butter tea or Bho Jha
Butter tea comprises brick tea or Pu'er tea, yak butter, yak milk, and salt. It is believed that Tibetans consume up to 60 small cups a day for both hydration and nutrition. Often, they pair butter tea with tsampa, a dietary staple among Tibetans.
Tsampa is a sticky dish crafted from toasted flour, typically barley flour, and occasionally wheat flour, along with flour derived from tree peony seeds. How you prepare it? You leave a little buttered tea in the bottom of your bowl and put a big dollop of tsampa on top of it. You stir gently with the forefinger, then knead with the hand, meanwhile twisting your bowl round and round until you finish up with a large dumpling-like object which you proceed to ingest, washing it down with more tea.
Hope you appreciate this little tour around tea culture in different parts of the world, I'll be back with other articles later on.
With love,
| Resources https://www.rbth.com/arts/2014/06/25/the_legendary_samovar_russias_300-year_tea_tradition_37701.html |