HOW TEA IS CONSUMED AROUND THE WORLD

HOW TEA IS CONSUMED AROUND THE WORLD

HOW TEA IS CONSUMED AROUND THE WORLD

The tradition of drinking tea started from the historic period when, an emperor found that a tea leaf in his hot water had added a pleasant flavor to the water. Since then, many varieties of tea came up along with culture-specific traditions of drinking them. Here are a few of the most popular teas from around the world:

MOROCCAN MINT TEA

A sweet, minty treat served in ornate tea-ware is a ceremony central to the social life in Maghreb (a region of the Northwest Africa consisting of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania) and to the rest of the world it is simply Moroccan Mint Tea.

The History of Tea in Morocco is debatable. Some trace its origin to the 12th century while others claim that tea was introduced to Morocco only in the 18th century, but whenever it was, today tea has become a way of life in this region.

To begin with, Chinese Gunpowder Green tea is used in addition to some mint leaves (and other herbs if you desire) with lots of sugar. As the tea is sweet in nature, you will need around 7 to 8 tablespoons of tea to serve 5 to 6 cups of tea.

HOW TO MAKE?

Bring Chinese gunpowder green tea to a  boil, and add mint leaves on top of it. Follow this by adding sugar cubes while the teapot is still on the stove. Use a strainer to strain the tea leaves serve hot!

MASALA CHAI, INDIA

Masala Chai is the most popular tea in Indian households. This tea is gaining popularity around the world, and you can see the internet being loaded with blogs on how to make this tea. As the name suggests, the tea is made with tea leaves (obviously!) and different spices. It is enjoyed worldwide in any season because, how can one not enjoy a sweet concoction of strong black tea, milk and aromatic Indian spices!

HOW TO MAKE?

To make Masala Chai, you will need cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger. Bring water to boil, and add the grounded spices along with the tea leaves. Add a cup of milk and sugar. Once the tea is boiled, serve hot!

RUSSIAN CARAVAN TEA

The name ‘Caravan” comes from the time when the caravans sold the Chinese tea across continents, which included selling them in Russia. This tea has a smokey taste and is composed of oolong tea, Keemon and Lapsang Souchong teas. This tea comes in other varieties as well.

HOW TO MAKE?

The Russian Caravan tea is taken without milk. Bring water to boil and pour that over 3 to 4 teaspoons of loose tea (depending on the number of cups you want to make). Let it sit, without mixing, for 4 to 5 minutes. Once done, you will notice the colour of the water has changed indicating that the tea is ready. Add sugar to taste.

PO-CHA, TIBET

Coming from the hills of Tibet, po-cha is unlike any other tea. It separates from the milk or lemon discussion and lays a new path for a salty flavor of tea. The tea is made with milk and salted butter. The tea is sometimes also considered as a light soup because of its thickness and salty flavor.

HOW TO MAKE?

Cubes of Pemagul Tibetan black tea is required to make po-cha. Crush a little tea from the tea cubes and boil it for hours. Once done, the tea water is saved and used to make po-cha. Add milk, a little salt and butter to the tea water and churn. You can also use any other black tea, If you do not have the special Tibetan tea.

YERBA MATE, ARGENTINA

Yerba Mate is believed to be a drink (or tea) that is the best out of all the other varieties of teas that are available around the world. This is because this tea contains nearly 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and many more amino acids that have health benefits. The tea is made from tea leaves found in the Argentinian rain forest.

Traditionally, Yerba Mate is served in a “gourd” (called mate itself) and consumed using a “Bombilla” (a metal straw with a sieve at the bottom). The modern day gourds are bowls made of wood, ceramic or metal.

HOW TO MAKE?

To begin, place yerba mate (the herb) in the gourd and shake until the finer particles are at the top. Slowly place the bombilla into the gourd and add cold water. Wait for the water to seep into the tea leaves. Once that is done, add hot but not boiling water to the tea. Without stirring, enjoy the drink by taking small sips. The bombilla not only serves as a straw but also as a filter to sieve the tea leaves as you drink. You may even add sugar if you like.