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Regular Turkish Tea

Black tea is the most popular drink in Turkey. Black tea contains flavonoids containing antioxidants. This hot energy drink is healthier and beneficial to keep one healthy. The flavonoids decrease the bad cholesterol in the blood, reducing the chances of heart attacks and strokes. One can enjoy two to three cups of Turkish tea regularly without any health risk. Tea is not just an energy drink to the country's people, but the custom of hospitality is deeply associated with this drink. The land has the record of the highest tea consumption (per capita) among all the countries in the world. In Turkey, tea is synonymous with hospitality.

According to the tradition, families offer the guests a cup of tea to welcome them home. The red brewing tea is served in a tulip-shaped glass. The bright color, fruity flavor, and innate sweetness make the drink different altogether. The preparation and consumption of tea are an intricate part of Turkish culture and convention. One can see a brewing teapot at the corner of a room in every household and workplace, ready to be served. Offering a cup of tea everywhere in Turkey comes under tradition, and it is unmannerly to refuse the tea. Consumption of Turkish tea twice or thrice during the day is not unhealthy, as Turkish tea does not contain much caffeine. On a visit to Turkey, you can enjoy drinking tea in different provinces and districts. If you wish, you can also buy quality tea leaves from the local markets for you and your near ones. A box full of tea leaves is a heart-melting gift for relatives and friends after one gets home after spending a vacation in Turkey. Turkish tea comforts the country's people in the winter season by keeping the body warm.

Herbal Tea

Turkish people fancy herbal teams. The tea leaves are used to prepare natural medicine. The local shops sell herbal teas for the treatment of several physical ailments. One can buy leaves, shoots, petals based on the individual need.

Foreign tourists enjoy herbal tea with the flavors of apple, linden, rosehip, etc. Differently flavored herbal teas benefit health and rejuvenate the taste buds. Linden tea protects one against flu, cough, and cold. The herbal tea treats stress and anxiety, high blood pressure, liver, digestive, and arthritic problems.

Another popular tea is sage tea that is most popular in the Mediterranean coastal region.

Preparation of Turkish Tea

The preparation of tea in Turkey is of a unique kind. Turkish tea is prepared with the use of two stacked teapots. The lower teapot is the larger one and, the upper pot is comparatively smaller. Water boils in both the teapots and, a good account of tea leaves are added to the water in the upper teapot. The tea is ready when the water boils and takes color. The mixture must be allowed for boiling for 10 minutes. While serving the tea, the remaining water in the lower pot is mixed with the tea based on individual demand to lessen the bitterness. Thus, the drink is categorized as strong (dark and bitter) tea and weak (light) tea.

The beautiful tulip-shaped glass shows the transparent yet dark reddish color of the drink. One has to hold this kind of glass by the rim to avoid the heat on the fingertips. In Turkey, tea is never served with lemon or milk. Beet sugar cubes are served to sweeten the tea. Drinking tea in Turkey is not restricted to specific hours. The families sit for their afternoon tea between 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Mostly, sweet and rich cookies and delicious cakes accompany tea in Turkish families.

Turkish coffee

Coffee is the national drink of Turkey. Turkish coffee is famous for its fragrance and freshness. Turkish coffee has several health benefits as coffee lowers the chances of inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases. In Turkish tradition, coffee is prepared one at a time in small kettles. The country people do not consume coffee regularly. Coffee is prepared and served on special occasions and festivals. At times, families sit together to have a cup of coffee after the meal. Families serve coffee in beautiful little cups and saucers.

Villages in Turkey are renowned for their coffee houses. The coffee houses are full of mostly local people who spend their time playing cards, smoking, and chitchatting. Mostly, men visit the coffee houses. There is one coffee house located in the Aegean town, dedicated to women only.

Coffee and Fortune Telling Custom

In Turkey, the preparation and consumption of coffee have a deep connection with fortune-telling. During the courtship ritual, the boy's family meets the expected bride and asks the girl's parents for the maiden's hands.

According to the tradition, the bride-to-be prepares coffee and serves it to her potential husband and in-laws. In this process, the family judges the bride-to-be from her coffee-making capability. Fortune telling accompanied by Turkish coffee is an ancient tradition prevalent among family and friends.

The convention goes somewhat this way when one finishes the coffee, the cup is kept on the saucer and rotated clockwise a few times. When the cup lifts a bit, the fortune teller says the coffee drinker's fortune from patterns the coffee grains create on the cup and the saucer. This fortune-telling notion is prevalent among the youngsters to find a prospective life partner or search for prosperity.

Preparation of Turkish coffee

Similar to tea, coffee has several cultures associated with the preparation and consumption process. Turkish coffee is prepared at a slow pace towards perfection with the right proportion of water and sugar. After the coffee is poured into the cup, the grains slowly settle down on the bottom level.

You need to drink the coffee slowly to enjoy the rich flavor or, you may end up gulping down the grains. As we have already mentioned, Turkish people are fond of their customs and manners. A well-prepared cup of coffee has a thick frothy layer on the top. The cup will be brimming to the edge, yet one cannot spill the coffee even while carrying the cup.