Turkish tea "Çay"
The holiday season in warm countries has already begun! Each of us would like to relax and unwind. Turkey is waiting for tourists with open arms. Enjoy a cup of tea in a destination that is becoming an increasingly popular destination of the season every day! Turkey can enchant with many attractions. However, by far the most popular is Turkish tea (Çay).
Turkish tea instead of water…
Turkey is the country through which "tea" flows. Turks consume huge amounts of tea. It is said that in one year, the Turk drinks about 2 and a half kilograms of dried tea! As a result, Turkey is the country with the highest tea consumption. Among the domestic Turks, there are those who can drink up to 40 glasses of this traditional drink during the day.
Even the high temperatures in Turkey during the summer season do not discourage "çay" fans. On the contrary, the consumption of Turkish tea has a positive effect on the body, because it regulates the internal body temperature, so a person sweats less and does not feel thirsty.
Turkish tea is consumed in Turkey almost continuously from morning to evening. If you are on holiday in this beautiful country, keep in mind that you will be offered "tea" almost everywhere - in public spaces, markets, shops, on the beach, and even in offices.
Tea in Turkey is a symbol of hospitality, served always and almost everywhere. In addition, there are ideal conditions for growing tea near the Black Sea, which has lasted since the 1930s. Over the years, Turkey has become the fifth-largest tea producer in the world.
Turkish tea brewing ritual
The process of making Turkish tea is a ritual that everyone should get to know. We need:
- special two-level kettle "çaydanlık"
- traditional cups in the shape of a tulip
- real Turkish tea directly from the Rize / Black Sea region.
The process is quite time-consuming, it can take up to 25 minutes, but it pays to wait for the result. It is worth noting that not everyone can brew such tea well, so let's hope that with our instructions you will become a master of Turkish "tea", so you will be able to bring a piece of Turkey to your home after returning from vacation.
How to make Turkish tea well
There is water in the lower kettle and the essence in the upper, which is the basis of the best Turkish tea. We start brewing tea by filling the lower kettle with water and pouring the tea mixture into the upper kettle, to which we add a little water so that it does not dry out and the tea can develop nicely. The boiling water in the lower floor of the kettle heats the upper kettle with the help of steam, which is generated when boiling water. When the water from the lower kettle reaches the boiling point, pour it into a jug of tea and refill the lower kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
Thanks to this method of preparation, we obtain an aromatic essence with a beautiful amber color. Pour the prepared drink into glasses in suitable proportions. Fill half of the cup with the prepared essence and then fill it with hot water from the bottom of the kettle. Of course, these proportions can change, it all depends on how strong and intense the tea tastes. If you like sweet flavors, be sure to add sugar. Turks love sweet tea, so try which version you like best.
During your stay in Turkey, we recommend trying at least one cup of tea. We are sure that after trying traditional Turkish tea you will not end up with just one cup :)
The Turkish Riviera offers delicious Turkish tea in many places. We will be happy to serve you with well-prepared tea in our Czech-Slovak travel agency Ahoj Alanya, and at the same time we will be happy to introduce you to our organized trips, to which we cordially invite you.
