Turkish Tea: A Cultural Icon and National Treasure

For over a century, Turks have shared a profound connection with their unique way of brewing and savouring tea. Visitors to Turkey or guests in Turkish households inevitably encounter the iconic double-decked teapot, diligently kept warm on the stove ready to serve throughout the day. Typically served in elegant tulip-shaped glasses, this traditional beverage offers a glimpse into the cultural significance of tea in Turkish society.

Before tea, Turks had been fond of coffee for centuries and even gave their name to a certain way of cooking coffee before they encountered tea. Thanks to their reign over Yemen, which had been the heart of coffee cultivation long before it was smuggled to other parts of the world, Turks not only indulged abundantly in this beverage across their expansive empire but also controlled the global coffee trade, reaping significant profits from it.

This changed dramatically when they lost their lands in the Arab Peninsula, including Yemen, at the beginning of the 20th century. Deprived of their beloved drink and national pride, Turks began to look for other options to sustain their centuries-long tradition of socializing over a beverage, which did not conflict with their religious restrictions.

It didn’t take long for the experts to find out that, contrary to coffee, whose cultivation was limited to the tropical regions, which were now far from what remained geographically viable for the Turks, the northeastern part of the country, with its fertile soil and mild climate, was a perfect spot for tea cultivation.

Due to the military and political turmoil which included the total collapse of the once mighty Ottoman Empire and the birth of a young republic from its ashes, it took the trials several decades to confirm undisputedly the suitability of the region for the cultivation of tea.

Meanwhile, the nation was also welcoming millions of immigrants, either Turks whose ancestral lands were captured or people of other nationalities who sought refuge from the persecutions of newly formed states and regimes in the region. Among those immigrants were the Azeris and Russians who fled their lands, now ruled by communist Russia.

These individuals arrived with their samovars and the expertise of a particular tea brewing technique. Turks wholeheartedly embraced this beverage, elevating it to a revered cultural emblem, now recognized as "Turkish tea," encompassing not just its brewing process but also its ceremonial serving traditions.

Very quickly, tea dethroned coffee in the hearts and minds of the Turks. "Kahvehanes," the Turkish coffeehouses which took their name from the nation’s previous love affair, began serving tea instead of coffee, and tea became the focal point of social gatherings.

We should acknowledge the reasoning behind this specific brewing method. Firstly, by steeping a substantial and concentrated quantity of tea leaves in the upper pot of the double-deck system, Turks ensure that all the essence of the leaves is infused into the beverage while maintaining its availability for an extended duration. However, it's important to note that the longer the tea sits, the more bitter it may become. Striking a balance between longevity and taste demands some practice and experimentation.

Furthermore, the concentrated tea is diluted with hot water from the lower deck, facilitating service to a larger number of individuals. This method also allows for personalized adjustments in strength, as one can easily alter the ratio of tea to water in each glass.

Today, Turkey is one of the leaders of the tea world with the highest per capita tea consumption in the world with an annual total consumption of over 3 kilograms per person.

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