Photo of the week 29.2017

“Caysiz sohbet, aysiz gok yuzu gibidir”
(Conversations without tea are like a night sky without the moon)

- Turkish folk saying from Sivas

Tea is fundamental to social life in Turkey. The Turkish citizens can't imagine meals, social and business meetings or negotiations for carpets in the Grand Bazar. On the streets, in the shopping malls and in the parks it is common to hear “ÇAY!” (chai). Preparationa and serving is important. A double pot is used. Water is boiled in the lower and bigger pot and the tea (loose-leaf) is put in the top and smaller pot. Thanks to this method each person can drink the tea as they want: strong and steeped, or light by adding a lot of water. In central Anatolian towns and in Eastern Turkey tea is prepared in a samovar.

Turks love drinking their tea in small tulip-shaped glasses. Each year nearly 400 million of these glasses are sold each year in Turkey, which means about six per person. The clear glass allows the tea lover to appreciate the crimson color of the tea. The tulip-shaped glasses are also used as a measurement in recipes.

source: http://www.turkishculture.org/culinary-arts/turkish-tea-53.htm

Photo: Turkish tea served during Ramadanfest organized by Arbeitskreis International e.V in Münster, Germany which took place on 29th June 2017.

Photo taken by Beata Jaranowska