Ever Wonder How Different – A Tea Could Taste
Tea being the most common beverage around the world whereas its preparation around the world is not so common. Have you ever been curious how your neighboring countries drink their hot cuppa?
While all tea comes from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis, there exist hundreds of kinds of teas, with their own individual appearance, taste, and aroma. Like wine or coffee, every harvest of tea will vary year to year due to changes in climate, rainfall, and other seasonal conditions. But the process in making the wonderful cup of tea also makes it different around the world.
Lets put some light on the variety of tea preparation methods around the globe!
1. Maghreb, Morocco
It is almost impossible to spend 24 hours in a Moroccan city and to not be served hot tea. Touareg tea, or Moroccan mint tea is literally the heart of their culture. Anyone who has visited Morocco will know how important mint tea is to North African culture. A mixture of green tea and mint leaves, the drink is heavily sweetened with sugar and poured from a height into dainty glasses. Refusing to accept the drink when offered by a host is a mark of extreme rudeness.
2. Pocha, Tibet
Forget the “milk or lemon” debate. How about adding some salty butter to your tea? Po cha, the traditional tea of Tibet, is made by boiling a brick of Pemagul black tea for hours. From there, milk, salt, and yak butter are added, and the mixture is then churned together. It’s said this blend with a soup-like consistency is uniquely comforting and fortifying in the high-altitude and cold climates.
3. Chai, India
India produces and consumes more tea than any other country in the world. Chai is the national drink in India and it is served literally on every street corner– Especially in crowded train stations, where you can see people selling it at all times of the day and night. If you ever get invited to an Indian house (remember that here guests can drop by anytime without warning) prepare yourself to taste a sweet and a bit spiced milk-tea.
4. Teh Tarik, Malaysia
This Southeast Asian country’s signature brew contains black tea, sugar, and condensed milk. But what makes teh tarik or “pulled tea” special is how it’s mixed. To achieve its distinctly frothy texture, Malaysian brewers pour the beverage back and forth between mugs, giving the liquid repeated access to cool air as it flows from one glass to another. As this tradition developed, so too did the showmanship of its making. To watch teh tarik being mixed is to witness an elaborate and energetic dance, where the brew behaves as a partner, leaping to and fro without a drop ever being lost!
5. Bubble Tea, Taiwan
Pearl milk tea, aka bubble tea, has become a worldwide phenomenon, but it has its roots in Taiwan. It can be served hot or cold, and typically over tapioca pearls cooked in sugar syrup.
6. Chinese Tea, China
According to legend, tea was first discovered by the Chinese emperor Shennong in 2737 BCE, when a dead leaf from a tea bush fell into his cup of hot water. Today, tea is considered one of the seven Chinese necessities, and is drunk throught the day. Green is the most popular variety. For Chinese people, tea is synonym of life. They were the first to discover the tea leaf and have been drinking tea ever since. Because of the geographic climate, many locations across the country cultivate different types of tea. The art of making tea is called “Cha dao”, which was soon accepted as one of the most important cultures that Japan learned from China.
7. Zavarka, Russia
The tea traditions of Russia were forged in its leaner days, where food and drinks needed to be stretched to serve as many as possible. From these shortages came zavarka, a loose-leaf tea concentrate brewed in a small metal container called a samovar. In this vessel, a very strong (usually black) tea is brewed and then served in large mugs. However, you wouldn’t dare fill the mug. Instead, guests take an inch or less of this powerful concoction that they then tame with boiling water as desired. Russians typically drink it black, but hosts will offer milk and sugar, as well as an accompanying snack.
8. Iced Milk Tea, Hong Kong
Famous in Hong Kong is iced milk tea known as pantyhose tea or silk stocking tea because it’s similar in colour to nude stockings, no joke. To make, combine strong chilled black tea with evaporated or condensed milk and serve over ice.
9. Noon Chai, Pakistan
Tea is a common drink and a courtesy extended to guests across Pakistan. An element of Kashmiri culture, Noon Chai is a special blend of tea that includes a mix of pistachios, almonds, salt, milk, and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise. It’s easy to pick out because of its signature pink color, which can be enhanced with a bit of baking soda. Served on special occasions, Noon Chai typically enjoyed with pastries like sheermaal, kandir tchot, bakarkhani, and kulcha. More casually enjoyed is “Doodh Patii” or milk tea, which involves no water.
10. Black Tea, Britain
Black tea in the UK can be served on its own or with milk and/or sugar and is taken several times a day. Aim for a golden colour when pouring you milk, and for the love of god, brew the tea first. British people can’t live without this ancient drink which they brought from India from the time when Britain was an empire. Despite the coffee fuelled culture, tea is still the first hot drink chosen by the British population.