Tea plays a central role in Turkish culture and is hugely popular across Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. Turkish coffee may be what most people picture when they think of Turkish traditions, yet tea is by far the most common hot drink in the country.
A tradition younger than you might think
Tea reached Turkey with merchants travelling the Silk Road, who used it to barter for Chinese goods. At first it was taken as a medicine, but over time it found its way into everyday life and became a much-loved drink for social gatherings rather than something reserved for the sickbed.
In the late 19th century the Russians imported tea plants from China and began growing them successfully in Batumi, Georgia. Encouraged by the results, they looked to Turkey to expand the harvest. Turkey started planting tea imported from China and Japan in 1888, but the soil proved unsuitable for those plants. It was not until the early 20th century that tea was grown successfully in Turkey, in the Rize province.
Rize province became Turkey’s leading tea-growing region, and by the mid-20th century tea was one of the country’s most important crops. You can still see its importance around the Black Sea region, where several towns have taken the word çay (tea) into their names. Kandahar and Mapavri, for example, later became Ҫaykara and Ҫayeli.
Tea culture in Turkey today
Turkish tea culture stretches to Northern Cyprus and parts of the Balkans.
Tea is at the heart of social life in tea houses and tea gardens, and since its arrival it has become woven into Turkish culture. It matters so much that Turkey today has the highest tea consumption per capita in the world, at around 3.17 kg per person each year. Turkey is also a major tea exporter, ranked among the leading exporting countries. Despite the country’s long history of coffee drinking, tea remains the most common hot drink. Offering tea to guests is part of Turkish hospitality – something you will notice in any bazaar, where shopkeepers often offer customers a glass of tea as a sign of friendship and welcome.
The Turkish tea break
To make tea the traditional Turkish way, you use two stacked teapots known as a çaydanlık, designed especially for brewing tea.
Water is boiled in the larger, lower pot. Some of that water is then poured into the smaller pot on top, along with a few spoonfuls of loose-leaf tea, to make a strong brew.
When serving, the remaining hot water is used to dilute the tea, so each person can have it as strong or as light as they like.
Tea is traditionally drunk from small, tulip-shaped glasses called ince belli, which literally means “slim waist”. The shape keeps the tea hot while showing off its beautiful red colour. Because the tea is served piping hot, people usually hold the glass by the rim to avoid burning their fingers.
Tea is often served with two sugar cubes on the side, and it is unusual to add milk or lemon. Kurabiye – sweet or savoury Turkish biscuits – are the classic accompaniment to an afternoon glass of tea.
Tea houses and tea gardens
As mentioned, tea is at the centre of social gatherings in tea houses and tea gardens. The kıraathane is a traditional tea house, mainly frequented by men, who meet to play board games – above all backgammon – while sipping tea. Tea gardens, Çay Bahçesi, are just as common, and are where friends and families gather for long, unhurried conversations over a glass or two. Both are popular with visitors in places such as Sultanahmet and Taksim in Istanbul.
Turkish tea at Etnomat
At Etnomat you will find plenty of Turkish teas to choose from, including brands such as Caykur, Dogadan and Topkapi. Among them is tea from Rize, sometimes called “tourist tea”. Click here to browse our wide range of teas.
Fancy something sweet or savoury with your tea? Have a look at our sweets and snacks here.
