Tea has been known to people since ancient times, in all countries of the world they love this healthy and pleasant drink, invent special recipes for its preparation and the ceremony of tea drinking. In some countries, quite interesting and sometimes unusual long-term traditions of using this drink have developed.
Tea Party in Japan and China
In these countries, the tea ceremony, first of all, is considered as an opportunity to have a good rest, doing contemplation. There, tea is not drunk in a hurry or during meals. In Japan, as in China, it is customary to brew it in small covered vessels. On average, this process takes no more than a couple of minutes, and after the resulting infusion is poured into cups. It is also noteworthy that tea leaves remain in the teapot. The best drink is the one obtained after the 2nd brewing.
Residents of sunny China often drink unsweetened green tea with the addition of orange, jasmine, lotus or magnolia. When preparing it, it is very important to use spring water. Such tea is drunk in very small sips.
Initially, tea was used only as a medicine. As a drink, it began to be consumed during the reign of the Chinese Tang Dynasty.
By tradition, tea drinking in Japan takes place in special pavilions and is an extremely complicated ceremony, which is called "ha-no-yu." Geishas are engaged in its preparation. The Japanese, like the people of China, drink tea without much haste, in very small sips.
English traditions
Like the inhabitants of faraway Asia, the British have their own special culture of drinking and making tea. There it is served in special teapots. And it is prepared like this: tea leaves are poured into a dry, well-heated vessel, which are subsequently poured with boiling water and aged for 7 minutes. Well, and then the tea is poured into tiny cups with a little sugar and milk.
Citizens of this country drink it three times a day: in the morning, during a traditional lunch, and, of course, at 5 pm, sometimes their famous "five o'clock". In the process of drinking tea, it is customary for them to slowly "sip" the drink with slightly parted lips.
Arabic Tea Party
Everyone knows that Arabs prefer to drink tea from small cups, which expand slightly upward. At the same time, this drink is prepared exclusively by men; in most cases, this is done by the head of the family. At the very bottom of the metal teapot, a small amount of green tea is poured, pouring it with a small amount of boiling water so that all the bitterness comes out of the leaves. And only after that the water is drained. Next, crushed mint leaves and a huge piece of sugar are added to the vessel, all this is again poured with water and the kettle is put on fire.
After boiling water, the kettle is set aside for 5-7 minutes to the side. After the specified time, the tea is poured several times from the jug into the porcelain bowl and vice versa. According to Arabic tradition, the process of offering tea to a guest is evidence of the hospitality of the hosts. Arabs only drink green tea, since religion forbids them to drink fermented drinks.
Samovar Russia
In our country, it is customary to drink very hot, strong black tea. Previously, a strong tea brew was diluted with water from a samovar, which for a long time kept a rather high temperature of the water. According to Russian tradition, tea is drunk slowly and for a long time, mainly from cups. This bitter drink is drunk with jam or sugar cubes.
In terms of total tea consumption, Russia ranks 4th in the world after China, India and Turkey.
Mysterious Tibet
Perhaps the most interesting way to make tea is in Tibet. In this country, tea is very similar to broth, and not to the traditional infusion, familiar to many. In these parts, a fragrant drink is made from strong green tea, butter made from yak milk and salt. This very hot mass is well beaten for a long time, until it turns into a homogeneous mixture. Surprisingly, such a drink is characterized by excellent warming properties.
