Tea is a drink that has gained worldwide popularity. Different countries have their own tea traditions. And although all peoples use the traditional tea leaf to prepare an invigorating drink, there are a great many varieties of this drink. And the tea ceremony itself has a lot of features that directly depend on geography. Let's try to figure out how the favorite drink of millions differs, depending on which part of the world it is prepared in.
Japan.
The Japanese tea ceremony has been around for nearly 12 centuries. In Japan, drinking tea is a whole philosophy. Here tea is made from a special powder called matcha. For its preparation, green tea leaves are used, which are ground with the help of special devices to the state of flour. The finished powder is brewed in various ways and used as a component of traditional Japanese sweets.
China.
China is another country where tea brewing has become an art form. In Chinese culture, the tea ceremony has a sacred meaning. Different types of tea are used here for different occasions. There are also many brewing methods: they depend on what type of tea is used. Tea is prepared either in a special mug with a lid called gaiwan, or in a large or small teapot made of earthenware, porcelain or clay.
India.
The favorite tea drink of the Indians is this. This tea is prepared using traditional spices, sweetener (sugar or honey) and milk. There are many recipes for masala: in different parts of the country they prefer their own spices and brewing methods.
United Kingdom.
The famous five o'clock tea or five-hour tea is an English tradition that is still observed in many families today. Typically, the British drink tea three times a day: in the morning at breakfast, at lunchtime and at 17 o'clock. The last tea party has long become a household name. It is customary to set the table for a five-hour tea party in accordance with local etiquette: a white tablecloth, tea service and sweet treats are required. The British love to drink tea with milk and sugar.
Turkey.
Turkey grows tea on the Black Sea coast. The local variety is black tea, which is usually brewed in a special double teapot. The drink is served in special small curved glasses.
Morocco.
In Morocco, green tea is preferred, which is usually supplemented with mint leaves. Tea is brewed in silver or tin teapots and poured so that the stream is high and even. According to Moroccans, this method helps the invigorating liquid to be saturated with oxygen. In Morocco, tea is drunk not only hot, but also cold as a refreshing drink.
USA.
Americans are very fond of icy sweet black tea, which is easy to make with ice cubes. To make the drink even more sanctifying, lemon is added to it. Some hobbyists supplement the recipe with a pinch of baking soda.
Hong Kong.
Hong Kongers also prefer to drink chilled tea. And since Hong Kong is a region of China, there are dozens of tea varieties here, because this country is considered the birthplace of a noble drink. The long presence of the British in this territory also imposed its own peculiarities on tea traditions - Hong Kongers almost always add condensed milk to a cup of their favorite chilled tea.
Uzbekistan.
In Uzbekistan, the midday heat is fought in an interesting way - the locals drink hot scalding black tea. It is believed that in this way the body adapts more easily to difficult weather conditions. The Uzbeks pour the drink into bowls and serve it with sweets and fruits. Traditional tea drinking takes place at a special low table called dastarkhan.
Mongolia.
Mongolian tea is known in our country as Kalmyk tea - these two peoples have similar tea traditions. The Mongols prepare a drink from green tea, milk, butter, flour, salt and pepper. Ready tea is poured into thermos and consumed throughout the day. The hearty drink was once served by nomadic peoples as a great way to satisfy hunger and thirst at the same time.
Egypt.
In Egypt, they love to brew hibiscus - dried leaves of a Sudanese rose. The sweet and sour tea from this plant is called the "drink of the pharaohs." Hibiscus is drunk both hot and cold. It is believed that it has a lot of useful properties and has an extremely beneficial effect on the human body.
Argentina.
Argentineans' favorite tea is mate. It is prepared from the dried and crushed leaves of a local plant - the Paraguayan holly. Mate has a tart taste. It is brewed and served in a special vessel made of gourd, which the Argentines call calabash. Mate is drunk with a metal tube with a filter - bombilla.
Russia.
Our country also has its own national traditions of tea drinking. In Russia, tea has been brewed from time immemorial using a samovar - a special device with an internal firebox. Russian is a cozy meal in the family circle, which involves not only a fragrant drink and all kinds of treats, but also intimate conversations that unite relatives and friends.
10. Kazakhstan. Average consumption - 1.54 kg per capita
Russian scientist M.Ya. Kittary wrote in the middle of the 19th century that Kazakhs drink tea "without understanding the time and place, before everything and after everything." Indeed, in Kazakhstan it is customary to drink tea before meals, and after, and in between. And if guests come, then everyone sits down to drink tea.
Today 99% of the population of Kazakhstan drinks tea every day, and half of these people admit that they consume more than four cups of this drink a day. The bulk of tea in Kazakhstan comes from India, Sri Lanka and China, but the country has its own tea packing factories, which produce very high quality and very affordable products.
Tea drinking has become a part of national Kazakh traditions and it is considered impolite to refuse if you are offered a cup of tea. There are many unique recipes for making tea in Kazakhstan, which may seem rather exotic to an unaccustomed person (for example, with sour cream, salt, talkan), but in fact they are ideal for the rather harsh climate of this country. 
9. Qatar. Average consumption - 1.60 kg per capita
Tea in Qatar is very fond of and special preference is given to the drink karak, which in the local arid climate can be drunk with health benefits up to ten cups a day. In addition to the tea itself, this drink also includes milk and many aromatic spices such as cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, ginger. 
8. Kuwait. Average consumption - 1.61 kg per capita
Tea and karak are also very popular in Kuwait. While in this country, you need to remember that it is considered an insult to refuse the offered cup of tea. Therefore, even if tea is offered in an office or store during any promotions, it is better to drink it. Tea, as a rule, is richly flavored with lemon and mint. 
7. United Arab Emirates. Average consumption - 1.89 kg per capita
Tea, and in particular karak, is so popular here that it even causes traffic jams, but no one complains about it. The fact is that the windows of many tea houses look directly onto the roadway to make it easier for motorists to shop. And since so many people want to buy carak, there is always a queue in the area of such a tea house. 
6. Seychelles. Average consumption - 2.08 kg per capita
The population of the 150 most beautiful islands off the southeastern coast of Africa also does not miss the opportunity to drink an extra cup of tea. Tea grows here of its own, so it is always especially fresh and tasty. On the island of Mahe there is a factory that processes raw materials from local tea plantations. This is one of the most picturesque places in the Seychelles, and there are always a lot of tourists here. In addition to tea production, the factory is also engaged in the promotion of ecotourism. 
5. Great Britain. Average consumption - 2.74 kg per capita
Many believe that the UK is the most "tea drinking" country. After all, it was here that the famous custom "five-o-clock" was born, when at 5 o'clock in the evening everyone leaves their business to drink tea and enjoy a cupcake or cookies. But headstrong statistics show that the UK is only in fifth place.
Tea is drunk here, of course, not only at 5 o'clock, but throughout the day. The British are very well versed in the many varieties of tea and in what additives they are best combined with. The famous Earl Gray tea flavored with bergamot is even named after Charles Gray, who served as British Prime Minister from 1830-1834. There are several stories that interpret this name. According to some of them, the count receives wonderful tea from the Chinese emperor as a reward for saving his son during a shipwreck; others claim that the count saved the son of an Indian raja from a tiger, for which he was awarded a special tea. But the most plausible story says that a ship belonging to the Count with a cargo of tea and bergamot oil was caught in a violent storm, several barrels of oil broke and flooded bales of tea. It was a pity to throw away the precious cargo, and they tried to sell it. And since the tea "spoiled" by bergamot caused an unprecedented success, since then it has been specially prepared. 
4. Mauritania. Average consumption - 3.22 kg per capita
The Moorish way of making tea is famous for the appearance of abundant foam on the surface of the drink. To get such a decoration, tea has to be poured from one container to another many times. It is customary to make tea here very strong and sweet and drink it from small glasses. 
3. Ireland. Average consumption - 3.22 kg per capita
Despite the fact that Ireland became addicted to tea only in the 19th century, today it confidently surpasses its neighbor, Great Britain in its consumption. One of the most beloved Irish varieties is hot tea with milk and sugar. 
2. Morocco. Average consumption - 4.34 kg per capita
The number of tea making options in this African country is incredible. But my favorite is the famous Moroccan tea, which is a special combination of green tea, mint and sugar. For brewing, special metal teapots are used, and this drink, like Moorish tea, also requires multiple transfusions. 
1. Turkey. Average consumption - 6.87 kg per capita
Turkey consistently occupies a leading position in tea consumption. It has its own excellent tea plantations, so relatively cheap tea in this country quickly replaced expensive coffee. For tea drinking in Turkey, they use not porcelain cups, but glass cups of a special shape, allowing you to enjoy not only the taste and aroma of the drink, but also its delicious color.
Marketing research conducted by the company Euromonitor International, helped to determine in which countries tea is more popular, and in which - coffee. Thus, it turned out that 99.6% of the inhabitants of Uzbekistan drink tea. In Guatemala, the opposite is true: here only 0.4% of the population drink tea, while everyone else prefers coffee.
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Specialists have drawn up a special map, where the "coffee" regions are marked in green and the "tea" regions are marked in red. Based on this infographic, coffee is preferred over tea in the Americas. And in Asia, the love of tea reigns.
Experts note that tea is gaining popularity in the BRICS countries: more than 70% of the population in Russia, India, China and South Africa prefer it. An exception is Brazil - only 2.6% of the population drink tea here.
The most "balanced" nation in the context of addiction to tea or coffee was Australia. There is practically no difference between lovers of this or that drink. But among Americans, there are three times more coffee lovers than tea lovers.
Tea is really popular in the UK, but contrary to popular belief, it is far from the most "tea" nation. The country was in 15th place, behind Kenya, Turkey, India, Egypt, China and Azerbaijan. 78.4% of the British prefer to drink tea.
The most "coffee" countries along with Guatemala are the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Greece, Colombia, the Philippines, Denmark and Venezuela.
The top ten "tea" countries look like this: Uzbekistan, Kenya, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, China, Egypt, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and India.
It is always more pleasant to have heart-to-heart conversations over a cup of fragrant tart tea. Warmth and home comfort are added to them by hand-made delicacies. This little family joy is shared with us all over the world. Here are just a dessert in every corner of the world, its own, special.
Curd hit
With what just do not drink tea in Russia! But for dessert - a special kind of pleasure. Pour 70 g of raisins with boiling water for 10 minutes. Rub 250 g of fatty cottage cheese with yolk and 2 tbsp. l. Sahara. Add 2 tbsp. l. flour, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. soda, slaked with vinegar. Add the beaten protein, knead the dough and pour in the dried raisins. Now we make thick round cakes, roll in flour and fry in vegetable oil. Delicate ruddy cheesecakes are the best delicacy in anticipation of winter.
Delicious clouds
An exquisite French tea will organically complement a cup of tea. Beat 8 yolks with 3 tbsp. l. brown sugar into a light frothy mass. Stirring continuously, pour in a thin stream 400 ml of hot cream with a fat content of 30% with a pinch of vanilla. We fill ceramic molds with mass and place them in a large mold with water so that it covers them by about a third. Bake the crème brulee in the oven at 160 ° C until golden brown. Now you can taste France.
In creamy snowdrifts
Gelato is an Italian ice cream that is pleasant to eat even in cold weather. Combine in a saucepan 250 ml of milk and heavy cream with 80 g of sugar and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Beat 4 yolks separately with 80 g of sugar, gently add to the cooled milk mass. We warm it up in a water bath until it thickens, cool it down, put it in a container and put it in the freezer for 4 hours. Beat the mass with a mixer every 30 minutes. Airy gelato will be successfully complemented by fresh berries with almonds.
Wonders of the East
Turkish baklava is a holiday for sweet lovers. We knead the dough from 500 g of flour, 1 egg, 50 g of butter and 200 ml of milk. Grind 300 g of walnuts into crumbs, mix with 300 g of icing sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon. Roll out 20 thin layers from the dough, sprinkle with the filling and put a pencil on the edge. We roll up the rolls, put them in an accordion and take out the pencil. Grease them with butter and bake for an hour at 180 ° C. Then fill them with syrup made from 200 g of honey, 200 ml of water and 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice. After 5 hours, you can treat your relatives with real baklava.
Rice curiosity
A favorite dessert in Japan is mochi, aka rice cakes. In a saucepan, mix 150 g of rice flour, 50 g of powdered sugar and 300 ml of water. Stir occasionally, simmer the mixture in a water bath until it becomes thick and plastic. Pour it onto the table, covered with 50 g of starch, and knead the dough. We make small cakes, put 1 tsp on them. sesame or peanut butter, roll up neat balls. For such an unusual delicacy, it is better to brew green tea.
Latin sweets
Argentina is famous for its sweet pastelitos biscuits. Mix 130 g flour, 60 g cornstarch and ½ tsp. cinnamon. Separately grind 120 g of softened butter with 50 g of cane sugar. Combine both parts, knead the dough and form small lumps. We spread them on a baking sheet with parchment, lightly press down, sprinkle with ground nuts and powdered sugar. We send the pastelitos to the oven at 180 ° C for 30 minutes - a delicate crispy dessert is ready!
Chocolate present
Brazilian brigadeiro is reminiscent of our truffle candies. Combine in a small saucepan 400 g of condensed milk, 30 g of butter and 4 tbsp. l. cocoa powder. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. When it cools down and thickens, use a spoon to shape the candies and roll them in dark and white chocolate crumbs. Now you need them to freeze properly in the refrigerator. You can take such a treat with you when you go to visit.
Pumpkin apparition
How about Peruvian picarones donuts? Simmer 300 g of pumpkin pulp in 250 ml of water with a cinnamon stick, 3 cloves and 3 peppercorns. We measure out 200 ml of liquid and dilute 1 tbsp in it. l. yeast and 2 tbsp. l. Sahara. Puree the pumpkin, beat with an egg and combine with the dough. Little by little add 600 g of flour, knead the dough and let it grow 2 times. Make donuts in the form of rings and deep-fry. Pour maple syrup over them for a great tea party.
The fruits of good
American Apple Pie is a home-baked classic. Grind 200 g of flour with a pinch of salt and 200 g of butter into crumbs. Pour in 2 tbsp. l. ice water and 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice, knead the dough and chill for an hour. Cut 5 apples into cubes, mix with 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice, 5 tbsp. l. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Tamp ⅔ dough into a rimmed mold. Fill it with filling, make a grate from the remnants of the dough, grease with an egg and bake for an hour at 180 ° C. Such a cake will warm relatives with warmth in any cold weather.
Our culinary journey doesn't end there. You will learn about other popular desserts from different countries in the recipes section "Let's Eat at Home". And with what is it customary to drink tea in your family? Share your favorite homemade cakes and other treats in the comments.
It is difficult to find a country where tea is not drunk. In each region, this drink is brewed in a special way, and the way it is consumed differs from country to country. An inexperienced man in the street may have a logical question: where else can you drink tea, except from a cup? However, it is enough to just slightly delve into the history and it becomes obvious that there are a huge variety of options and dishes for tea drinking.
We present to your attention an overview article on the traditions of tea drinking in different countries of the world, in particular the dishes used for this.
United Kingdom
In this article, you will learn:
Tea aficionados in the United Kingdom enjoy a flavorful drink from regular medium-sized cups. In most cases, we are talking about a white product. It is the best choice for traditional and green varieties.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, tea is exclusively a dessert drink. It is customary to drink it from tall, large glasses. The main material is thick glass. Since it is enjoyed mainly in a cold state, it is customary to add sugar, thanks to which it foams easily.
Mauritania
Mauritanians drink tea from ordinary thick-walled, medium-sized glass glasses. The drink from the teapot is immediately poured into several cups, each subsequent being consumed with more sweetener added.
Tibet
In terms of its composition, Tibetan tea has little in common with the traditional aromatic drink, since its main ingredients are yak butter, milk and salt. They use it not in ordinary mugs, but in special beautiful dishes - deep bowls with a wide upper part. This allows the tea to cool faster. Bowls are taken exclusively from thick ceramics so that they do not burn your hands, because no ears are provided here.
China
Every fan of aromatic drinks knows that the Chinese are real gourmets in terms of tea consumption. All kinds of drink from small bowls, and. A distinctive feature of each tea drinking is the meaningfulness of this process, its depth - gratitude, reconciliation or respect.
USA
In the United States, it is customary to enjoy tea exclusively in the form and with the addition of lemon. The drink is very popular in California and in the east. There is a wide range of ice-tea infusions on sale. It is consumed in large transparent glasses. As for traditional cups, they are not widely used by Americans for the most part.
Turkey
In Turkey, tea is sold in specialized outlets, supermarkets. Frankly speaking, it has little in common with the drink we are familiar with. The main feature of cooking is that it is brewed for a very long time. And they are poured into small glass glasses. Visually, they resemble an ordinary tulip. The tapered shape allows you to maintain the temperature for an extended period.
Mongolia
In Mongolia, it is customary to enjoy tea in silence. The aromatic drink is drunk from wide bowls, which can be not only ceramic or porcelain, but also metal. Traditionally, this tea is poured into a special dish, the surface of which is decorated with all kinds of inscriptions, wishes for health, and folk wisdom. Pre-boil for an hour, and then add an abundant amount of milk.
Note that Mongolia has developed its own traditions of tea drinking.
Every year new tableware appears on the market, along with changes in consumer preferences, traditions are also adjusted. And there is nothing surprising in the fact that to enjoy tea, they produce original and stylish dishes, the shape and size of which is different in each country.
The online store www.senior-farfor.ru has prepared information about what kind of dishes tea is drunk from in different countries.
Share your favorite tea recipe with the readers of our site!
