We have encountered and made friends with so many wonderful human beings from all walks of life who shared their tea and stories with us. These stories although different from each other yet have shared one thing in common, that is the humanity we experienced in tea.
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Stories and a Cup of Qahwa
Fifa Atef’s personal essay is one which straddles the connection of two beverages crucial to her experience in Yemeni culture. Often, we hear about the absurd battle of betweens: coffee vs. tea, dogs vs. cats, etc. We hope you will enjoy the scenic transportation to a village in Yemen where coffee and tea coexist.
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The Ritual of Turkish Tea
Turks actually drink more tea per person than any other country. Tea is a way of life in Turkey. Çay (tea, pronounced chai) is always available at home and in social situations. It is a necessity when guests arrive, an essential element of hospitality…
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The Traditional Art of Moroccan Tea
Green tea is the ancestral association of Moroccan Tea. Before the arrival of green tea from China in the 12th century, Moroccans used to consume infusions of mint and other aromatic plants depending on the season - wormwood, sage, thyme, or lemon verbena…
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Persian Tea: A Story of Timeless Tradition and Change
The first mention of tea in Persia was as early as the 11th century. It is tied to Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, one of Persia's greatest scholars and thinkers.. Rayhan al-Biruni talks about the tea plant (chay) and its use throughout China and Tibet in his tractate Ketab al-Saydana. During the 13th century following its first mention, tea found its way to Persia…
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An Afternoon with East Frisian Tea
East Frisia, like the many different regions of the world that took to drinking tea around different times, developed its own particular traditions around tea. A group of us sat down with our host, Ben Schultz on a chill Autumn afternoon to experience the tea drinking custom of this region, the culturally and geographically distinct area of Germany in which Ben grew up…