Coffee or tea making

Cultural Rituals: The way Various Nations love Coffee and Tea.

What is the first thing you pick up in the morning when you wake up? A hot cup of coffee or a hot cup of tea? These beverages do not represent caffeine to several of us, but it is our daily ritual, culture and even ourselves. What is even more interesting is that each and every nation has a different way of preparing and consuming coffee or tea.

In this article, we will make a small trip around the world and observe some of the ways in which various cultures celebrate these favourite beverages. You can even read a new ritual to do at home!

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1.  India: Chai as a Daily Bond

In case you have been brought up in India, you must have come to understand that chai is not merely tea. It is the sign of hospitality and unity. The families usually sit and have their evening meal around a pot of masala chai which is spiced with such ingredients as cardamom, ginger and cloves. It is served by street-side chaiwallahs in little glasses or clay cups and many friendships have begun with a speedy tea break.

My memory of this method is that I saw my grandmother boiling milk, tea leaves and spices in one large pot. The smell would pervade the whole house. That it is like taking a bite of home in every cup of chai.

2.   Japan: The Calm of Matcha

Japan has taken tea to the level of an art with its renowned tea ceremony. The finely powdered green tea, matcha, is considered very careful and mindful in preparation. Each procedure, whisking tea to serving, is done very respectfully and attentively.

The Japanese tea ritual is one of serarity and meditation, as opposed to the rushy chai booths found in India. Japanese people continue to drink matcha in their lives not just because it is good but because it is traditional.

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3.   Italy: Espresso Culture

Coffee is also the king in Italy and mostly in the form of a fast espresso. Italians normally do not spend a long time on their coffee. Rather, they visit a bar, take the espresso in a few sips and move on with their day.

Italian coffee is also a question of rules. As an illustration, it is odd to order a cappuccino even after lunch or dinner. Treatment of coffee is almost a ritual.

 

4.  Morocco: Sweet Mint Tea

Hospitality in Morocco is about tea. You will find that in France when you visit the house of a person you will nearly always be served with a glass of mint tea, which has been sweetened with sugar and poured out very high into small glasses.

The ritual of the tea pouring is not less important than tea. It is respectful to the guest and it forms a frothy top on the beverage. It is not only sharing mint tea, but it is sharing.

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5.  Turkey: Tea in Tulip-Shaped Glasses.

Tea in Turkey is referred to as cay and is commonly served in small tulip glasses. It is black, robust, and normally without milk. In Turkish social life tea is central. People consume it when they are chatting with friends, playing the board games, or receiving guests.

Surprisingly, the rate of tea consumption is very high in Turkey. Many Turkish families do not know how to spend a day without tea.

6.    Ethiopia: land of Coffee

Ethiopia is regarded as the place of origin of coffee, and coffee ritual is a highly significant social event in Ethiopia. The process can take hours. Green coffee beans are roasted, ground and brewed before the eyes of the guests.

It is not merely drinking coffee but being together, chatting and sharing community. To Ethiopians coffee is not a beverage; it is a lifestyle.

7.  The United Kingdom: Afternoon Tea

When we consider Britain, we tend to consider afternoon tea. This custom began in the 19 th century and involves tea with little sandwiches, cakes, scones etc. Although all Britons do not do this on a daily basis, tea remains a significant element of the British culture.

A cup of tea remains the first remedy to most things even today whether it is stress, sadness or even a friendly conversation. The expression, Let's have a cuppa, expresses the warmth of tea..

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8. middle east: Arabic Coffee and Hospitality.

Hospitality in many Middle Eastern countries includes coffee (so-called qahwa). It is frequently flavored with cardamom, and presented in small, handle-less cups. The rejection of coffee can even be regarded as rude in certain cultures.

Due to the fact that coffee is a sign of respect, the ritual demonstrates how ingrained this beverage is in their culture.ads

Why These Rituals Matter

Looking at these traditions, we understand one thing coffee and tea are not only beverages. They are ties among individuals, breaks in the hectic schedules, and representations of hospitality.

A ritual such as chai, espresso and matcha is an embodiment of the values and culture of a particular location- India, Italy and Japan. And in this hectic contemporary world, we could probably all gain something by these traditions to slow down, share and appreciate the moment.

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Final Thoughts

The next time you take your coffee or tea, therefore, consider how there are millions of people in the world who are also doing the same thing in yet a different manner. Perhaps have a Moroccan mint tea, a Japanese matcha or even make the Indian masala chai at home.

And, after all, travelling brings you closer into the world of cultures, it takes you not necessarily a passport, just a cup.

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