アゼルバイジャンとトルコの紅茶文化の違い

Differences in tea culture in Azerbaijan and Turkey

A writer originally from Azerbaijan who has lived in Turkey for 20 years discusses the differences in tea culture between the two countries.

When she first tried Turkish tea, she was surprised by how bitter it was. Even now, 20 years later, she still asks, “Is it freshly brewed?” or “Can you make it weaker?” every time she orders tea. This is because the tea she grew up with in her homeland of Azerbaijan is completely different in color, taste, and culture.

In Azerbaijan, the process of making tea begins by boiling water. Once the water boils, the ceramic teapot is rinsed with it, and then the tea leaves are added. The amount of tea leaves varies depending on the number of people, but a heaping spoonful is a good guideline. After adding the freshly boiled hot water, it is heated slowly over low heat on the stove. The key is not to miss the moment it comes to a boil. When all the tea leaves float to the surface, that’s the sign it’s ready.

The finished tea is poured into special teaware. At this point, adjusting the strength to suit the guest’s preference is the Azerbaijani way. For those who don’t like it too strong, pour only part of the cup and add boiling water to the rest. Also, in Azerbaijan, people rarely drink tea on its own. A cup of tea is always accompanied by sweets. These range from dried fruits and nuts to desserts, and a luxurious set might include white cherry jam, nuts, dried fruits, sugar cubes, and lemon.

There is also a unique style for using sugar. When you want something sweet outside of breakfast, rather than dissolving a sugar cube directly into the drink, you place a single cube on your tongue and let it slowly dissolve as you sip the tea. As a child, she enjoyed placing a sugar cube on a slice of lemon to savor the sweetness and tartness together before drinking the tea. Adding lemon to tea or including thyme, a herb, is another way of enjoying tea unique to Azerbaijan.

In contrast, Turkish tea culture is quite different. First, there are generally no accompaniments like sweets. Tea is served in small glasses; it is dark in color and bitter in taste. To soften that bitterness, it is common to add a sugar cube to the glass before drinking. In Turkey, sugar is practically indispensable. While a variety of tea leaves have become more widespread in recent years, traditional strong black tea is still preferred in many settings.

Even though she lives in Turkey, she loves her homeland’s tea so much that she asks friends visiting Azerbaijan to bring back some local tea for her. Although both countries share a “tea-drinking culture,” the differences between them extend to every aspect—from the type of tea leaves, brewing methods, and strength to the accompaniments and the use of sugar.