Warming Up with Teas from Around the Globe

"A piece of bread with a glass of tea and a smiling face is better than a whole lamb on the table and a frown."                                                             Azeri proverb

 

January is National Tea Month!  In Turkey, tea is not only a drink, it’s a national past time.  Tea is enjoyed morning, noon, and night. Although Turkey is more internationally renown for its coffee, government programs implemented to increase tea production and boost the economy in Turkey’s Black Sea region during the 1950’s have caused production and consumption to soar. Turkish tea consumption is a per capita average of more than 5 pounds per person!
One of the most luxurious places to enjoy Turkish tea has been in it’s tea gardens.  Turkey’s tea gardens are elegant cafes where families bring their own pastries and treats to enjoy while sipping freshly samovar brewed tea in clear, tulip shaped crystal glasses.

 

 

From Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture

 

Hot Cinnamon Drink/ Irfa

           

Once sip of this drink brings me back to the open air coffee houses in Egypt where this is a popular after dinner and bedtime drink.   Egyptian cinnamon is pure cinnamon, and tastes mellower than American cinnamon.  Many Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets sell Egyptian cinnamon in tea bags to make the drink instantly. In the winter, substitute hot milk for the water for a delicious alternative to hot chocolate.

                                                                                                Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

4 cinnamon sticks

4 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

4 teaspoons mixed unsalted nuts, chopped

Preparation:

1. Combine cinnamon sticks with 4 cups water in a medium saucepan until the cinnamon sticks open and release their aroma (approximately 10 minutes). 

2. Remove cinnamon sticks, add sugar, and stir well.

3. Pour liquid into teacups, and top each one with a teaspoon of mixed nuts.

Healthy Living Tradition:

Medical doctors in the United States have begun prescribing pure cinnamon as a therapy for type II diabetes patients because it has been proven to regulate blood sugar levels. 

 

 

From The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook

 

 

 

Ginger Tea

            Ginger arrived in the Mediterranean via India during the spice trades.  In India, Ayurvedic doctors regard it as a traditional therapy known to activate the body’s fire element, which in turn burns up toxins.  It is used to relieve muscle inflammation, motion sickness, morning sickness, and indigestion.  Its zingy, warm flavor is added to soups, cookies, stews, and beverages.

                                                                                                                        Serves 4

                                                                                                            Serving Size: 1 cup

 Ingredients:

4 teaspoons ground ginger or ginger root

4 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon honey, optional

Preparation:

1. Place ginger in boiling water. Allow to steep, covered, for 10 minutes. 

2. Remove lid, strain tea into tea cups, and sweeten with honey, if desired.

Healthy Living Tradition: 

Try incorporating a teaspoon of dried ginger or freshly grated ginger root into your favorite broth based soup and stew recipes. It will add great flavor and health benefits.

 

Fennel Tea/Tisana di finocchio

 

Photo by Simi Jois - Courtesy of Monica Bhide

 

Fennel Tea is known to be both a breath freshener and digestive aid, which make it a very popular after dinner drink in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia.  Middle Eastern stores often sell anise in tea bags, even though making it from scratch is not difficult and less expensive.

 Serves 4         

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons fennel seeds, slightly crushed

4 cups water

1 teaspoon honey, if desired.

Preparation:

1. Bring water and anise seeds to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat.

2. Steep, covered, for 10 minutes and sweeten with honey, if desired.

3. Strain into 4 tea cups and serve hot.
 

Healthy Living Tradition: 

Start a relaxing evening ritual of drinking a tisane after dinner.  Decide which herbs you enjoy the most or possess the health properties you need, and prepare them in the same method as above. With time, the nutritional benefits will pay off.