What locals do:
Tea is a sign of hospitality… As you head towards the historic neighbourhoods of Istanbul or to smaller towns in Turkey, be prepared to drink several cups of tea every day.
Turkey is a land of “çay”, the Turks consume it in stunning quantities. Apparently, a native Turk consumes about 2.5 kilograms of dried tea per year!
Which makes Turkey the country where tea is consumed the most. There are also those who can drink up to 40 glasses of this traditional drink during the day.
Historians can’t agree precisely when Tea arrived in Turkey. Some sources suggest as early as 400 BCE and others as late as the 20th Century.
In addition to the traditional tea preparation ritual, Turkish tea also comes with a few accessories. Teapots, known as “çaydanlık,” are often used to boil the water and steep the tea before it is poured into glasses.
Tea glasses are usually small and narrow-necked than regular cups. The shape of these glasses helps keep the heat from escaping quickly, allowing for a longer-lasting aromatic experience.
Turkish Tea Ceremonies, known as “çay kurabiyesi”, are a great way to get a taste of the tea culture.