Berber Hospitality in the Form of Tea, Coffee and Cakes on a Tray The delicate glasses are beautiful without the tea, but try this staple of Moroccan hospitality for a refreshing taste of mint.
Serve At Your Next Event
Whether you host a Hafla or want to serve a refreshing drink to your friends in an informal get together – the ubiquitous tea served throughout Morocco for all occasions is the perfect way to delight your guests.
In Morocco
Tea is served to guests, and it is impolite to refuse the offering of this refreshing drink.
“Mint tea isn’t just a drink in Morocco. It is a sign of hospitality and friendship and tradition. Because this beverage is so popular, it is served all day long, after every meal and with every conversation. Moroccans take great pride in their tea and will often ask a visitor who among their group of friends makes the best cup of mint tea.” -from recipe contributor ‘Sackville’
This Moroccan tea is served in a small, often decorated, tea glass. People unfamiliar with the Moroccan for of the tea glass are surprised by its small size.
By browsing through some examples of the Moroccan tea glass, we can find out more of Moroccan tea culture, and the importance of hospitality in the Near East.
Begin your own Ritual
You will need:
A teapot to brew the tea
Glasses to serve the beverage
A tray for the drinks and their accompanying sweets
For the tea, itself:
Light flavored tea such as green or white
Fresh mint leaves
Boiling water
Sugar
“Tea is almost always made in front of the guests so that the tea set and service can be admired. Moroccan teapots have long, curved pouring spouts that allow the tea to be poured into even the tiniest of glasses from a height of 2 or more feet. Moroccans like their tea lightly flavored with herbs. The most popular herbs added to tea are mint, lemon grass, and sometimes orange blossom.
Moroccan Mint Tea is generally made by brewing a gunpowder tea mixed with mint (1 teaspoon tea per cup). Gunpowder tea is Chinese green tea rolled into small pellets, which look like old-fashioned gunpowder. The Chinese call it zucha or pearl tea for the same reason. Rolling the tea leaves into balls helps to preserve the flavor. The offering of a glass of green tea with mint is a symbol of friendship, welcome and hospitality.” -from Emeril Lagasse
Make The Right Tea
Try white tea pearls
One of the finest teas, enjoyed on its own or prepared as an ingredient in Moroccan Mint. This is the type that Chef Emeril describes. This is a fine quality tea that will be worthy of your guests, and a comforting cup to enjoy any time of day.
Moroccan Tea is Served
Tea glasses and small metal tea pot
Moroccan Tea is Served Proper tea service consists of the special teapot, the tea glasses, and a footed tray for the tea set. A small clean white towel is used for the handle of the teapot.
Perfect pearl tea brewed inside a gracefully shaped Moroccan teapot, and served in colorful tea glasses turns enjoying a refreshing glass of tea into an event.
How to Prepare Moroccan Tea
“Fresh mint leaves and some tea leaves and a LOT of sugar are put in the bottom of the pot, hot water poured on top. After a few minutes of steeping, your hostess will pour some of the tea into a glass, and immediately she will pour it from the glass back into the pot. This is repeated until she feels the tea is perfect. Only then will she serve each of her guests a glass of hot sweet mint tea.”- Reflections from the Fence
Moroccan Mint Tea
Moroccan Mint Tea
Moroccan Hospitality – Sweet Tea, Flavor, and Flair
photo by Nick Saltmarsh
The Moroccan Tea Glass – A small glass serving generous hospitality
The Moroccan tea glass is small compared to the American version. American tea glasses are tall and used for iced tea with lots of ice.
The ritual of this North African country is quite different from the casual sweet iced tea of our culture, and has a tea service all its own. Moroccan tea is served hot in quite small, beautifully decorated, tea glasses. Very collectible!
Moroccan Culture
It is idyllic to share a pot of mint tea at a small table on the side of the road. It is a ceremonial bonding experience in a private home.
Use Fresh Mint Leaves
Start with some fresh mentha leaves
Fresh Mint
Be sure you have fresh mint to make the tea. Although some recipes call for dried mint. Fresh mint will add a lovely green tint, and the flavor is better. Mint plants are surprisingly easy to grow. A pot on the windowsill, or a patch by the back door will provide you with leaves fresh during the growing season and easy to freeze for winter use.
Can Mint Tea Heal You? From pure herbal concoctions to mint infused green teas, there are many ways to enjoy the healthful benefits of the mint plant.
Antique, pretty, tea glass photo by dukpix on Flickr
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 10 min
Yields: 2-4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Green Tea leaves, or white tea
1 large handful fresh washed
spearmint leaves
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Boil at least 2 cups of water. Rinse a small teapot with about 1/4 cup of the water.
Add the tea leaves and another 1/4 cup boiling water. Swirl the pot to wash and rinse the leaves, and pour out the water.
Add the mint leaves and the sugar, and fill the pot with about 2 cups boiling water. Leave the tea to steep for five minutes or longer, or set the tea pot over medium-low heat and bring the tea to a simmer. Remove from the heat, and allow to steep several minutes more.
Gently stir the tea, pour into small tea glasses and serve.
Serve Your Guests
Moroccan tea service photo by rieorie on Flickr
Pastries play an important role in Moroccan society because they are an essential complement to mint tea when welcoming guests into your home. -The art of Moroccan cuisine.
Serve and Display – This serving tray is ideal for your tea glasses
Complete your tea service with this silver tray. Lovely way to serve tea and display the decorative glasses or offer the requisite pastries.
Ideas for using your Moroccan Tea Glasses
DECORATIVE COLLECTIBLES HOLD MORE THAN TEA
“Moroccan tea glasses are tiny cups with bright POPS of color. They would look lovely as a flower display at your reception or bridal shower, as a chic dessert presentation or a unique way to light up the room with candles inside.” – Emmeline Bride
Start Your Collection
…OF THIS DECORATIVE GLASSWARE
When you can’t make up your mind! Sparkling gold give an elegant look to your decor.
Others to consider? A very traditional color is Moroccan Red, it makes your set of tea glasses a warm addition to any room- for tea or as votive candle holders. A cobalt blue color with metallic accents is striking. Filigree border with a stylish modern color design.
View How the Tea Is Brewed
– And poured into the tea glass – it is an art. What panache! This would certainly impress your friends, so learn how to make real Moroccan tea and have fun serving everyone (after a little practice, of course)
Something about it always appeals to me, so Matcha cake, or Matcha powder sprinkled on tempura, or Matcha bread- to me, it’s all good. Since I came across this recipe for Matcha bread, of course I had to record it.
It was adapted by The Spoonful Blog from Tartelette, or inspired by- not sure which.
1â„2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup sour cream, room temperature 1.5 teaspoons matcha powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter a loaf pan. Line with a piece of parchment paper that covers bottom and long sides (leave some poking up from the pan to facilitate lifting the loaf out later). Butter the parchment paper.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Put the butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with sour cream. Add vanilla, and mix 1 minute.
4. Portion out 1/3 of the batter into a small bowl. Mix in matcha powder, stirring well to combine.
5. Spread one-third of the plain batter into prepared pan. Use a small offset spatchula to ensure an even, flat layer. Dollop with 1/3 of matcha batter and use a spatchula to gently spread the matcha layer on the top of the other. Spread another third of the plain batter on top, followed by another third of the matcha batter. Repeat one more time so that the final layer is the rest of the matcha batter. Run a thin knife through batter to marbleize. Run spatchula over top to ensure the batter is flat in the end.
6. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire cooking rack for a few minutes. Lift cake out by the parchment handles and allow to cool completely on rack.
The Russian word for tea is Chai, and I will always remember it. When I was in St.Petersburg, I found that tea was everywhere and seemed to be more favored than coffee. I spent my week in St.Petersburg during a very cold November, and every restaurant was quick to offer tea. In Russia, they brew their tea thick and hot and pour it into small glasses. I had thought that England or India would have been the capitol of tea, but not so. The Russians thrive on it, and while viewing one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world in one of the most spectacular cities to be seen, with a cool chill moving across the sky, a drink of this Russian Chai completed everything.
2 green cardamom pods 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon Generous dash or two ground cloves 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped (optional) 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1-1/2 Tbs. sugar 2 heaping tsp. black tea or 2 tea bags
Lightly crush the cardamom pods in a mortar, to release their fragrance. Alternately, you can crush them with a rolling pin—but do it on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, so it’s easy to collect. Do not completely powder the cardamom, however, as this can discolor the tea.
In a saucepan, combine the spices, milk, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat (watch the pot carefully —boiling milk boils over more quickly than just about anything else you can cook), then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and tea and continue to simmer for about 1 minute longer, or until the tea has clearly released its color into the liquid.
Strain into cups and serve at once. Alternatively, you can let the strained tea cool to room temperature, then pour it over ice.
Serves 2. Enjoy. –Chai recipe from the Chicago Mensa Site
…for tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, or are become so from wine-drinking, and are not susceptible of influence from so refined a stimulant, will always be the favored beverage of the intellectual… -Thomas De Quincy
“When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one’s ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender, of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries.” The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
“The Russian word for tea is Chai, and I will always remember it. When I was in St.Petersburg, I found that tea was everywhere and seemed to be more favored than coffee. I spent my week in St.Petersburg during a very cold November, and every resturant was quick to offer tea. In Russia, they brew their tea thick and hot and pour it into small glasses. I had thought that England or India would have been the capitol of tea, but not so. The Russians thrive on it, and while viewing one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world in one of the most spectacular cities to be seen, with a cool chill moving across the sky, a drink of this Russian Chai completed everything.” -H.S. Bailey
Want to make your own Chai? Try this recipe:
Hindi Chai Indian Spiced Tea
2 green cardamom pods 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon Generous dash or two ground cloves 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped (optional) 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1-1/2 Tbs. sugar 2 heaping tsp. black tea or 2 tea bags
Lightly crush the cardamom pods in a mortar, to release their fragrance. Alternately, you can crush them with a rolling pin—but do it on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, so it’s easy to collect. Do not completely powder the cardamom, however, as this can discolor the tea.
In a saucepan, combine the spices, milk, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat (watch the pot carefully —boiling milk boils over more quickly than just about anything else you can cook), then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and tea and continue to simmer for about 1 minute longer, or until the tea has clearly released its color into the liquid.
Strain into cups and serve at once. Alternatively, you can let the strained tea cool to room temperature, then pour it over ice.
There is something so uplifting about having a cup of tea. It is especially enjoyable in a beautiful china cup with a side of cookies. One of those small joys of the day
Find yourself a cup; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things
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