reza@ihuxb.UUCP (H. Reza Taheri) (04/20/84)
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Dave Peak(pyuxhh!dxp) says:
> Whilst working in Iran in '76 ... the men that were
> doing the office cleaning ... invited me to join them for some tea. ....
> Squatting down to join them ,the "chy"(phoenetic) was handed to me
> It was served in a smallish cup without a handle(slightly larger than
> those used in Chinese retuarants).The tea appeared to be of an amber
> colour(br) with twigs floating in it.I was then offered a bowl of
> lump sugar and was shown how to drink the tea.Placing a lump of sugar
> (BTW not very sweet) between the bottom lip and the lower set of front
> teeth the tea is drunk and passes over sugar sweetening the tea as it
> passes over the tongue and down the throat for one very very refreshing
> cup of tea.
> I was situated in Abadan which is in Arabistan province ,which is
> heavily influenced by the arabic population ,so I'm not sure if
> the method of drinking is mostly Iranian or Arabic .Either way
> I'd like to hear from anyone who knows what type of teas are used
> in this area (I was only in Iran for 6 months) and if they are
> available (probably NYC) at reasonable prices.
OK. My favorite subject! The tea used in Iran is usually a blend
of the tea grown in northern Iran by the Caspian Sea and Indian tea
(usually Darjeeling (?)). I remember my mother buying several kinds of
tea and mixing them herself ( imagine a five year old boy sitting in
front of a mound of tea that has to be be mixed, talk about heaven!).
Now, as to how to make it. You first bring water to boil in a large
kettle. Pour the boiling water in a smaller kettle. Add two or three
tea spoons of tea. Now place the small kettle on top of the big kettle
on the stove! The kettle used in Iran are such that if you overturn
the cover of the big kettle, the small one fits on it perfectly. Keep
the burner on low. This is done so that the water in the large
kettle stays very hot and water in the small kettle stays hot, but not
hot enough to boil. Boiling ruins the tea. Of course you can use two
burners, but ... This method works much better on a samovar which is
designed for that purpose. Then you fill half your cup with the tea
(which is very strong) and the other half with the hot water.
This method has two advantages. One is that for some reason the
tea that is made so strong (that you have to dilute it) has better
flavor and aroma. Two is that each person can make his cup to the
exact strength that he wants.
The custom of placing a lump of sugar in your mouth rather than
sweetening you tea in the cup is practiced all over Iran. There is
another custom that may sound strange. Because the tea has been kept
hot on the stove, it is too hot to drink right away. You pour some of
the tea in the saucer to cool it (saucer exposes a lager area to the
colder are than a cup does). Did you think saucers were invented just
for looks and protection from spilling?!
I am sure you can find Iranian tea in NYC. There must be at least
10 Iranian grocery stores in that area. Of course some of them might
charge you an arm and a leg for most grocery items, but I don't think
tea is one of them.
H. Reza Taheri
...!ihnp4!ihuxb!reza
(312)-979-1040cdanderson@watarts.UUCP (04/23/84)
On the subject of tea and saucers, it is also an old U.K.
habit to pour hot tea onto the saucer before slurping it from same.
However, this custom is currently in decline. I have memories of my
great-grandfather drinking his tea in this fashion and an uncle (Scottish)
who sometimes also does so.
Now, off for a 'cuppa,
Cameron Anderson &&&
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