World Tea Culture : Morroco / India / Japan

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Refreshing tea "mint tea"

The country of Morocco boarders East Africa and the South of Spain, with the Atlantic ocean to the west, Algeria to the east, the Sahara desert to the south, and Gibraltar to the north. It is about the same latitude as the southern region of Kyushu in Japan. Mint tea is the most suitable tea for the hot and dry climate in Morocco, and is the daily tea for everyone. To make mint tea, boil Chinese green tea, sugar, and mint leaves together, and then pour into the glass adding fresh mint. To serve mint tea, pour the tea from a distance (lift one hand up to the high position and pour) to make foam on the top of the tea. More foam expresses welcome to the guest.


Morocco style tea set	Mint tea

What kind of tea is being drunk in the country of producing the highest amount of black tea

Indian people drink black tea as much as people in England. Indian people use black tea to make Chai. To make Chai, first extract black tea, and then pour some milk from a distance (lift one hand up to the high position and pour), then add some sugar. In India you will see little Chai shops on streets everywhere. Also they have spiced chai tea which is made by adding ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon. The taste of Chai (Tea with milk and sugar )goes really well with spicy Indian food.


Chai shop	Picking tea leaves

Japan

Japanese tea is not only for drinking. Different region have different ways of enjoying tea and the unique tea cultures.

In Japan, besides the daily drinking tea, there are many unique ways of enjoying the tea in the different regions. For example "Bukubukoo Cha" from Okinawa prefecture. This is served as to eat, and to make this tea, put Sekihan (A kind of rice dish which cooked sticky rice and red beans together) in the bowl, then pour the foamed green tea from the top, then put peanuts on the top. Also there is "Batabata Cha" which is made with foamed "kurocha" using "chasen (Japanese traditional tea foaming tool, mainly used for foaming Maccha (powdered green tea))" . There is also Botebote Cha, extract bancha and tea flower then foam the tea using chasen, rice or cooked beans pickles in the tea. To make "Iriko" from Fukushima, prepare the grain powder the grain with mortar, pour bancha and eat. "Chagayu (tea porridge) using bancha to cook rice , yam and beans. As you can see there are many different way of enjoying tea in Japan.


Serving Cha-gayu	Iriko	Bukubuku-cha	Making Batabata-cha