Turkey

In Turkey, it is said that a truly fine cup of tea has the color of the eye of a rabbit. People here enjoy tea, or "chai," of a transparent reddish color, and drink it from small tulip-shaped teacups. Of course, to prepare tea there is also a special Turkish style. A set of two teapots is heated with one pot on top of the other. Tea leaves are put into the small pot on top and water is boiled in the large pot on the bottom. A small amount of boiling water is added to the tea leaves, and once the steam from the lower pot has heated the leaves sufficiently, the boiling water is then poured into the upper pot. After about 10 minutes, the strong tea is poured into teacups. The strength of the tea can be adjusted according to taste by adding water from the large pot directly into the teacup. In Turkey, not only tea but coffee too is very popular. And recently there has been a small boom for Japanese tea. As this green tea is known for its health benefits as well as its fine taste, Turkish people visiting Japan will without fail buy some Japanese tea to bring home.