Tea Ceremonies

By Husein Turbi

I remember the days of my childhood, when I woke up every morning on the sounds of my mother starting

the day by making tea for the family. I guess that is how the day begins in all Libyan homes.

Later on my sisters took over, and gradually almost every Libyan learnt the secrets of making tea the “Libyan way”. 

I know that the way tea is prepared in Libya is different and not necessary healthy, but the cozy smell of the combination of minted tea and sugar and the atmosphere created when all family members gathered around the tea tray, is difficult to describe.

Like in other countries, it is not the cup of tea or coffee or any other drink you have in the glass that matters, but it is the intercourse, socializing

and communicating with others. Having a drink or a cup of tea with somebody serves as an excuse or a “booster” to start a chat and go through important issues.

Today, nothing can replace the piece of warm bread and glass of hot tea I got from the hands of my mother!

A simple and sincere kick off for the day, especially on cold and rainy days. 

Tea is a beverage consumed by tens of millions of people allover the world everyday.

It is grown in many countries in the world, but the leading producer countries are China, India, Sri Lanka, Japan and Kenya.

Like with the coffee story, millions of young and old people can not start their day without a cup

of hot tea or a glass of iced tea. Drinking tea is becoming more and more popular and a developing

habit especially at important social occasions. Therefore, special tea ceremonies, courses and traditions are

held and appreciated greatly nowadays.

Tea Story

I read about this legend and heard it several times and in several occasions. Now let me try to bring it to your knowledge, in case you have not heard it

Before. In 2737 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was sitting next to a tree watching his servant boiling drinking water for him. A few leaves from the wild

tree next to them dropped into the water. Emperor Shen Nung ordered the servant to continue the process of boiling the water with the leaves in it. Then he tasted

the brew and voila, His Majesty liked it very much!

Today it is estimated that over 20 billion cups of tea are consumed every single day! 

Popular Tea Blends

ASSAM F.T.G.F.O.P, full bodied, malty with rich flavour from North India.

ASSAM T.F.B.O.P is from the famous lush green plains in North India.

CEYLON O.P is the finest high-grown tea in the hillside region on Sri Lanka.

Darjeeling, this can be called the King of Teas and it grows on the foothills areas of the Himalayas thousands of feet above sea level.

EARL GREY, Oriental tea with the scent of bergamot.

ENGLISH AFTERNOON, Indian and Ceylon tea blends which are highly flavored with bergamot.

ENGLISH BREAKFAST, a blend of fine teas mostly used for the traditional “English cup of tea”.

GREEN, is a selection of fine quality that have low caffeine content.

VICTORIAN BLEND, strong teas from Kenya, India and Sri Lanka with strong, rich flavour and colour.

FRUIT FLAVOR, a fine blend of teas with a wide range of exotic fruit flavor added.

Process and production made simple..

After the tea leaves are collected from the fields, the tea leaves are placed on “withering” racks for up to 20 hours to dry them out and prepare the leaves for grinding process.

The crushed or grinded leaves are exposed to air to increase the flavour (oxidation step).

In three hours time, the leaves start getting a bright copper colour.

Tea samples are then tasted for quality by pouring carefully measured boiling water on carefully weighed dry tea leaves in little containers placed on a tasting

bench.

And by the way, training tea tasters to perform as professionals in the tea industry, takes up to five years!

Tea leaves are then dried again at high temperature to seal in the flavours and aromas.

Sifting tea through different sized meshes is the next procedure to remove bits of stalk. Tea meant for tea bags must be very fine in texture.

Packaging is the final procedure before sending TEA out to the world to continue its conquest and mission of pleasing the millions