Turks are big tea lovers. Turkey is one of the leading countries in terms of consumption of this product. The drink here is loved, appreciated and can be drunk in a special way. The whole world is known not only for Turkish coffee, but also for Turkish Armuda tea glasses. What kind of pears there are, how to drink them correctly in order to get as much pleasure and benefit as their creators, you will learn from our article.
The history of the creation of a Turkish glass
The Eastern Turkish glass for tea is called armud in the homeland. Armud is translated from Turkish as pear. And this word best describes the shape of the vessel. Another name is “ince belli”, which is used to mark the “thin waist” of a special tea glass.
It is not known under what circumstances special glasses for pear tea were invented. The history of their appearance is explained by good myths. One of the options is that its shape was created as close as possible to the contours of an unopened tulip flower, which is revered as the flower of the Most High.
According to another version, a flower bud symbolizes perfect love. Others see in the vessel exquisite outlines of the forms of oriental beauties.
Traditions
Turks do not recognize tea bags. They do not spare time for the process of brewing this drink and are ready to devote at least 20 minutes to the ritual. Stale brew will not be used. It will be poured out and a new one will be brewed, regardless of the wealth in the family.
Turks drink tea in the morning and many times during the day. Evening tea is a good tradition in most Turkish homes. At the same time, the teapot in which the drink is brewed must be constantly boiling. While there is a heartfelt family conversation, it is not removed from the small fire.
If a guest knocks on the house, the owner will definitely offer to drink tea. Discussion of business ideas and signing of important contracts is not complete without tea. Drinking tea together speaks of trust.
The minimum that Turks drink per day is 3 cups of hot drink. In winter, they can drink 10. Turks not only warm themselves with tea. Residents of a hot country have long understood that it not only warms in the cold, but also helps to survive the heat.
>Why is it convenient to drink from pears?
The unusual shape gives the vessel the properties of maintaining temperature. In the upper thin part, the liquid cools faster, which makes it possible to reach a comfortable drinking temperature faster. While the top layer is being used, the bottom one is cooling more slowly. When it comes to the bottom belly layer, it reaches the perfect temperature. Thus, using a special pear cup, tea is drunk equally warm – not too hot and not too cold.
Pears are served with saucers not only for beauty and convenience. Their purpose is to maintain the temperature, which allows you to fully open the drink and feel all the aftertaste notes of strong tea.
What properties of tea does it preserve?
In addition to heat, Turkish tea glasses do not allow aromas to disappear. Thanks to this, the enjoyment of the herbal bouquet of the traditional drink can be appreciated to the maximum. Turks are sure that the taste of the special local black baikh tea is fully revealed in pears.
The glasses are small. The standard is only 100-150 ml. After emptying the glass, you can always top up from a hot teapot, which is either covered with a towel to preserve heat, or left to boil over low heat. In this way, you can drink several fresh portions in one sitting.
How to drink pear tea correctly
When using a glass of pear for tea, it is important not to overflow. It is customary to leave the so-called space for the lips – 1-1.5 centimeters to the top of the vessel should remain free. Sometimes, this feature is highlighted with a special line. Traditionally, no sweetener is added to tea. This is how respect for the drink is expressed. Turks can taste it by dipping lump sugar in strong tea.
Those with a sweet tooth can eat it as a snack with Turkish Delight, dried fruits or honey. Such treats create a truly oriental flavor. When bringing a glass to your lips, you should hold it from below with a saucer. The vessel itself is held with two fingers by the “waist”.
No sugar is added to the tea itself. It is better to serve refined sugar cubes or oriental sweets with the drink.
Form and species
As we mentioned, an armuda is a pear-shaped glass. Thanks to this, not only optimal heat exchange inside the container is achieved. It is also appreciated for its convenience. Although it does not have the usual handle, it rests securely in the hand. Thanks to the “waist”, it is quite difficult to drop it carelessly. The vessel itself is usually supplemented with a saucer.
A pear made of transparent colorless glass is considered classic. It is the most common and simple. Earthenware and porcelain dishes are also quite popular.
In contrast to the everyday, there are festive options. Golden drawings or colorful patterns convey the authentic spirit of the Turkish people. The vessel can be decorated with very rich painting, and its coaster is made of expensive material. You can emphasize the special solemnity of the moment by using a crystal glass, silver or even gold coasters, spoons and a tray. There are no limits to imagination in decoration. It can be a stained glass painting, artificial or precious stones.
There is a European variation of this traditional dish. It is distinguished by the presence of a handle.
How to care for glasses
It is not accepted to wash glasses from which tea is drunk with ordinary dishwashing detergent. Turks are very fond of this drink. It is believed that the use of household chemicals can spoil the nobility of taste.
Pear care consists in washing with boiling water. This is quite enough to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. The main thing is not to let the brew remain in the vessel for a long time. It is important not to leave them dirty for a long time and to rinse immediately after use.
If the glass is used for a long time, you can use baking soda for cleaning. However, you should avoid using hard sponges. It is important to dry with a clean towel. Some glasses are dishwasher safe. But it is better to clarify this issue by studying the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Special pear-shaped tea cups are common not only in Turkey, but also in many other eastern countries, for example, in Azerbaijan. This dish is gradually taking root in our regions. After all, the inhabitants of the East are famous as connoisseurs and connoisseurs of a healthy drink, and therefore it is impossible not to adopt their experience.