Tea in Istanbul

There are so many things I miss about Istanbul, and one of them is that there was never a shortage of tea to be had. It’s a big part of Turkish culture. I love that it’s always served piping hot, fresh, and totally appropriate for any time of day. I still remember certain times when I could smell the aromatic, full-bodied drink in the air from people scurrying around on the streets, holding a metal tray with freshly-brewed Turkish tea. I was eating at Divane restaurant in Sultanahmet my second day there and after a delicious brunch, I got up to use the restroom. When I came back, this was waiting for me at the table:

Our waiter, I think his name was Mohsen, said we were his guests and wanted us to have some complimentary tea…a sweet reflection of the hospitality and friendliness we ran into so often during our visit there. This was the first time I’ve ever tried apple tea (Elma Çay). It’s so fragrant — I think my first reaction was that it reminded me of apple Jolly Ranchers if you could liquify it. I don’t know if that’s a good description or not, but I loved it. The way people drink and enjoy their tea there reminds me of life’s little luxuries — moments to bond with people or savor your drink. It’s the calmness after a meal or during the day that I feel we don’t get enough of in a bustling city like NYC.

One thing I also learned while I was there was, if you notice, the tea glasses are shaped like a tulip. The intentional shape represents Turkey’s national flower. If you ever have a chance to visit, you have to pick up some fresh tea leaves from their bazaars. The Spice Bazaar is a good place to load up on tea. I bought a few packets from there, and they seal it air-tight for you to ensure it stays fresh until you get back home.

This is probably also a good time to mention that as much as we ran into very sweet, friendly people in Istanbul, the bazaars are REALLY nutty, so ladies…beware of some of the weirdo merchants there. They might straight up embarrass you by calling out to you long after you’ve left their store. I feel like my oddest exchanges were around these bazaars. If you don’t believe me, I’ve attempted to create a short film of a REAL conversation I had right outside the Spice Bazaar. This is not an exaggeration, by the way:

NOTE: The video doesn’t seem to be working in all browsers — here’s the direct link: http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8224737.

(Sorry, they had limited character selection — the guy was actually short and heavy set, and I am not nearly as pale nor a redhead…but you get the idea).

x
Shy