3 most popular beverages in Turkey

Hi!

I finally find a chance to write. Sorry it took a bit long. Today's topic is the most popular 3 beverages in Turkey. By that I mean these are what people order at cafes or offer to their guests…  

Here we go:

1- Tea/ Çay

Tea is a must here in Turkey. You can drink it with your friends, especially if you don't drink any alcohol like me, or you can drink it during the business meeting. It always comes with the territory. Traditionally we drink it with the tea glassses you see in the picture. And I guess the size of the glasses was smaller in the old days *sigh* But it is always okay if you want to drink with a mug or something like a herbal tea. You don't drink Turkish tea by tea-bags. You should steep the tea in the tea pot. The best kind of tea leaves grows in Rize, a beautiful coastal city in the north of the country. So a lot of tea brands labeled it on the cover of the packages as "Rize Çayı" that means tea leaves  grown in Rize.

Fingers belong to my friend :) This is how tea functions during the deep conversations with your friends :) 

This video was very popular when it first came out. An American, I guess she is American at least, describes the Turkish tea very poetically. That after a while you cannot tell whether she is talking about a kind of tea or a heavenly beverage that gives you eternal life. Sooo yes I don't like it. Watch it and see yourselves.

2-Ayran

This is also a very common beverage in Turkey. It is made with yogurt. You add it some water and salt. I don't know have you heard it but it is we, the Turks, who invented yogurt first time in the history - well at least that is what we were taught  back at school:) Since it is salty, you drink ayran with the salty food only. But there is always exceptions there are people who drinks ayran with baklava -don't tell me I find it quiet strange too!!!

The one you see on the picture is a very common brand but there is also a special kind of ayran it calls "Susurluk Ayranı" Susurluk is the name of the town where they made ayrans this foamy:

3- Turkish Coffee/ Kahve

Okayy the last one is Turkish coffee... I don't understand much about the types of coffee beans but what makes it special is the way how you cook it I guess. You add grounded coffee to water, you can also add sugar as much as you like, and then you stir it in the coffeepot and cook it on the oven. You have to keep it on the fire until it becomes foamy. The tip is that you have to keep it foamy after you pour it inside the little coffee cups.

Turkish coffee is also very common drink. But it may give you hard time since it is very strong. So if you have sensitive stomach you should drink it carefully. Turkish coffee is also part of one of the very important ceremonies: when the groom's family visits their future bride's family, to ask the bride's father for his approval on their marriage, the bride, well the bride-to-be actually, serves Turkish coffee to the guests and it is very important that the coffee is perfectly made. There is also a fun play here. Bride adds salt to one of the coffee cups and offers it only to groom. So if the groom drinks the salty coffee, I never tried before but my male friends say it tastes really gross, he -kind of- proves his love for the bride... Coffee is also highly preferred after a heavy meal. Especially after a heavy lunch cause it gives you good amount of caffeine.

This is how I preferred it -I cook this one notice the foam on the surface that means I'm quiet good at it haha

I took this picture last year in Beirut. The side craker had anisee, I didn't like it much.

This one is also from Beirut. Me and my friend found a small cafe-like-place after a long walk and we ordered "white coffee" since it is the most unusual thing on the menu. And this was what we got! I asked the waitor "Where is coffee?" he said "It is inside in it" with a very serious face. So I had to believe him but it was mostly like hot water with colonge in it. -If anyone knows what it really is please tell me!

Leave a comment to share your most popular drink in your country!