Traditional Turkish Tea-Cups

• Çay:  a whole philosophy
• Preparing Turkish tea: an Art
• Having tea everywhere
• Turkish tea-cups: everywhere
• Turkish tea-cups: history
• Turkish tea-cups: spacial design
• Tea: cultural and friendly

Çay:  a whole philosophy

Tea in Turkey, called “Çay” is a whole philosophy, a pleasure, a tradition, an automatism… Tea is part of Turkish and of its daily life… Wherever you go, we will offer you to drink tea: in a store, at the bank, at school, at the hairdresser… really everywhere, and you will be offered it willingly. And in this article, we will talk about “çay” and Turkish tea-cups in Turkish culture.

Preparing Turkish tea: an Art

Turkish tea at home is prepared in a “Çaydanlık”, i.e., in a two-story teapot. Each to his own style, each to his own teapot.

You put the tea in particles in the upper part and fill the water underneath. When it starts to boil, boiling water is poured over the tea particles and left to heat for a long time (10 – 15 minutes). It is served in little tea-cups in an exceptional way: a little tea from the upper teapot, then water from the lower teapot, to be dosed according to whether you like strong tea or if you prefer light. Depending on how much you like it or not. You should know that Turkish tea is quite strong.

Having tea everywhere

Turkish tea-cups are very important for Turkish people who drink tea every day. Turks are always looking forward to drinking tea from these special cups. For foreigners who have never been to Turkey before, these cups of tea may come as a surprise. They are very different from European cuts by their elegant design. Of course, there is a reason behind this difference.

Turkish tea-cups: everywhere

Turkish style tea-cups can be found in all restaurants and cafes in Turkey. Moreover, they are present in all Turkish houses. The Turks drink and serve tea from these cups.

Turkish tea-cups: history

We do not know who designed the first Turkish teacups. But, we can see old images that show that the Turkish cup of tea is in Hoca Ali Rıza’s painting named Semaver. Since he died in 1930, we can guess that our history of Turkish cups goes back over 80 years.

Glass tea-cups appeared in the 1850s after advances were made in the glass industry due to the industrial revolution. However, the European-style cups were large and had handles. It made them expensive to produce. For the first time in history, tea-cups without handles were created in the Turkish glass factory of Beykoz in Istanbul.

Turkish tea-cups: spacial design

This design they made had a geometry similar to that of a beautiful tulip flower. However, what they were concerned about was not the design, but the money that had to be spent to make them and form the shape of the other cups. Because European-style tea-cups were expensive and Turkish style was cheaper to produce. Moreover, this design was practical. It was used to warm people’s hands when it was held and because of its small size.

Tea: cultural and friendly

Turks love tea and the culture it brings. It is imperative to drink tea with friends and family, have comforting conversations and socialize. Therefore, the tea should be delicious and should be served in Turkish tea-cups. Turkish tea-cups should also provide a delightful tea-drinking experience that appeals to all five senses.

The transparency of the glass allows us to see color. The cups should make a particular noise while the sugar is mixed with a teaspoon to give it a satisfying sensation. The Turkish tea-cup has a narrow middle to hold it easily in the palm so that we feel the heat before drinking it. The upper part of these cups is wide because the tea stays cold in the lower sections but cools down as we drink it.

Turkish tea-cups are as important as the tea itself. Regardless of the quality of the tea, Turks always need the perfect Turkish cup to enjoy the drink perfectly. Seeing, smelling, smelling, and hearing them when agitated is an essential part of Turkish social life and culture.

If you wish to buy tea-cups or any glass product from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at  [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.