Moroccan Mint Tea: A Journey into the Heart of Moroccan Culture
If your journey takes you to Morocco, whether as a tourist or a resident, your visit would be incomplete without savoring a glass of the renowned Moroccan mint tea. Its distinctive foam, embracing the aroma of mint, will leave an unforgettable fragrant mark on your memory, and you will be delighted by its sweet and refreshing taste.
Ever since tea entered the lives of Moroccans through the gates of their sultans' palaces, it has become deeply embedded in their daily lives as a sacred ritual. Coffee pots were replaced with "barda", and the sound of the first drops of tea hitting the bottom of colorful glass cups blended with wedding songs. Tea became a symbol of hospitality and generosity, and family gatherings are not complete without a silver tea tray around which everyone gathers, sharing stories and laughter.
Moroccans' love for tea is so profound that they have written poetry and songs about it, making it a companion for their gatherings and moments of joy and conviviality.
Going back to some historical accounts of this beverage, Abdelkbir El Fasi, in his book "Tazkira al-Muhsinin bi-Wafiyat al-Aayan wa-Hawadith al-Sanin", narrates that the first to taste this drink was the uncle of Sultan Moulay Ismail. A Christian doctor prescribed it to him as a cure for an illness he suffered after years of alcohol abuse. Although it is difficult to verify the accuracy of this story, it chronologically coincides with the period when tea found its way to Morocco.
Tea entered Morocco as a simple beverage, but Moroccans infused it with their own magic and added their flavors, creating "Atay" with its distinctive taste that is unique to Morocco.
Some key points about Moroccan mint tea:
- It is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.
- It is a key part of Moroccan daily life and culture.
- It is made with green tea, mint leaves, and sugar.
- It is traditionally served in three glasses: the first is bitter as life, the second is sweet as love, and the third is as mild as death.
- It is a popular drink to enjoy with friends and family.
If you are ever lucky enough to visit Morocco, be sure to try a glass of this delicious and refreshing tea. It is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Moroccan Mint Tea: A Journey Through History and Culture
Morocco has always been a window to Europe. Whenever winds of change swept through the continent, Morocco felt their effects. Food customs were no exception to this rule. After Europe opened its doors to new beverages from around the world, tea entered the continent, satisfying the demands of the European bourgeoisie fascinated by Far Eastern products. It became a passing fad in various European countries, except for England, which adopted it as a new dietary habit. Tea replaced coffee on the tables of the British people and became one of the symbols of English culture.
Tea resumed its journey towards Morocco at the beginning of the 18th century, a century after its arrival in Europe. The newcomer entered the lives of Moroccans through the gates of Sultan Moulay Ismail's palace, wearing the cloak of medicine. Its use remained confined to treatment and healing before it was consumed as a beverage, following the example of Asian countries. Tea remained confined within the walls of the palace and was reserved for the Makhzen (the royal court) for a whole century. It and its accessories were a gift that European ambassadors used to curry favor with the ruler. By the end of the 18th century, its consumption had not yet gone beyond the Makhzen circle, but it had expanded slightly to include the country's wealthy and wealthy people.
In the 1830s, tea broke free from the Makhzen and began to spread among the common people in the cities. It then moved to the rural areas on the outskirts of the cities. At the beginning of the 20th century, tea had entered most Moroccan homes. However, even in the villages and rural areas, tea supplies and equipment were only available in a few homes, which other homes would resort to on occasions and when needed. This is what made Moroccan "atay" associated in people's minds with social ties and harmony.
Some key points about the history of Moroccan mint tea:
- Tea was introduced to Morocco in the 18th century.
- It was initially used as a medicine.
- It became a popular drink among the Moroccan people in the 19th century.
- Today, tea is an integral part of Moroccan culture.
- It is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.
- It is served in three glasses: the first is bitter as life, the second is sweet as love, and the third is as mild as death.
- It is a popular drink to enjoy with friends and family.
If you are ever lucky enough to visit Morocco, be sure to try a glass of this delicious and refreshing tea. It is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Moroccan Mint Tea: A History of Social, Political, and Economic Impact
In their book "From Tea to Atay: Habit and History," authors Abdellah Sabti and Abdel Rahman El Khessasi recount how tea, after its introduction to Morocco, contributed to numerous political and economic transformations in the country. It became a central protagonist in several events.
In the 19th century, Sultan Hassan I used to offer tea, sugar, and silver utensils as gifts to tribal leaders who refused to submit to his authority or hesitated to declare their allegiance. This policy quickly bore fruit, and the Sultan expanded his influence over these tribes without resorting to war, relying solely on the power of tea's taste.
During the same century, Britain controlled the distribution of tea in Morocco. Moroccans adopted the English custom of sweetening tea and added mint to the ingredients, a Moroccan touch that remains associated with them to this day. In contrast, the sugar trade witnessed fierce competition between France, Germany, and Belgium. After the Germans discovered that the secret to the French dominance in the sugar trade was the familiarity of Moroccans with the shape of French sugar cubes, they tried to imitate the product's shape. However, their goods were seized at Moroccan ports due to the intervention of the French consulate. This incident sparked a crisis that did not subside until the two countries reached an agreement in 1885.
The authors add that during the same period, the British brought a large shipment of sugar and tea and sold it to the Ait Baamarane tribe, concluding agreements with tribal leaders without the approval of the central authority. This prompted Sultan Hassan I to dispatch his armies to the tribe and reassert his authority.
Socially, the ingredients of tea, as a newcomer, created heated debate among Moroccan scholars. Some considered the sugar imported from Europe, or "the land of the Romans" as they called it, to be forbidden. Others went beyond prohibition and refused to accept the testimony of anyone who drank tea. However, this controversy was not always religiously motivated; sometimes it stemmed from purely economic or political factors.
In 1904, on his way to Hajj, Sheikh Muhammad Abdel Kabir Al-Kattani, the founder of the Kattaniyya Zawiya, visited the city of Marseille, where the sugar exported to Morocco was manufactured. Sheikh Al-Kattani considered this visit to be a visit to the enemy's base. For him, French sugar was invading Morocco's treasury and depriving the country of resources that should have been used to repel the colonialists lurking in the country. Sheikh Al-Kattani's opposition to tea consumption did not stop there; he went so far as to prohibit his followers from drinking Atay and campaigned against it in gatherings and meetings. This boycott movement did not spread widely or gain much fame, but it was not an isolated stance; it represented a form of anti-colonial resistance.
Some key points about the social, political, and economic impact of Moroccan mint tea:
- Tea was introduced to Morocco in the 18th century.
- It quickly became a popular drink among all classes of Moroccan society.
- Tea was used as a form of diplomacy and gift-giving.
- The British controlled the distribution of tea in Morocco in the 19th century.
- Moroccans adopted the English custom of sweetening tea and added mint to the ingredients.
- Tea was a source of controversy among Moroccan scholars, with some considering it to be forbidden.
- Tea was also seen as a symbol of European colonialism.
- Sheikh Muhammad Abdel Kabir Al-Kattani led a boycott movement against tea in the early 20th century.
- Today, Moroccan mint tea is an integral part of Moroccan culture and identity.
- It is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.
- It is served in three glasses: the first is bitter as life, the second is sweet as love, and the third is as mild as death.
- It is a popular drink to enjoy with friends and family.
If you are ever lucky enough to visit Morocco, be sure to try a glass of this delicious and refreshing tea. It is sure to leave a lasting impression.
