Just about anywhere one may go in the Kingdom whether to a business meeting, social gathering, maybe even to a small family owned store, one will be greeted with charming hospitality. The custom here when one is having some type of a meeting is to typically offer Saudi tea or as in Arabic, “chi” with a long “eye” sound. Sometimes one may be offered Arabic coffee, but more commonly during a meeting, tea is the preferred beverage.
Saudi tea is served in a small slender glass which is literally filled to the brim. It is served piping hot and usually sugar has also been pre-added. It may be difficult to even lift the glass to ones lips because it is so hot but the tradition is if it is not filled to the brim then hospitality is lacking. Therefore either wait until it cools a bit before taking a sip or “slurp at it quickly.”
Saudi tea is traditionally made using tea leaves versus tea bags. It may also be served with a dash of mint added. Depending on the time of day, green tea leaves may be used to brew the tea instead of black tea leaves.
I find the gesture of serving tea nice and also practical. When you think about it as compared to a western coffee where American style coffee is served during a meeting, not only is the coffee served in a large cup (probably equal to about 4 servings of Saudi tea by comparison) then there is the ritual of whether to add milk, cream, sugar or sweetener. Not only does the large cup of coffee usually make someone have to pay frequent trips to a toilet but one is left with the “coffee breath” as well.
Saudi (Arab) tea sets will come in a variety of lovely and unique styles although all will have the small slender glass. A few styles can be found where the glasses will have handles but in most cases, the tradition is to have the glass without handles.
And in case you were wondering, one of the most popular brands of tea in the Kingdom is Lipton!
Filed under: Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs
Wow! Lipton??!!! I never would’ve guessed that Lipton would be a big favorite there. Is there such a thing as loose leaf Lipton? Because if there is, I’ve never seen it here in Seattle.
The man looks to be pouring Morrocan tea. They usually pour from highr up. Do Saudis do that too? I must be around poor bedous, because I never get served out of the tall glasses, it’s aways the small glasses.
Thanks for adding me to your blogroll and for moving to wordpress!
I had a dream about you last night, I’m here looking for your email so I can chat with you!
Carol
Not seeking publicity but I have also written about the same drink you call CHI with “eye”.
Hope you have no objection for putting in this link.
http://urbansemiotic.com/2007/05/18/the-daily-british-cuppa/
Hi Winslie…no; I do not mind at all. I think it is good when one can exchange info and increase knowledge!
Molly: So lovely to see you here! And yes; Lipton certainly comes in the loose form as well… but you are right, we do not see it as commonly in the States. Although in the States I prefer Tazo Chai which I cannot find here.
Ummadam: You are very observant! When I was searching for a photo which depicted the typical type of slender glasses the one I found just happened to be of a Morrocan pouring tea! However I have found Saudis to serve the same way – up high – with both tea and coffee (chai and kawa).
And if you did not find it (it’s under the Who is American Bedu page) my email is american_bedu (at) yahoo (dot) com.
I love the tea thing. I lived in England for years and it was much the same thing. I prefer the loose tea to bog tea. We usually drink mint tea, sometimes withb cardamom, but usually without.
I regret the increasing tendency in Saudi offices to serve tea–often made from tea bags–in western cups. Tea, though, isn’t my favorite beverage.
I’m happiest when served qawa, the cardamom-heavy green coffee, but certainly appreciate the Turkish/Arabic coffee as well.
About the ‘coffee-breath’… well, perhaps I’ve never noticed it.
And yes… pouring from on high is definitely a Saudi thing, too!
My husband and I have the habit since being in the Kingdom of having Saudi tea about 1.5 hours after we have finished our evening meal. It seems to hit the spot and the small slender glasses keep us from drinking too much.
Yet on the other hand when starting the day I cannot imagine not having the kawa. In my view the Saudi kawa seems to have more caffein than the american version.
Speakign of coffee breath, I find that with American coffee but not with the arabic coffee.
Isnt it interesting how different transliteration is? John says “qawa”, Carol says “kawa” and I would use “qahwa”.
I know there is set of rules somewhere about this for academics, but I know I certainly dont follow it.
To the best of my recollection, in Saudi Arabia ‘qahwa’ means coffee–any kind, from Nescafe to Arabic. ‘Qawa’ means the green, lightly roasted coffee heavily flavored with cardamom.
and I just have my own way of spelling phonetically….
John,
You might be right. I, myself, have always used the same word for coffee, no matter the type. In my wife’s family the type with cardamom is only usually served during Ramadan.
I am with Carol. So many people use different numbers to replace letters in Arabic that kind of look the same, ie “3″ for ayn, 9 for “wa” and so on. I dont usually do this, but sometimes I do. Sa7?
hmmmm….everyone that I know here in the Kingdom ALWAYS prepares arabic coffee with cardamon. I’ve never experienced it being made without cardamon.
I will also serve it routinely and I apply 1 spoon of cardemon to every 2 spoons of coffee.