Culture
Chai culture
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Roadside tea stalls are social hubs across India. In Kolkata, tea is often served in small disposable clay cups that return to the earth after use.
Tradition: Tea served in clay cups (bhar)
Warm drinks, shared
A cup poured for a guest means something different in every place. Compare how tea, coffee and herbal drinks are made and offered.
The places
Culture
Japanese tea ceremony
Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
A choreographed ritual of preparing and serving powdered green tea, shaped by ideas of harmony, respect and calm. Uji is a historic tea-growing area.
Tradition: Chanoyu or sado
Culture
Moroccan mint tea
Marrakesh, Morocco
Green tea with fresh mint and sugar, poured from a height to create foam, is offered to guests as a gesture of welcome.
Tradition: Poured from a height
Culture
Afternoon tea
London, England, United Kingdom
A light meal of tea, small sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and cakes, said to have been popularised in England in the 1840s by Anna, Duchess of Bedford.
Tradition: Tea with sandwiches and scones
Culture
Turkish coffee
Istanbul, Turkey
Finely ground coffee is simmered in a small pot called a cezve and served with the grounds settled. Turkish coffee culture is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Tradition: Coffee brewed in a small pot
Culture
Ethiopian coffee ceremony
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Coffee beans are roasted, ground and brewed in a clay pot, then served in several rounds to guests as a sign of hospitality. Ethiopia is regarded as the original home of coffee.
Tradition: Coffee roasted and brewed in front of guests
Culture
Mate sharing
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Friends pass a gourd of mate around, and one person usually pours for everyone. The shared cup is a sign of friendship across Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Tradition: Shared herbal drink
Culture
Kava ceremony
Suva, Fiji
Across Fiji and the Pacific, a drink made from the kava root is shared in a formal ceremony to welcome visitors and mark important occasions.
Tradition: Shared drink of the kava root