Historically, tea first appeared in China almost 5000 years ago. It was initially reserved for noble or royal families and was considered a sacred beverage. But over the centuries, tea consumption has spread to become a popular drink throughout the world, first in Morocco.
Many books try, not without contradicting each other, to explain how and why tea arrived in Morocco. However, it seems quite certain that tea broke into the lives of Moroccans in the second half of the 19th century, during the Crimean War. During the conflict, English merchants were denied access to Slavic countries. The latter therefore had to find other markets to sell their products, especially the tea in which they held a monopoly. In this context, Morocco, whose ports are close to Gibraltar, has become the ideal destination for developing this new trade.
Soon tea settled here as a popular drink, the Moroccans using it to make up for the absence of other drinks such as wine, herbal teas or coffee, drinks banned or too expensive.
It should be noted that tea served in Morocco is most often flavoured with mint. The green tea kernel must be infused until its colour changes to amber or red. Then add a little sugar and spice up the taste with the mint and you will get the drink that the Moroccan proverb describes so well:
"Bitter as life, sparkling as love and sweet as death"
Here tea is drunk all day long. To quench your thirst in the afternoon, to make a deal or to finish a meal… It is always a good time to enjoy a glass of tea or to offer it as a gesture of kindness and friendship.
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