“Euronews” has published a feature article highlighting Azerbaijan’s long-standing tea traditions and the country’s distinctive culture of serving tea with jam on the occasion of International Tea Day, APA reports.
The article notes that in Azerbaijan, tea is more than just a drink and plays an important role in everyday life, social gatherings, business meetings, weddings and even funerals. According to the report, it is unusual in Azerbaijan to sit at a table without tea being served first.
Special attention is also given to the traditional pear-shaped “armudu” glass, which is designed to keep tea hot for longer while allowing comfortable sipping.
The report particularly focuses on the Azerbaijani tradition of serving tea with jam. Unlike in some other countries, jam in Azerbaijan is not mixed into the tea or spread on bread. Instead, a spoonful of jam is tasted first, followed by a sip of hot tea.
“Euronews” also features comments from Sabina Ulukhanova, owner of the family-run restaurant “Kurban Said,” where some jams are still homemade.
“My dad also likes to do it on his free time,” Ulukhanova says in the article.
Speaking about the preparation process, she notes that some types of jam require days of work and patience.
“You do it in two steps or three steps... it takes three days before you have this result,” she says while describing how strawberry jam is prepared.
The article states that walnut jam in particular requires extensive preparation and attention before reaching its final texture and flavour.
According to the report, the visual appearance of Azerbaijani preserves is also important, as fruits are carefully kept intact rather than dissolved like commercial spreads.
“Euronews” concludes that tea and jam in Azerbaijan represent not only flavour, but also hospitality, tradition and an important part of the country’s cultural identity.
