Moroccan Mint Tea — Atay bi Nana

Morocco (national institution — Moroccan mint tea is not simply a beverage but a ritual of hospitality; refusing tea is a social affront; the preparation and pouring of tea is a skilled act performed by a tea master; green tea was introduced via Portuguese and later British trade in the eighteenth century and combined with indigenous Mentha spicata nana mint; the glass pour from height is the signature act of Moroccan tea culture)

Atay bi nana is prepared in a silver or silver-plated teapot (berrad). First, Camellia sinensis Chinese gunpowder green tea (2–3 teaspoons for a medium pot) is 'rinsed': boiling water is added, swirled for 5 seconds, and discarded — this removes tannin bitterness and any dust from the tea leaves. Fresh Mentha spicata nana (spearmint) — a generous bundle, stems and all — is packed into the pot on top of the rinsed tea. Boiling water is added to fill the pot, followed by a substantial amount of caster-sugar (typically 3–4 tablespoons per pot, though sweetness varies by region — Marrakech is very sweet, the north slightly less so). The pot sits on a flame for 2–3 minutes only — just to warm through, not to simmer. The tea is then poured from height into the first glass, returned to the pot, poured again, returned, and poured a third time before distributing — this mixing and aeration develops the flavour. Each pour from height creates the characteristic foam top that signals correctly prepared Moroccan tea. Served in small glass tumbler cups, never mugs.

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Bright Mentha spicata freshness, Camellia sinensis grassiness, generous caster-sugar sweetness, faint tannin backbone — refreshing, sweet, and ritualistic.