Thé à la menthe

A unique and refreshing traditional beverage in much of the Maghreb, Moroccan mint tea also serves a social and almost ceremonial purpose in Moroccan culture. It is prepared by the male head of the household, who will serve the tea in colorfully painted glasses after a complex brewing process. Guests will drink at least two cups of it so as not to offend their host.

Even the teapot itself is unique: it's ornate silver with a long spout so that the tea may be poured from well above the glass to get the signature froth.

A man serves tea in Marrakech

The multi-step process of brewing Moroccan thé à la menthe also makes it unique and special. What forms the basis of the final product is called the "spirit" or "soul" of the tea; it gives the whole pot--and the gathering where it's served--life. But getting there and building dimension in the tea's flavor requires brewing, discarding, and blending several pots of tea, then adding mint and plenty of sugar in stages. There is even a proverb about what results from the brewing process:

Le premier verre est aussi doux que la vie,
le deuxième est aussi fort que l'amour,
le troisième est aussi amer que la mort.

The first glass is as gentle as life,
the second glass is as strong as love,
the third glass is as bitter as death.

Traditionally, a type of tea called gunpowder black tea is used. It's a Chinese tea preferred because its tight, small pellets release a full-bodied, slightly smoky flavor that complements the cool, refreshing shock of mint.

Chinese gunpowder black tea

Moroccans also have a preference when it comes to sugar. Qaalib al-sukar, as it is called in Moroccan Arabic, or pain de sucre in French, is sugar that is molded into a cone and wrapped in paper for freshness. Some Moroccans say it's the sugar that makes or breaks the tea, because of the way it helps form a frothy head when the tea is poured. A cone looks like a lot, but it doesn't go far when you use a large chunk for a single pot of tea!

Pain de sucre, ready to be divided into cubes or chunks for tea

After it's brewed, the tea is poured into painted glasses and enjoyed.

If you're feeling ambitious, give this recipe a try yourself, or take a shortcut and shop for loose green tea with mint already blended in, like this.