Armuds: what do they look like and how to use them?

The tea ceremony has always been something special for Eastern peoples. The ritual is still carried out in accordance with the old national traditions. In Turkey and Azerbaijan, the day begins with a cup of tea, and they can drink the drink several more times during the day, they finish each meal with it. Of course, the main role in tea drinking is played by glass cups - armuds, cultural heritage left over from the Ottoman Empire.

Every tourist visiting the countries of the East must taste tea from Azerbaijani crystal glasses. In our article, we will consider what armuds are, tell the legend associated with their appearance, and the rules for holding a tea ceremony in Turkish.

Armuds are special containers for tea made of crystal, widespread in Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan. In recent years, with an increase in the flow of tourists to these countries, cups have become popular in Russia as well. This is quite natural, because their special shape contributes to a longer retention of heat, and transparency allows you to see the fullness of the glass, therefore even with long conversations, you don't have to worry about the drink getting cold.

From the Azerbaijani language, the word "armud" is translated as "pear", in Turkish the name of this fruit sounds like "armut". Many people believe that it is thanks to their pear-shaped shape that these glasses got their name. Another version says that the cups for tea are in the shape of a tulip, symbolizing love, devotion and tenderness for the inhabitants of the East. To many, the image of armud resembles a female figure with a thin waist, rounded hips and beautiful breasts.

Traditional Azerbaijani cups are sold without handles, however, in stores you can also find a model with a holder designed specifically for tourists - the locals do not use them.

A hot drink is poured into armuda from a special teapot, you can drink it almost immediately, without the risk of getting burned. The fact is that the shape of the device expanding upward makes it possible to quickly cool the upper part of the liquid. Tea is not poured to the brim, it is customary to leave a couple of centimeters so that it is more convenient for the guest to grab the cup and sip a little. Some products have a thin border to indicate where the liquid should be poured.

In everyday life, the inhabitants of Azerbaijan use simple glass armudshowever, there are special and holiday items that every family will find. They are also taken out when guests arrive. In the oriental bazaar, you can find very beautiful armuds made of porcelain or faience with hand painting and gold or silver decor.

For wealthy people, luxurious models of real gold or silver are offered.... An excellent alternative to glass is crystal with beautiful patterns... The volume of glasses is quite small - 100 ml, this is quite enough to have time to drink a drink during conversations, and then add more. Sometimes during one tea ceremony the Turks can drink 15 servings of hot tea.

Despite the lack of handles, it is very comfortable to hold the cups in your hands... They fit neatly between your fingers and do not slip out of them. Heat-resistant glass with a thickened bottom prevents the possibility of burns and rapid cooling of the tea.

Tea sets are sold for two or more persons and include a tray, a teapot and glasses and saucers. Armuds with handles represent a small traditional glass cup narrowed towards the center. The handle can be placed anywhere in the upper or lower part, and sometimes even in the area of ​​narrowing.

In European countries, many began to use similar cups for coffee, they turned out to be convenient for classic espresso due to their miniature size. However, residents of the East consider such actions unacceptable and even offensive.

In Azerbaijan, the handle is replaced with a cup holder for armuds. They are made from cupronickel, bronze or silver. While the cup itself is hot, you can keep it on the cup holder, the main thing is not to accidentally turn it over on yourself. The design of these products, as a rule, is minimalistic, however, there are also volumetric devices with a handle that cover the glass itself.

Many centuries ago, even during the Ottoman Empire, it was customary to drink tea from Armud. The pear-shaped cups made it possible to maintain the optimal temperature of the drink for a long time, it was neither hot nor cold. The empire collapsed, but the traditions were preserved. Each of the peoples of the Middle East believes that armuds appeared for the first time in their region, and then spread throughout the territory, however, no one can give an exact answer to this question. Therefore, in different sources, glasses are called either Turkish or Azerbaijani.

Tourists are told a wonderful story related to the appearance of narrowed products. In ancient times, tea was drunk from ordinary glass cups. Once, during a regular feast, the padishah was whispered in his ear that his wife was unfaithful to His Majesty. The enraged sultan ordered his wife to be executed, but first decided to look into her shameless eyes. Seeing the cheater, the man out of anger squeezed the cup so tightly in his hand that it narrowed in the middle and began to resemble a female figure with a thin waist. However, the padishah's anger did not last long: seeing the beautiful eyes of his beloved, he forgave her and let her go in peace. But his emotions were reflected in the glass.

Later he presented it to his wife along with a bouquet of tulips - a symbol of love.Thus, the sultan wanted his wife to always remember how strong his feelings for her are. Tourists visiting Iran and Turkey are sure to sample the hot drink from armud, often trying to completely replicate the traditional ceremony. Having tried tea from glass narrowed glasses once, you no longer want to return to ordinary ones.

It is the numerous advantages of the products that have made them popular in many Western countries. The main feature of armuds is, of course, their shape and thickened bottom, which does not allow the tea to cool down, while the upper expanded part quickly cools it down. Both temperatures combine in the middle to form an ideal drink to consume.

If you are an avid tea-lover and start every day with this noble drink, then you should definitely purchase a traditional Azerbaijani set that will turn drinking hot tea into a real pleasure. The big advantage of cups is their convenience: they do not slip out of your hands, and heat-resistant glass allows you to keep the temperature inside and not burn your hands, even when steam rises from the liquid.

Tea sets are incredibly beautiful... Even the most ordinary glass or crystal products look unusual and delight the eye, let alone luxurious painted or models made of precious metals.

Turkish tea can be a great family tradition. This is an unforgettable time when children and adults gather at the table and indulge themselves with a fragrant drink with something sweet to taste, they can afford long conversations, because the drink will not cool down. Another important advantage of Turkish cups is the hygiene of the material of manufacture. It is not only 100% environmentally friendly, but also does not react with liquid, completely transferring the taste of tea without changes.

If you find yourself in one of the eastern countries, you can without hesitation buy beautiful tea sets as a gift for friends and relatives, which will delight them not only on holidays, but also every day, creating for a short while a cozy atmosphere with oriental notes. Lovers of a real noble drink, who prepare tea leaves on their own, and do not buy bags, will be especially happy with such a gift. Be sure to purchase products for yourself.

For a real Turkish tea ceremony, certain rules must be followed. As a rule, long leaf tea is used to prepare the drink, in very rare cases green tea.

Tea is drunk slowly, sip after sip, the whole procedure can take more than forty minutes. It is customary to brew the leaves in several stages. To begin with, the kettle is poured over with hot water so that it warms up, then leaf tea is put inside in the right amount and poured with boiling water until the middle. Then the kettle must be covered with a lid and wrapped in a special towel so that the heat does not escape. Let the tea brew for 4 minutes, then pour in more water, filling the device. Wait another 5 minutes and serve to guests.

Tea is poured starting with the most respected person at the table, usually the oldest. And then everyone else is honored. It is customary to serve the drink on saucers, sometimes, if the guest comes from the West, in cup holders with a handle for convenience.

Sugar cubes are served in an open container and each one takes the amount he needs. In the East, sweet is eaten with a bite: first, a piece is dipped in a drink, then a bite is taken, and then it is washed down. In this case, it is advisable to hold the saucers in your hands. Be sure to serve honey, jam, dried fruits and a traditional Turkish delicacy - Turkish delight in separate bowls.

Many do not know why sugar is eaten in Turkey with a bite; another historical fact is associated with this tradition.Previously, the padishahs were surrounded by conspirators who wanted to kill him. Some tried to slip poison into his food or drink. Especially cunning ones dripped poison on sugar, so they began to dip the cubes into the drink to watch the reaction. If the grains began to hiss, change shade or settle at the bottom, it means that they have been worked on. For brewing, double teapots are sometimes used, which are placed on the stove for heating.

In the process of drinking tea, some points should also be observed. First of all it must be remembered that in the East, the elders are very revered, therefore the first word at the table is either at the owner of the house, or at the eldest. Everyone is seated on sofas or on a carpet with soft pillows. Transparent dishes let the owner know that it is time to top up the drink. It is customary for guests to top up tea until they themselves refuse.

In the next video, you will find a tea ceremony in Azerbaijani style.