Sweetest Attaya!

In the Gambia the attaya culture follows you everywhere – in market, on the street, the in compounds and in the celebrations. It does not have a set time – morning, after lunch, lake afternoon, after dinner and before the bedtime. It does not have a set age – children as old as two years enjoy the sips of it or you can notice one secretly licking the leftover drops. It does not discriminate by the gender – women enjoy it as much as men do, although a significantly larger number of men consume it. Very common picture is to see men relaxing at bantaba (gathering place) under the mango tree and brewing attaya. 

The green tea import from China will never go bankrupt – I cannot imagine the daily life of the Gambian man without attaya. Each bitik has a surfeit supply of it so there is no shortage. I can see a customer throwing a fist when there is no attaya tea available in the bitik. First few times I tried it I questioned its significance. It is a very strong bitter tea with load of sugar. After a few more tries it slowly but surely persuaded me. I enjoy it nearly daily (increasing the risk of diabetes by consuming so much sugar), but it is just a bitter-sweet piece of heaven!

So what you need for brewing attaya? - A small attaya furnace, charcoal, tea kettle, two shot glasses, a plate, tea, water, sugar, and lots of patience. Attaya is served in three rounds: the first is strong and bitter, the second more sweet, and the third is very sweet. It’s supposed to reflect friendship: with the time it becomes more pleasant and more sweet.

Place some charcoal in the furnace and start the fire. Place glasses on the plate. Measure an amount of water depending on the number of attaya drinkers - let’s say three shot glasses. Boil the water in tea kettle, add some tea (e.g. one glass) and continue boiling. Take the kettle from the furnace. Pour some attaya into a glass, pour it back and for the between the glasses to create a foam. Keeping the foam in the glasses, pour the liquid back to the kettle and bring to the boil again. Wash the glasses and the plate. Add a few mint leaves (if available) to give tea minty flavor. Next goes the sugar, about one glass (if you like it more bitter, add less). The boiling and mixing between the glasses is repeated several times depending on the amount of foam desired. When it is done pour it into the glasses and serve on the plate.

Then repeat the whole process two more times each time adding more water and sugar (if needed more tea too). On average the process (or ceremony) takes about an hour. At my host family compound it is only my host dad and me, who enjoy it usually after the lunch. Sometimes he asks to have it brewed after dinner, late at night, but I cannot handle so much caffeine and sugar right before the bed time.

Have you ever tried same or similar tea in any other part of the world?