Eeating and meeting in the Rif > Food > Tea

Tea

If you order tea without specifying the type, you will be served Moroccan tea, which is green tea. The tea contains sugar, often a great deal of it.

What is a little sugar by Moroccan standards is a lot of sugar by my Swedish standards. What is considered a normal amount of sugar is undrinkable in my opinion.

In the beginning of my stay in Morocco, I asked for tea with just a little sugar. I often received tea with loads of sugar. My advice if you want just a little sugar is to ask for the sugar on the side.


Herbs

Moroccan tea usually contains mint. Sometimes they ask if you want mint; sometimes they add mint without asking. If you don’t like mint, it’s safest to ask for tea without mint.

As well as mint, Moroccan cafés usually offer tea with other types of herbs, such as verbena or wormwood. The general view is that herbs are good and healthy. However, bear in mind that the Swedish Food Agency advises pregnant women against drinking herbal teas.

Where you can get tea

Tea is, of course, available in all cafés. On strandenthe beach, you may find vendors walking around with a large pot of tea. At strandenstreet barbecues and simple eateries with grills, they may have a teapot on the grill. That tea is usually sweetened. Some restaurants offer tea, some do not.

In Sweden, I am used to all restaurants offering tea. I am also used to tea meaning a cup of hot water with a tea bag on the side. Moroccan tea is different; it is prepared to order and the tea leaves is boiled with the water from the start. In other words, tea in Morocco is a bit more complicated, which explains why not all restaurants offer it.

Tea bags

If you prefer tea bags, the easiest thing to do is to ask for Lipton. You’ll then be served black tea in a teabag. The tea may come from any manufacturer. When people say Lipton in Morocco, they don’t mean the brand, but simply a teabag.

How to order your tea

I’m sure you’ll have no trouble ordering tea in English. French will work perfectly well. But I think it’s more fun to speak Rifiya when I’m in the Rif Mountains. If you also think it’s more fun to use the local language, then say:

oshayi ijen watay shukran

Just for fun, let’s break the sentence down word by word

If you’re like me, you might want your tea without sugar, and just a little mint. Or perhaps you’d prefer coffee or juice instead. In that case, take a look at the chapter on how to order at a café and find the sentence that suits you.