It's Five O'Clock Trivia Quiz

Answer: Turkey

In many people's minds, Turkey is synonymous with extra-strong coffee. However, according to 2021 data, the transcontinental country has the world's highest tea consumption per capita - higher than China, Japan, or the United Kingdom. Known in Turkish as "çay", tea was introduced to present-day Turkey by Silk Road traders in the 5th century AD. It became especially popular in Turkey after the end of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920s, when coffee had become rare and expensive. Now tea is grown on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, whose mild climate and fertile soil are favourable to its cultivation; about half of Turkey's tea production is consumed domestically.

Turkish tea is prepared with an implement called a "çaydanlık" ("teapot"), a metal teapot capped by a smaller teapot, the "demlik". Water is boiled in the lower part of this vessel, while the demlik is used to prepare a strong, concentrated tea infusion that people can dilute with hot water to taste. The small glasses called "ince belli" ("slim-waisted") have a distinctive tulip shape (the tulip being Turkey's national flower), and allow the drinker to enjoy the tea's beautiful, reddish-brown colour. Tea is served with cubes of beet sugar, but no milk or lemon. Though tea is consumed throughout the day, in Turkey there is also a "teatime" - between three and five in the afternoon - when the beverage is enjoyed with biscuits and cakes. While Turkish tea houses ("kiraathane") are generally restricted to men, outdoor tea gardens are more relaxed environments, often offering music and games together with the tea.

Answer: fermented and pickled

As is the case of most Asian countries, tea is Myanmar's preferred beverage. However, the country formerly known as Burma is probably the only place in the world where tea is also treated as food. This unique tradition, indigenous to the country, is believed by some to be very ancient, though the habit of drinking tea may have been introduced to Myanmar no earlier than the 12th century. In any case, "lahpet" has a prominent role in Burmese cuisine and culture, and is often served to guests as a gesture of hospitality. Its preparation is quite lengthy, involving three steps: pre-fermentation, fermentation (which may take up to 4 months), and the washing, kneading and draining of the fermented leaves. This process is essential to reduce the bitterness of the fresh tea leaves. The leaves are then seasoned with garlic, chili, salt, lemon juice, and peanut oil, and served in a shallow lacquerware tray with several accompaniments. Lahpet is widespread in Myanmar, and sold both in shops and street stalls; some people even make it at home.

Most of the tea consumed in Myanmar, either as food or drink, is grown in the northern part of the country, near the Chinese border. Tea is first dry-roasted in a pan, then soaked in hot water, yielding a strong brew that is then combined with evaporated and sweetened condensed milk. In order to create a frothy top, as well as cool the drink, the tea mixture is poured back and forth from two vessels from a height - a method called "teh tarik" in Malay.

Answer: salt and butter

Known in the West as "butter tea", po cha (Chinese form of the Tibetan "bod ja", meaning simply "Tibetan tea") is made and consumed in Tibet and other parts of the vast Himalayan region - such as Nepal, Bhutan, and northeastern India. This thick, warming beverage is thought to have become popular in Tibet some time during the 13th century, though tea had been introduced in the region from China a few centuries earlier. Butter tea is prepared by boiling pu-erh (fermented) tea leaves in water for half a day, then pouring the strained tea into a cylinder with fresh yak butter and salt; the mixture is then churned until a thick, stew-like liquid is obtained. Nowadays, however, tea bags and electric blenders often replace the traditional tea bricks and churns.

The peoples who live in the Himalayan region drink many bowls of butter tea a day: in fact, the drink does not only provide calories that are essential for everyday life at such high altitudes, but is believed to prevent chapping of the lips during the colder months. For a more substantial meal, Tibetans often mix "tsampa" (roasted barley flour), one of their staple foods, with the tea to create a nutritious porridge. Butter tea is also an important component of Buddhist ceremonies and Tibetan celebrations.

Answer: paprika

Masala chai means "mixed-spice tea". The Hindi word "chai" (from the Chinese "cha") means simply "tea", though in the West it has come to refer to spiced tea. Believed by some to have been created as a healing beverage in Ayurvedic medicine, masala chai is made by brewing black tea (most commonly Assam, which is strong enough to stand up to the spices) in water and milk with a mixture of spices. Sugar (white or unrefined), honey, or other sweeteners are added when the chai mixture is ready. In India, buffalo milk is often the milk of choice for masala chai. The spice mixture, called "karha", includes a base of green cardamom pods and ground ginger, to which other warming spices are added. The most common of these are cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, star anise, and fennel seeds. Paprika, which is made from dried and ground red peppers, is not typical of Indian cuisine, and is definitely not used in tea.

Masala chai is quite popular in Northern and Western India, where it is sold in shops and roadside stalls. In the West, "chai latte" - either hot or iced - is often featured on the menus of coffee bar chains such as Starbucks: it is generally made from a concentrate, using steamed milk and other additions (such as whipped cream) that do not exist in India.

Answer: palm sugar

Sri Lanka is the world's fourth-largest exporter of tea, which has been grown in the island's central highlands since the first tea plant was introduced from China in 1824. Marketed as Ceylon Tea, and sporting the iconic Lion Logo (the lion being the country's heraldic symbol), tea from Sri Lanka is exported all over the world, and is a major contributor the country's economy. Sri Lankans believe that the island's ground water is the key not only to the growth of the tea plants, but also to the brewing of a high-quality beverage.

Even if most of the tea produced on the island is exported, enough remains for Sri Lankans - who drink several cups of tea a day, either at home, during work breaks, or in small bars dedicated to the sale and consumption of tea. Black tea is by far the most common type of tea consumed in Sri Lanka. It is brewed strong, and served with milk (usually warmed) and sugar. The traditional way to sweeten tea, however, is by adding a piece of jaggery - that is, sugar extracted from a palm called "kithul" (Caryota urens). Jaggery usually comes in blocks of solidified concentrated syrup, and is widely used in the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia.

Answer: Russia

Alongside the UK and Ireland, Russia is one of the few European countries with a strong tea tradition, deeply ingrained in the country's culture. Tea is believed to have been introduced in Russia in the mid-17th century, when a Mongolian ruler donated a large quantity of tea leaves to Tsar Michael I. By the 19th century the beverage had become widespread among the general population. The name of the most traditional Russian tea, a slightly smoky black tea called Russian Caravan, is a reminder of the times when camel caravans brought tea to Russia from China.

Outside of the country, Russian tea culture is often identified with the "samovar", the large metal container with a tap near the bottom used to heat water. Traditionally heated with coal or wood kindling, now samovars use electricity, much like electric kettles. Antique samovars, often made of silver and elaborately decorated, are much prized as collector's items. In the traditional two-step tea-making process, a strong tea concentrate, called "zavarka", is prepared in a small teapot, which is often placed on top of the samovar to heat; then people pour some of this concentrate into their cups, mixing it with hot water from the samovar. Lemon, sugar or jam are often added to hot tea, while milk is not customary. According to tradition, a sugar cube or spoonful of jam (typically cherry, strawberry, or raspberry) is put in one's mouth, and the tea is sipped through it. Russian-style tea is served in glasses placed inside handled metal holders called "podstakanniki".

Answer: peanuts

Libyans drink mainly black tea (sometimes called "red" tea), brewed very strong, with a syrupy consistency due to being boiled for some time after sugar is added. The utensils for tea-making are made of stainless steel or other kinds of metal; these tea sets are often given as bridal gifts. The Libyan tea ritual, called "Shahi A'ala", often takes place during holidays or family gatherings. When ready, the tea (traditionally made by women) is served in small glasses, similar to shot glasses. In the old Libyan tea-drinking tradition, the tea is poured from a height from one mug to another for at least 20 times, producing a thick foam (called "reghwet" in Arabic) that is a symbol of hospitality. Needless to say, producing this froth takes some skill. The tea is served in three rounds: the third, foamless round is when roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted) or almonds are added to the drink.

Though mint or basil can also be added to flavour the tea, the use of herbs is not as common in Libya as it is in Morocco and Algeria. In addition, the famed mint tea consumed in the latter countries is generally made from green rather than black tea.

Answer: False

Southern-style sweet tea is always served iced - not surprisingly, as the states of the Southern US are noted for their long, hot and humid summers. Traditionally, sweet tea is made by pouring hot, strong black tea over sugar or simple syrup, then diluting the resulting mixture with water, and serving over ice, with or without lemon. The addition of other flavourings (such as raspberry or mint) is frowned upon by some, but still increasingly popular. The ratio of sugar to tea can be very high, even higher than many soft drinks - meaning that sweet tea is not exactly a healthy drink.

The earliest recipe for this iconic beverage dates from 1879 - though, unlike the modern version, it uses green tea, and the sugar is added just before serving. Black tea, imported from then-British India, became commonplace during WWII, when green tea became unavailable because of Japanese occupation of some major green tea-producing countries. Sweet tea is offered to guests in Southern homes, and is drunk as an accompaniment to Southern foods such as fried chicken or barbecued pork. A version of sweet tea called "es teh manis", made with jasmine tea, is very popular in Indonesia, where it can also be found bottled.

Answer: matcha

Though black and oolong tea are also consumed there, Japan is mostly associated with green tea ("ryokucha"), which comes in different styles, and is the only kind of tea produced in the country. Shizuoka Prefecture, in the central part of Honshu, is Japan's largest tea-producing area. The standard style of green tea today is "sencha", which is prepared by steeping the leaves in hot water. To produce matcha, on the other hand, the leaves are grown in the shade to stimulate an increase in chlorophyll, then laid flat out to dry after harvesting, and finally ground to a fine powder between two stones. The resulting powder is a beautiful, bright shade of green, with a unique taste. This method of preparing powdered tea was brought from China in the 12th century.

To prepare matcha for drinking, the tea powder is often sieved prior to being placed in a bowl and mixed with water just below the boiling point. A special bamboo whisk known as "chasen" is used to stir the drink to a uniform consistency. Nothing is added to matcha, though a small confection ("wagashi") is generally served with the tea to offset its bitterness. In Japan, matcha powder is used in many kinds of confections, snacks and baked goods, either traditional or Western-inspired, to which it will impart its characteristic bright green hue.

Mochi, a sweet, glutinous rice paste, is a frequent ingredient of wagashi sweets, while soba are thin buckwheat noodles; both of these foods are often dyed and flavoured with matcha, Surimi, on the other hand is imitation crab meat.

Answer: George Orwell

George Orwell's "A Nice Cup of Tea" was first published in the "London Evening Standard" on 12 January 1946. The essay includes the author's eleven "golden" rules for making a perfect cup of tea - which he regards as one of the mainstays of British civilization, though also the cause of violent arguments. According to Orwell, Indian or Ceylonese tea are better choices than Chinese tea, which he finds somewhat bland. Tea should be strong, made in small quantities in a warmed china or earthenware teapot, using boiling water. He also recommends avoiding tea bags or strainers, and stirring the tea after it is made.

Even more intriguing are Orwell's remarks about the addition of milk. In his opinion, milk should not be too creamy to avoid creating a sickly-tasting brew. Then, it should never be poured first into the cup, but always added to the tea, stirring as one pours, so as to avoid adding too much milk as it is likely to happen when milk is poured first. Obviously, in the UK there is a school of thought that opposes adding milk to tea when the latter is already in the cup, as it maintains that this practice alters the beverage's taste. Orwell also has some rather strong words about the addition of sugar to tea, which in his opinion destroys the flavour as much as adding pepper or salt would.