Azerbaijani tea culture

Tea in Azerbaijan is served freshly brewed, hot and strong. It typically has a bright colour and is served in crystal or any other glasses or cups. Azerbaijanis often use traditional armudu (pear-shaped) glass. Tea is served continuously when there are guests or when there is an interesting conversation. For Azerbaijanis tea with milk is uncommon. According to a common belief, drinking tea with lump sugar instead of sand sugar comes from the medieval period, when rulers who were afraid of being poisoned checked their tea by dunking a piece of sugar in a beverage (it was believed that the poison would react to the sugar).^[1] Traditional tea is served with lemon, cube sugar, sweets and fruit desserts (not jam).^[2] Sometimes thyme, mint or rose water is added, which is believed to be good for the stomach and heart.^[1]

For Azerbaijanis tea is associated with warmth, hospitality^[2] tradition says that one should not allow the guest to leave the house without at least one cup of tea.

Tea in Azerbaijan is also served during matchmaking. After the negotiations by matchmakers are complete, the maid will bring out tea. If the tea is served without sugar, that is a sign that the chances for marriage agreement are very low; conversely, if tea is served with sugar, it means that there will be a wedding.^[1]