MARRAKECH
In Morocco Tea is served - before and after meals -at any hour of the day or night - and - it is impolite to leave a Moroccan home before drinking at least three glasses.
HOW TO MAKE MOROCCAN MINT TEA - Mark watches while the tea is poured - always from above - so it foams on the top - from a silver plated tea pot - of the so called - Manchester Shape - into decorated small glasses. Hold the glass between - thumb on the bottom, and forefinger on the rim - so as not to burn your hand.
Everybody make's tea his own way - RASHID'S Method: add a heaped tablespoon of gunpowder green tea to the pot - add a bit of boiling water and swirl the pot in order to rinse the leaves (and decaffeinate the tea) - pour off the rinse water- add about 1/3 cup of sugar and fill the pot with boiling water - add a good bunch of fresh mint (and some fresh lemon verbena, if available)- replace the teapot on the burner and heat again for another 3 mins. Let steep for about 5 mins. We didn't add the sugar - far too sweet for our taste.
We all went hunting for old teapots from the souk - rather than new ones - as well as glasses before we left Morocco - now we can also enjoy mint tea at home.