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“With herbs or strained?” It’s the question every tea drinker in Erzincan, eastern Türkiye, is asked, and it’s catching the attention of visitors.
Instead of the usual choice of strong or light tea, residents who want tea in the city order it either with herbs or strained.
Herbal tea, known locally as “otlu cay,” is widely consumed in Erzincan and is prepared by pouring the brewed tea into the glass together with the tea leaves. In strained tea, the tea is passed through a strainer to separate it from the leaves.
This practice, familiar to locals, creates a different experience for guests from other cities. Visitors who have not encountered such a choice before can be surprised when they first hear the question while ordering tea.
Among residents, the preference for leafy or strained tea varies according to personal taste. Some choose strained tea so that the leaves do not reach their mouths, while others like to see the leaves in the glass as they drink.
Ozkan Arduc, who has run a tea stand in Erzincan since 2013, told the Türkiye newspaper that new customers must specify how they like their tea, so waiters ask before serving.
Arduc said there is no real difference between the two styles and that the choice is purely a matter of taste. He added that he personally prefers tea with leaves.
According to Arduc, tea stands outside Erzincan usually have a strainer fitted to the mouth of the teapot, which is why tea there is served without leaves. The report said local residents generally drink tea with leaves, while visitors tend to choose strained tea.
The choice between leafy and strained tea has become part of daily life in Erzincan and is among the distinctive features of the city’s tea culture.
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