Ataya

Ataya is a staple in Senegalese culture. Ataya is prepared with Chinese green tea leaves that are put into a teapot with water and mint leaves. All of this is boiled over a charcoal stove. Sugar is added to the teapot over time. Following this the tea is poured into small glasses of a certain height and then poured back and forth from the glass to the teapot several times so that foam appears in the glass. The thicker the foam, the better the tea. People visiting Senegal will often see people sitting in front of their houses preparing and drinking the tea with a group of friends after lunch or dinner.