- Title: Jordanian cafe serves up health benefits in a tea cup
- Date: 21st February 2017
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (FEBRUARY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE AYMAN CAFE SIGN READING (Arabic and English): 'AYMAN COFFEE SHOP' VARIOUS OF LEMONS ON DISPLAY AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE SHOP PEOPLE IN CAFE OWNER OF CAFE, AYMAN HUNEIDY, TAKING OFF HIS JACKET PEOPLE WAITING TO BE SERVED HUNEIDY PLACING A POT OF TEA IN SAND HUNEIDY ADDING HERBS TO A POT HUNEIDY ADDING WATER TO THE PO
- Embargoed: 7th March 2017 11:08
- Keywords: tea shop Jordan health tradition herbs medicine Amman tea tea-making
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA00164GQWR9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At a small cafe in Jordan's capital Amman, customers wait eagerly to purchase a uniquely brewed tea that promises them a health fix.
Thirty-five-year old Ayman Huneidy set up the shop in 2003, serving tea prepared in a heated sand pit, partly inspired by the way bedouins traditionally heated their tea.
Huneidy says the unique method helps extract the desired health benefits from the herbs used in the tea.
"We are mimicking home remedies, like using aniseed for colds or flu. My idea was to use a metal griddle, normally used to bake flatbread, flip it upside down to expose the fire and to use that to heat the sand. This will help us extract the benefits from the herbs," said Huneidy.
Huneidy studied herbs and their benefits by reading books on eastern medicine.
He coupled this with ingredients commonly found in the Arabic kitchen to make a special brew of tea.
"Herbal teas are simple, but it is important to understand the herb and how to store it, if it has any humidity or residues. We have to use it in a way that highlights is benefits, giving off the best flavour without compromising its health purpose," he said.
He mixes different blends of herbs and local ingredients to help stave off common ailments like colds, flu and stomach aches.
Some herbs are easily available locally but others are hard to come by so Huneidy prefers to grow these himself. He also dries them and prepares them for use in his tea shop.
One of his most popular drinks is the fresh ginger tea, which he makes by grating large chunks of ginger and boiling them with water and honey.
"I have been coming to this shop for the past 7 or 8 years. My favourite drink here is the ginger, honey and lemon tea. The most important thing is the cleanliness, you can see how clean the shop is, it is very clean. They offer natural herbs, nothing processed. They offer lentils, sahlab (creamy Arabic drink). People come here at times and ask for remedies, if they have stomach aches or bloating, they come here," said a regular customer, Muwaffaq Mikhail.
Huneidy said his shop is busiest in the winter months, when people prefer warm drinks.
But his tea shop is open all year round serving his loyal customers fresh herbs and ingredients with their cup of tea. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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