Ataaya

by Eva Peskin | 2009

I assemble my accoutrements before I start. I have a small plate, two shot glass-sized cups, a teapot, a hot plate, one small box of tea, a lot of sugar, and maybe some mint.

Do you have mint? I will go buy some from the shop.
No, you don't have to go, we'll just do without.
But I prefer my tea with mint, don't you?
Good point. Why don't you go to the shop and get some mint?

The First Cup: Bitter like life

I pour in one glass full of water for every two people I am serving. I put in half of one of the small boxes of tea and heat to a boil. I let it calm down and then boil it a second time. I take it off the heat and let it cool for a moment.

Do you need help?
No, I know what to do.
Oh, she knows what to do!
I can't talk now, I have to concentrate.

I add one glass full of sugar and let it come to a boil again. I let it cool again, and then fill one of my glasses to the brim with tea. I add a handful of mint and boil it once more, but not for too long.

You put the mint in too early.
No she didn't, you have to let it steep for a bit in the pot.
No, no, no. You put it in right before you serve it or else you steam off all of the flavor.
You don't know what you are talking about!
Me? You don't know anything.

As it is boiling this final time, I begin to prepare the mousse. It is important that your tea have a good, thick mousse, because it protects the drinker from the hotness of the tea and also it looks very nice and demonstrates your expertise.

Look at the little expert!
You know I am only trying my best.
No, you are doing very well, we are teasing.

Over the small plate, I pour the tea from one glass to the other from as great a distance as possible while still controlling the direction of the liquid. What I have learned is that I have to be very assertive when I pour, directing the tea from one cup to the other with a deft twist of my wrist, or my tea will be all over the plate. I continue to pour the tea from glass to glass until each one has a foam an inch or two thick.

Hey, look at that!
You should practice with her, then you can make us tea next time.
Why practice? If someone else makes such good tea, why would I do it?

If the tea doesn't have enough sugar, or if I don't pour from a great enough distance, I won't have a very good mousse. Also, if I don't control the flow of the liquid and it spills all over the place, I won't have enough liquid to pour back and forth and I won't have a very good mousse.

True, you never make tea.
That's what I have Babs for.
Well, he did go to Tea School.
That's not true!
It is too! He has a diploma.
Well that explains it.

I should probably check on my pot and take it off the heat. While I finish making the mousse, it will cool a little. If you serve your guests tea that is too hot, it will make them think you are jealous of them.

Where do they even have a Tea School?
In Rosso.

When I have a good enough mousse, I pour the tea from the pot into the cups from as great a distance as possible. If you pour it from too close you will deflate all that foam you just spent all that time making.

Are you finished yet!
Look! I'm taking my time so I do it right.
Oh, it will be dawn by the time we have the third cup at this rate!
You don't sleep until dawn anyway, so why are you complaining?

I serve the last person who came first, and usually you serve the men before you serve the women, but the present company doesn't hold me to that somewhat arcane (at least from my perspective) rule.

The Second Cup: Sweet like friendship

The first cup is a success, now for cup number two. First I add the water, the same as before. Then I add half of what is left in the box of tea.

You should add more tea.
You tell her that because you like your tea strong. What about those of us who prefer a lighter tea?
A lighter tea for a lighter man?
Hey, you better watch what you say!
I'm making the tea and I prefer it lighter, so that's what is going to happen.

I let it come to a boil and then take it off the heat. I add the sugar. Not as much as before, about two thirds of a cup.

I don't know how you drink your tea in Kaolack, it is blacker than coffee.
We drink it the right way!
The right way, he says the right way. What do you know anyway?
Some people like it strong, some like it light, will you two stop arguing.
Stop arguing? What else would they do?

It boils again and I take it off the heat. Now to add the mint and make the mousse.

How did you learn to do that so well? It is rare that a toubab makes such a good mousse.
I practiced with water.
But she is a quick learner too!
Yes, she is already speaking Wolof.
Wolof isn't so hard. Pulaar, that would be a challenge.
True, Pulaar is much more difficult.

My mousse is ready and I pour the first two cups.

Zeyn!
M'shallaah, this is good.
Really, you don't think it needs more sugar?
No, you don't want to add too much sugar or your third cup will be undrinkable.
It doesn't matter what we think of it; it is your tea and it is up to you how it tastes.
Yes, but I haven't been drinking tea for so long; I don't know what my standards are yet.

The Third Cup: Sweetest like love

You know what they say about the meaning of the three cups?
That one is bitter like life, the next sweet like friendship and the third sweetest like love?
Yee you know everything don't you?
Hardly!

I pour the water and add half of what is left in the tea box. I put it on the rechaud and let it boil.

You don't do this in America, do you?
We don't have time to sit around and drink tea for hours.
You don't have time? You always have time for tea.
Well, now I know.
What are you always so busy doing that you can't have tea?
I don't know, work? I am going to make tea for my friends when I get home.

I add the sugar, it boils again.

You know, I haven't been able to sleep lately, I think because of all the tea and the sugar.
Your body will get used to it.
It is good for you.
All that sugar can't be very good for you.
No, he's right. Tea is good for the digestion.
And it makes you think more clearly.
But it also gives you diabetes.
I don't know about that. Maybe.
I mean, think of how much sugar you are having every time you have tea.
And you know the old men drink tea all day long.
I don't know how they can take all that sugar, it would give me a headache.
But you are not used to it!

Next the mint. Now for the mousse.

I can tell you are getting tired.
Because I am spilling? Maybe. I'm just not concentrating. I got over-confident.
Have you ever made milk?
What do you mean?
Milk!
She doesn't know what that is.
Oh no! We will do it some time.
What do you mean make milk?
It is like making tea but with the powdered milk.
And mint pastilles.
You will like it.
It sounds delicious.
I think we did have that one time.
Oh yeah, they made it for us at Lamine's party.
Did it have cheese in it too?
Sure, you can put cheese in. Some people make it different ways.

I fill the glasses and pass them around.

This, this is excellent tea.
Thank you.
Well, that's all for me.
You come, you drink, you go? What kind of manners is that?
I have work to do!
Oh sure.
I am busy like the Americans.
They have time to sit and drink properly.
Well, we are not in America.
You wouldn't sit and drink like this in America?
Probably not.
Maybe we will from now on. When we get home we will insist on having tea every night with our toubab friends.

I collect my things to clean them. There is some tea left, and I have some more mint.

What about one more cup?

Related work by Eva Peskin:
Going (Coming) Home
Centre-ville
The Resto
Hotel de le Jeunesse
Adhan

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