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سيد الشاي | The Mint Tea Master of Marrakech

by Yasmine Benali|2 min read|
"A traditional mint tea master discovers passion with a tea sommelier studying Moroccan tea culture."

سيد الشاي

The Mint Tea Master of Marrakech


الفصل الأول | Chapter One

أُحَضِّرُ الشَّايَ المَغْرِبِيَّ مُنْذُ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً.

I have prepared Moroccan tea for fifty years.

فِي رِيَاضِي أَسْتَقْبِلُ الضُّيُوفَ.

In my riad I receive guests.

جَاءَتْ خَبِيرَةُ شَايٍ مِنْ طُوكْيُو.

A tea expert came from Tokyo.


الفصل الثاني | Chapter Two

كَانَتْ فِي الخَمْسِينَ، تَفْهَمُ لُغَةَ الشَّايِ.

She was in her fifties, understanding tea language.

"شَايُكُمْ فَنٌّ مِثْلُ شَايِنَا!"

"Your tea is an art like ours!"

"نَعَمْ... طُقُوسٌ مُقَدَّسَةٌ."

"Yes... sacred rituals."


الفصل الثالث | Chapter Three

أَرَيْتُهَا كَيْفَ أَصُبُّ الشَّايَ مِنَ العُلُوِّ.

I showed her how I pour tea from height.

"لِمَاذَا مِنَ العُلُوِّ؟"

"Why from height?"

"لِتَخْتَلِطَ النَّكَهَاتُ... وَلِيَرَى الضَّيْفُ الاِحْتِرَامَ."

"To mix flavors... and for the guest to see respect."


الفصل الرابع | Chapter Four

ذَاقَتْ شَايِي.

She tasted my tea.

"هَذَا أَفْضَلُ شَايٍ شَرِبْتُهُ!"

"This is the best tea I've ever drunk!"

"السِّرُّ فِي النَّعْنَاعِ... وَفِي القَلْبِ."

"The secret is in the mint... and in the heart."


الفصل الخامس | Chapter Five

"قَلْبُكَ؟"

"Your heart?"

"نَعَمْ... أُحَضِّرُ الشَّايَ بِحُبٍّ."

"Yes... I prepare tea with love."

"وَلِمَنْ هَذَا الحُبُّ؟"

"And for whom is this love?"


الفصل السادس | Chapter Six

"كَانَ لِزَوْجَتِي... مَاتَتْ قَبْلَ خَمْسِ سَنَوَاتٍ."

"It was for my wife... she died five years ago."

"وَالآنَ؟"

"And now?"

"الآنَ... أَصُبُّهُ لَكِ."

"Now... I pour it for you."


الفصل السابع | Chapter Seven

تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، بَيْنَ أَبْخِرَةِ الشَّايِ.

That night, among tea vapors.

"جَسَدُكِ دَافِئٌ كَالشَّايِ."

"Your body is warm like tea."

"وَأَنْتَ حُلْوٌ كَالسُّكَّرِ."

"And you are sweet like sugar."


الفصل الثامن | Chapter Eight

كَتَبَتْ كِتَابًا عَنِ الشَّايِ المَغْرِبِيِّ.

She wrote a book about Moroccan tea.

وَرِيَاضِي عَلَى الغِلَافِ.

And my riad on the cover.

"شَايُ الحُبِّ... كَأْسٌ لَا تَفْرُغُ."

"Love tea... a cup that never empties."


الخاتمة | Conclusion

الشَّايُ يَجْمَعُ النَّاسَ.

Tea brings people together.

وَكَأْسُنَا جَمَعَتْ قَلْبَيْنِ.

And our cup brought two hearts together.

ثَلَاثُ كُؤُوسٍ: حَيَاةٌ، حُبٌّ، مَوْتٌ.

Three cups: life, love, death.

وَنَحْنُ فِي الكَأْسِ الثَّانِيَةِ.

And we are in the second cup.


من حكايات مراكش From the Tales of Marrakech

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