North Africa · Drink
Atai bi Na'na (Frothy Maghrebi Gunpowder Green Tea with Fresh Mint)
A ceremonial, golden-amber green tea brewed with fresh spearmint and poured from height to create a velvety crown of foam called rezza.
The story
From the Tuareg nomad camps in the Saharan dunes to the vibrant urban salons of Constantine, Atai bi Na'na is the sacred symbol of Algerian hospitality and communal bonding. Traditionally prepared in a stainless or silver Maghrebi teapot (berrad) over glowing charcoal braziers, the tea is served to guests in three distinct decoctions throughout an afternoon. The ritualistic high-altitude pour, raising the pot nearly a meter above the small decorative tea glasses, aerates the liquid to dissipate bitterness, cool the stream, and produce a dense froth called rezza that traps volatile mint aromas.
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