In the past few years, the tea set known as “Alla” was part of the landscape of the Libyan house, either you live in a villa or a small flat, or whether you're a family of two, or your home is packed up with 10, you have to make space for the Alla in your living room.
Libyans have known tea since the nineteenth century, but back then, it was only limited to the Pasha, his family, and his guests. With time, Libyans developed their own way of presentation and "Shahi al-Alla" traditional Libyan tea became the thing that never absence any family gathering.
The Alla is a traditional set of tea utensils, might be made of stainless steel or other kind of metal, coloured and decorated from the outside in addition to other items that include three other containers in different sizes.
The large container is for the sugar, the middle is for tea, while the smallest one is for the incense, which Libyan mums like to finish with, in every family session.
The accessories of Alla form an integral part of the bride preparations too; mothers of the brides are very keen on choosing the best type of bedspreads, mattress and the cover of the stove. There is a wide range to choose from, some are made with Crochet and some are Embroidery on canvas, the style changes from time to time according to fashion.
Shahi al-Alla is a characteristic of generosity and warm welcome. The time it takes and the way it's made, gives the guest a wide berth, and makes him feel as not to be in a hurry.
It is a strong drink, boiled on low heat and served in three courses; the third course is presented with roasted almonds or peanuts along with mint leaves or other herbs for flavour.
In the recent past, it was rude to present tea in the European style. It was regarded as a message for the visitor to not stay for long.
Mastering Shahi al-Alla needs a lot of skill and practice, pouring tea from the steel mug to the teapot and vice versa to form that white smooth foam and without spilling any of it on the rest of the tea set is quite challenging, especially if you're doing this in front of a critical audience! The last thing a lady would want is to end up being the talk of the women's gossip in the neighbourhood!
It is not sure how or who came up with the idea of the foam, which characterizes the Libyan tea, but some say it derives its origins from the desert society where the foam is formed to prevent any sand or dirt going into your glass. The dirt will comment in the foam on the top, allowing you to sip a nice clean cup of tea.