The stunning gift Francesca brought me back from Istanbul: Turkish apple tea and tea glasses (the traditional way tea is served in Turkey), with little gold spoons used to stir in sugar. Love!

Tea is apparently the “national soft drink” of Turkey, and apple tea (which you can easily buy online) is brewed samovar-style (a small pot of intensely brewed tea sitting over a larger vessel of boiling water) and can be served either hot or cold. You just pour a little of the strong tea into one of those gorgeous cups (buy some of your own here), and then add water until the desired intensity is reached. Turkish tea is usually served with cubed sugar rather than loose sweetener.