Bedouin Sugar Pots

Bedouin Sugar Pot pictured here with Turkish Tinned Copper Tea Pots and other Loaded Trunk finds.

 Each time I travel to a new country, there seems to be one item that calls to me. In Turkey, it was the tinned copper; in Vietnam, it was the tribal art; in India, it was the kantha blanket; now, in Morocco, it is the Bedouin sugar pot.

Sugar Pots in Marrakesh

I first spotted them in Fes, but hesitated to buy them. Once I left Fes, I knew I'd made a mistake. I scoured the markets of Marrakesh until I found as many as I could carry. I love the beauty in which these are crafted for such an everyday item: a sugar bowl. These little pots make a great addition to any breakfast table, and even carry over into dinner parties, to be filled with nuts or olives.

Sugar pots come in varying sizes and at first I wondered why. They couldn't all possibly hold sugar, could they? After a visit to the museum, I saw that the larger pots held tea and fresh mint, while the smaller ones contained sugar. As the photo above shows, the sugar pots are part of the tea service ritual. Isn't this such a nicer way to present and enjoy your tea when you have guests?