mecabq

I discovered the joys of smoking a shisha (a water pipe, a.k.a. hooka, nargila, and I am sure many other names in different parts of the world) in the Middle East. It seems to be gaining popularity in the U.S., too.

I have experimented with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as accompaniments, and many of them taste surprisingly bad. For example, Turkish or American coffee really clashes with the flavor in my opinion. Ditto for red wine and scotch. I haven't tried cognac. Diet coke might even be OK. I guess the same drinks would be good or bad with a normal pipe, but the complement to a cigar seems to be different, since the smoke in a shisha is lighter and cooler. (I suppose that it might depend to some extent on the flavor of the shisha tobacco.)

Really, the best choice that I have discovered, which actually complements the taste of the tobacco, is black tea with milk, either sweet or not sweet, like they drink in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent. By the same token, I bet that Thai iced tea would be OK.

Does anyone have any other ideas or experiences?

notsosmart

Have you tried mint tea? (Or infuse black tea with mint leaves)

Eons ago, when I worked at a Moroccan restaurant, I drank liters of it. I seem to recall that the owner (as big an arsehole as any restaurant owner I've ever met ) would tell stories of sitting around with his friends back in the old country, drinking tea, and smoking the hookah.

mrx900

alcoholic drinks were not meant to be enjoyed with nargila.....the shisha/nargila culture stems from the Middle East, where a majority of the people are Muslims.....you have to stick to either tea or chai drinks. Forget soda too.....you can MAYBE get away with an espresso, but tea or chai is the way to go.....the mint tea idea is the best.

hobarthoney

Try "White tea"

Caloy

A lot depends on what you're smoking, dried fruit is my fav. And I always have hot tea with sugar.

stut

Apple tea, although quite a faff (and I mean the proper one with chunks of dried apple, not the apple-flavoured black tea you get in supermarkets) is a great accompaniment, and a good Turkish way of enjoying a nargile/shisha.

Mint tea is great, too, although also at its best when made with pure mint - not tea leaves.

mecabq

I discovered sambuca as a pretty good alcoholic choice. Obviously, this spirit is not to everyone's liking, but, if you like it, it's not a bad accompaniment. Maybe next time I will try Benedictine, Drambuie, or something else in that genre.

Incidentally, this experience was in a bar/lounge in Bahrain, at a rare establishment in which shisha and alcohol are served in the same place. ^

Ancien Maestro

Try coke and let me know.

mecabq

I sometimes drink Diet Coke or Pepsi, and it's not bad.

I recently had Cherry Heering along with my shisha at the Lebanese restaurant at the Emirates Palace hotel. A great accompaniment.

WC_EEND

From what I've heard (never actually tried it myself as I don't smoke), mint tea made with fresh mint leaves works really well.

Swanhunter

Mint tea. Booze is bad as you'll be comatose for hours.

Do not - ever - do as I did and try a sheesha where the water had been replaced with red wine. Urrgghhh.

mecabq

In Ukraine (e.g., the Budda Bar, an outstanding venue) they offer milk, wine, vodka, even absinthe as the liquid. Never tried it.

Though sometimes ending up "comatose" is precisely the point!

WC_EEND

Using absinth as the liquid should produce some ... interesting results

BigRedBears

Have you ever heard of Moroccan mint tea?

Also, try Mauritius Vanilla black tea