Tea, not vodka’s so Russian
Hot brews are an old tradition in the land of the samovars
HALF THE world seems to believe that Russians drink vodka and vodka only. This popular belief is worth a separate and extensive commentary. Today, however, I would suggest that you swop your usual morning coffee mug for a delicate tea cup and tune in.
Drinking tea is a very old tradition, an indispensable element of everyday life in Russia. In a broader sense, a variety of herbal teas – lime blossom, chamomile, Ivan chai, thyme, etc – have been in widespread use since time immemorial.
The classical brew of cured leaves of the tea shrub found its way into Russia only in the beginning of the 17th century when Tsar Michael, first of the House of Romanov, received a gift from China. Very soon tea gained great popularity.
Regular trade and supply routes were established with consumption growing at a steady pace. Unlike in the case of Europe, tea merchants did not travel by sea, but took the equally long and difficult path via northern China, Mongolia and the eastern regions of Russia. By the early 19th century, the volumes of tea import soared high enough to lower its price and paved the way for the drink to the tables of middle- and lower-class people.
The love for tea made a number of other industries flourish.
The manufacturing of samovars, metal containers for boiling water and heating the teapot, was one of them.
Remarkably, there is little historical evidence as far as the invention of the samovar is concerned.
Records show that by 1740, samovars were made in the small town of Suksun near the Ural Mountains, a lucrative spot for the makers of metal utensils and appliances due to the mining of copper in the area.
Before long the first samovars from the city of Tula, which lies 193km south of Moscow, were documented.
From that time on, famous for its thriving metal industry, Tula acquired a new symbol and became the home of Russian samovars.
In 1778, brothers Ivan and Nazar Lisitsyn started the production of samovars and registered the very first samovar factory. Samovar manufacturers mushroomed all over the city by the middle of the 19th century there were as many as 28. Craftsmanship in the sphere of samovar making blossomed, bringing about impressive diversity of sizes, shapes, base materials, styles and decoration.
Needless to say, in the 20th century, technical progress pushed samovars aside. Having one these days is quite a fancy, but who says one can’t still have tea with style?
A most amazing thing is that of late one doesn’t even need to go far from Cape Town. Current owner of Hazendal Wine Estate Dr Mark Voloshin honoured his Russian origin by adding Russian flair to the place that now offers tea from samovar served with traditional delicacies as well as a gallery full of Russian art.
To date the tradition of drinking tea in Russia is as strong as ever.
Although black tea is most popular, a tea lover will not be disappointed by Russian tea shops.
The profuse plentitude of teas stocked there can suit any taste. Incidentally, South African rooibos is pretty well known and favoured.
Tea drinking à la russe remains a very special routine regardless of the tea variety one prefers.
For instance, one of the peculiarities includes the two-step brewing process in which a concentrated infusion is first made in a small teapot and later diluted with hot water.
There is no particular time of day dedicated to tea drinking in Russia.
Quite commonly, every dinner is followed by tea with desserts.
What is more, tea breaks may also occur several times a day. Why not have one right now?