Russian Tea
–
History Inside a Cup

Are you familiar with Russian Tea? If not, you have come to the right place!

Russian blends have been delighting us for many years. So gather your friends or family, come and enjoy a cup of tea that welcomes relaxation and a true moment of pleasure.

That same cup of reddish liquor, that sweetens and refreshes your mouth, has a story to tell you. Sit tight and let’s travel through the world of Russian blends.

Tea for the Czars

Although tea has been a part of our world for more than 5000 years, it only made its way to Russia in the early 17th century. From China to Russia, drinking tea slowly became an everyday enjoyment, although initially, it was only available to the Russian elite and the Czar during tea ceremonies or tea meetings.

Nevertheless, it all started to change when Russia established a trade deal with China, thus increasing tea supply and making it available to everyone from the mid 19th century onwards.

Russian tea may have a brief history but it definitely stands out for its peculiar process of brewing and the environment that surrounds the creation of this original tea.

What is Russian Tea?

If you have the chance to visit a tea house in Russia, don’t be surprised if they offer you a blend of herbal teas and black or green tea. It is quite interesting actually! They mix it all together, thus creating the concentrated liquor known as Zavarka.

This Black or Green Tea is usually a Chinese tea, though from the 19th century it also became common to find blends with Indian teas, usually Darjeeling tea.

So you will not only enjoy the pleasure of a new taste, but also the benefits of black tea and sense the green tea health benefits working as well.

The Samovar – Brewing Russian Blends

Now here comes another peculiar aspect about this culture. The tea is prepared in a large metal container, called Samovar, a symbol of the Russian tea ceremony.

Today, this is a more informal ceremony, known to promote family and social gatherings, where you can relax and talk about everything, just as it was before tea became a drink for the higher classes.

The samovar stands out because it allows you to maintain both your tea and water hot at the same time. It is really worth seeing, with its large container and chimney, keeping water temperature constant and, at the same time, keeping those around it warm.

To complete the process, a small tap on the outer wall of the samovar is opened and hot water is then added to the concentrated mixture so as to dilute it.

Finally, it is poured into glass holders made of metal. Due to the fact that the water never cools, it is sometimes required that you pour your tea onto a second cooler saucer in order to be able to drink it.

The smell that emanates from this tea and the colour that seems to come to life are indeed a pleasure to behold in this magnificent container.

To sweeten your tea, it is normal to add sugar, lemon, honey, or more amazingly, fruit or jam. This is indeed another pleasant surprise, that you can enjoy the powerful honey health benefits while you drink your tea. As you can see it is a world worth discovering and waiting to protect and take care of you.

Take your tea a step further...

So how about hosting a tea party for your friends and family and discover the amazing world of Russian tea all together? We will be glad to help you. Have a look at the famous Russian Tea Recipe and see how it has evolved and surprise your guests with a refreshing new beverage.

Even better, complete your tea party by cooking with your friends a delicious Russian Tea Cake Recipe, try some tea sandwich recipes and discover new tea party ideas!

You will be able to relax, share experiences and you can even drink it at night since it’s a great coffee alternative.

Discover this and much more in this amazing adventure through the world of tea!

Return from Russian Tea to Types of Tea

Return to The Right Tea Homepage

”In the Taste of a single cup of tea you will eventually discover the truth of all the ten thousand forms in the universe.”
- Attributed to Kyongbong Sunim, Ch'an (Zen) Master