Tea Cult in the Province

It has become a real discovery for us that in the end of the 18^th century tea was a very expensive good and it was a symbol of welfare, and by the middle of the 19^th century Siberia was the first among Russia’s territories in consumption of Chinese tea per capita! At first, tea drinking turned to a cult, and then it became an essential part of our lifestyle. A.N. Radishchev even complained that visiting a Siberian’s house, you cannot leave it without drinking 6 and 8 cups of tea”, and one of the European travelers noted: “…tea for a Siberian is the same as potato for an Irishman; many people drink 40 glasses of it a day”.

The residents of the Yenisey Province liked  flower, black bulk, green, cake tea, and the most used one was the brick tea. Traditionally during tea drinking a big samovar was put on a table, near the hostess, pouring tea, there was a special rinsing bowl for washing cups, as they drank much tea, and the remains of the drunk tea on the bottom of the cup spoiled the taste of a new portion. The tea utensil was made of faience, while chocolates, nuts, dried fruits and jams were served in crystal bowls. Honey was served as a separate dish. People dipped bread in it or, oddly enough, fresh cucumbers. Sugar was more expensive then, it was bought in loaves, but used economically, tea was drunk only with a snack with it. It was considered that sugar spoils the taste of tea.

Would you like some tea after reading too? Let’s go heat the teapot!:)

Source: kraevushka.livejournal.com