Bringing my culture to chai chatter: hosting a Russian tea party
Anya Young
How interesting is it that tea is common to people of so many backgrounds, but the ‘culture’ surrounding it is represented so differently around the world?
At a chai chatter months ago, Benjie and I contrasted his understanding of tea in Japanese culture, with how it was presented to me in a Russian household. I reflected upon the fact that growing up, guests were nearly always welcomed into my house with a cup of tea, and some jam or a sweet dessert to the side. While many Americans might use a cup of tea to cut down on caffeine in the mornings or to wind down before bed, tea is an inherently social practice in Russian society. You might recognize the iconic figure of the самовар (samovar), which was built to serve this very purpose: its big, metal chamber heats a small teapot that rests on top, which acts to keep the tea in it warm for the duration of the visit. Samovars are often the centerpiece of the table around which everyone is sitting—and therefore, they can be very beautifully and ornately decorated. Although they’re no longer frequently used in the modern household, the samovar is an essential symbol of the Russian lifestyle, and a reference to how deep the roots of ‘tea culture’ extend.
Image description: a cartoon boy, cat and dog sit around a rectangular, wooden table with cups of tea. In the middle of the table sits a brass-colored samovar for tea, and next to it lie a small cake and a jar of sugar cubes. The samovar has a large, round body with a spout on the front from which hot water is poured. The top of the samovar holds a small white teapot, where the tea concentrate is kept warm.
Samovar seen in a classic, Russian cartoon that I used to watch as a kid! In this story, a young boy (Fyodor) makes friends with a talking cat and dog—but since his parents don't like animals in the house, the three of them decide to have adventures on their own.
In this scene, the three friends are shown enjoying tea together. This setup is a modest, but accurate depiction of how a samovar is used in real life. Even in a children's film, it is a detail that is inseparable from the Russian household!
The story of Russian tea culture starts in the mid 1600s, when Russian Tsar Michael Fedorovich was given tea as a ‘diplomatic gift’ by the ruler of Mongolia. Although hesitant to take this gift at first, the practice of drinking tea eventually established itself among aristocrats: those who could afford the hefty price tag. For most of its history, Russian tea had to travel all the way from China via camel caravans, which made it a long and treacherous journey (the trip took 16 months!). The establishment of various treaties and trade routes, and eventually the Trans-Siberian Railway, streamlined the process and lowered the price of tea such that it could be afforded by all classes of Russians. From there it grew deeply incorporated into the culture, so much so that it is sometimes referred to as Russia’s national drink.
I wouldn’t say that there is a specific type of tea that constitutes ‘Russian tea.’ Traditionally, it would have implied a strong, black tea concentrate called заварка (zavarka) that is prepared using the samovar, and then diluted with hot water to taste by the individual. Today, however, you’d likely be offered a choice in different teas—much like how they’re presented here at chai chatter. Russian tea is more accurately defined by its accompaniments: tea isn’t considered ‘complete’ without something to go along with it, commonly in the form of sweets, pastries, jam or lemon. Thus, tea can be its own event (a bit like British ‘high tea’), or act like a ‘dessert’ following a meal.
Image description: a table set against a dark background, containing elements of traditional Russian tea. On the left hand side of the photo rests a silver samovar, and next to it lies a white porcelain teapot with blue detailing. On the right hand side of the photo is a tiered dessert tray with various cakes and rolls. Arranged in the foreground are bowls filled with add-ins like jam and honey, and two glasses filled with tea.
An ornately set-up Russian tea table. You can see the abundance of different treats that are offered with tea—and, if you look closely, you'll see the also bowls of honey and jam that are offered to go with the tea. The cups of tea are also unique: they're glass, placed inside decorative, metal holders called подстаканник (podstakannik: literally, 'under the glass'). They were introduced on Russian railways to sit more stably on the table of a moving railcar, and have since also become very representative of Russian tea.
*as a side note: most instances of Russian tea are much more casual, and are not nearly this expansive/ elaborate
When I was younger, I mostly enjoyed this practice because of the treats that accompany tea at the Russian dinner table—but as I've grown older, a hot cup of tea has become a subtle reminder of home, and of my cultural heritage. Despite growing up exclusively in the U.S, tea was a part of my upbringing that remained strongly connected with my immigrant family, and my identity as Russian-American. Hospitality is huge in Russian culture, which is something I really love about it. There is nothing more special than the simplicity of being offered a warm drink by a friend upon entering their home. It’s something I can’t wait to incorporate into my own lifestyle, once I have an apartment of my own to welcome friends and family into :)
Benjie prompted me to consider hosting a chai chatter in the future, and share a piece of this sentiment with the GSP community. I’m happy to say that earlier this month, I was able to bring my vision to life.
I encourage you to consider bringing your culture to chai chatter if this resonates with you in any way—it truly is so special to watch your food, drink, and conversation bring people together! Have a chat with Nita or send her a quick email, and she’ll be more than happy to help you plan it out, and to learn more about your culture and traditions.
Image description: photo of the Russian snacks offered at Chai Chatter. From left to right: a plate containing three different kinds of Russian candies with colorful wrappers, a plate containing two kinds of Russian tea cakes and breads, and a plate containing my homemade syrniki, a cottage cheese pancake.
Image description: photo with an assortment of tea offered at Chai Chatter. In the center of the photo is a large, hot water dispenser for tea. On the right is an assortment of different colored tea bags, and a small jar of sea buckthorn jam. 'Sea buckthorn' is an orange berry native to northern Asia and China, and its distinct flavor is common in Russian tea and dessert.
For those interested, I’ve provided a list of the treats I chose to feature at chai chatter (along with amazon links, and short annotations), below. A huge thank you to GSP for funding the event, and for Nita’s help in organizing and supporting my vision. It was SO MUCH FUN to put together: from thinking about which nostalgic, childhood treats I wanted to feature, to trying out a new recipe for сырники (syrniki) that Nita & I made during the event.
Some of my favorite candies:
mishka: wafer and hazelnut chocolate candy.
korovka: called 'cream-fudge;' a soft, crystallized sugar candy.
ptiche moloko: marshmallow-like candy covered in chocolate.
marmalades: citrus-flavored jellies. I actually got a little package of these for Christmas from my grandmother this year :) A childhood favorite, I was always excited to see these on the table.
Some Russian tea cookies:
sushki: like crunchy bread rings, the ones linked have poppy seeds on them. You can also get plain ones, because I'm not sure how other people like poppy seeds—but they're a really nostalgic flavor for me. Because of their shape, sushki are often threaded on a string like a necklace or decoration, which I thought was very fun as a kid!
pryaniki: they resemble a soft, glazed gingerbread cookie. A very classic Russian treat to serve with tea, so much so that in English they’re often just called ‘Russian tea cookies’
Other tastes of Russian culture:
kvass: a soft drink made from dark rye bread. It's really strange, but my mom loves this stuff. She suggested it to me, because as she put it, it's 'very uniquely Russian.' Definitely not to be served with tea, but it is commonly present at meals and get-togethers, and I think it would be fun for anyone adventurous who would like to try it, to get a chance to.
black currant and sea buckthorn jam: They're flavors that I love and are commonplace in Eastern European cuisine, but most people in the U.S. have never heard of them.
syrniki (no link, but I’ll provide the recipe): like a cottage cheese pancake, to serve with the jams. Eaten as a breakfast food, rather than with ‘Russian tea.’ However, as tea is often present along with breakfast, I think it’s fine! These will be my little homemade contribution to chai chatter.