World tea drinking traditions. Tea ceremonies How the tea ceremony takes place in China

Even in ancient times, people believed tea a magical drink that banishes sleep and helps maintain spiritual vigor. They knew that tea softens the heart, awakens thoughts, removes fatigue, lightens and refreshes the body, and sharpens sensitivity.

Tea has a unique stabilizing and healing effect; stimulates metabolism, normalizes heart activity, slows down the aging process of cells and therefore promotes longevity. Tea is a unique phenomenon. The tea ceremony provides an opportunity to come into contact with living reality here and now, making life more interesting and rich.

The purposes of drinking tea can be different - to quench thirst, spend time alone with yourself, achieve a ritual state. This is a great occasion to see old friends. This is an opportunity to find peace within yourself and get to know your interlocutor better. If you are feeling anxious, tea will calm you down. If you are tired after a busy day, it will give you energy. Every fulfilling moment, clarity of thoughts, clarity of actions - all this is thanks to the energy of tea.

Tea ceremony- this also means understanding the basics of meditation. Changing the quality of our attention also changes the quality of perception of this world. The opportunity to go beyond the philistine approach to life and feel the atmosphere of the tea ceremony makes us feel like a noble husband, a sage or a keeper of the hearth.

Tea drinking traditions are spread all over the world. And in every ceremony we can see the characteristics of the character of the people and the flavor of the national culture.

So in Korea The tea ceremony is believed to instill qualities such as calm, self-control and a sense of harmony.

Japanese tea ceremony- this is a detachment from the world of everyday life, aesthetic experiences, a harmonious fusion of exquisite and simple beauty, laconicism, muted colors. The canons of the tea ceremony are carefully cultivated by the Japanese. Tea ceremonies not only provide the opportunity for aesthetic pleasure, but also allow the Japanese to feel themselves in strict regulation of behavior, in the use of certain utensils. Whether it is night tea under the moon, tea with sunrise, evening, morning or special tea, lightness, dignity and grace are the constant companions of the tea ceremony. Japanese tea is a meditative and meaningful ritual that has deep historical and philosophical roots in Japanese culture. The Japanese tea ceremony is always a performance in new scenery.

Communication, conversations between familiar and not so familiar people, moments of silent thoughtfulness and incredible joy from the opportunity to gather at the tea table, moments of frankness - this is the essence Russian tea tradition. This is an atmosphere of warmth, kindness, sincere affection and hot, strong and sweet, like a kiss of tea.

In the spotlight English tea drinking tradition house as a combination of interior, customs and owners. The ability to set a table, brew tea and pour it into cups without spilling a drop, the ability to have a leisurely conversation - all this is English tea drinking.

But the most popular and deepest tradition of tea drinking came to us from China. China is a country where tea is not just a national drink, but a fire of life" And " the wisest of all plants".

Traditional tea ceremony Gong Fu Cha(the last syllable translates as " tea", and the first two are " highest art") gives you the opportunity to enjoy a measured conversation in the company of friends, as well as enjoy the excellent taste of tea . The Chinese say that all five elements are involved in gong fu cha. “It quenches thirst, relieves drowsiness and headaches, clears vision, fills the limbs with strength, all one hundred joints begin to move from it. It easily copes with a hundred types of diseases and in its effect is similar to divine sweet dew.”, the philosopher and poet wrote about tea Lu Yu.

The Chinese tea ceremony begins with a slow brewing process. oolong, high quality semi-fermented tea. Oolongs are a special group of teas called " black dragon tea" . To prepare oolongs, young tea leaves and buds are used, grown high in the mountains, collected, dried and rolled using a special technology.

No less important is water for tea - ideally it should be from the source of the mountain on which the tea grew. Delicious tea is, first of all, tasty water. The teapot should be made of clay, preferably purple-violet Yixing clay.

A space that includes gentle music that delights the ear, objects that are pleasing to the eye and harmonious external decoration is not the last component Chinese tea ceremony. The Chinese art of tea drinking requires understanding the basics of meditation - rather, it is an individual practice of seeking inner peace and confidence. This is the space where time stops.

" Tea is the soaring of the soul!" , - wrote the Russian artist, V.A. Milashevsky. It is impossible to understand the pleasant excitement of the tea ceremony without touching it. Plunge into the tea ceremony, live it - and then tea will not just be a momentary stop in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but an expected process of immersion in the silence and magic of tea drinking, which will become a pleasant tradition of your life.

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Diets and healthy eating 25.07.2017

Dear readers, today we meet with you again on the pages of my blog to take a break from everyday worries, chat and just spend time in good company. Let's talk about tea, or rather, about the culture of its use.

Many of you have already become acquainted with my collection of “tea” articles and understand how much I love this drink. But today I want to talk not so much about tea itself, but about tea drinking traditions in different countries.

Agree, each drink has its own rules for consumption, and I became very interested in learning about how it is customary to drink tea among different nations, because each country has its own customs of the tea ceremony, its own tea paraphernalia and even special music to create a suitable atmosphere! But first things first.

To find out the whole truth about the tea ceremony in the most famous “tea” countries, I invited my long-time friends to our warm company - representatives of the online store Tea Valley, who will tell you and me the main secrets of tea drinking “according to all the rules”. I am pleased to give the floor to them.

Good afternoon to all readers of Irina’s blog! So, our topic today is very interesting and actually very multifaceted. We invite you to get comfortable, take a cup of your favorite tea with you and go in search of the truth about how the tea ceremony takes place in different countries of the world.

Tea ceremony in China

The Chinese are true tea connoisseurs. They know everything about this drink, because most of the tea trade comes from this country. The most famous varieties are grown here, this is the cradle of the world famous pu-erh, the legendary Da Hong Pao oolong, which is rightfully considered one of the most expensive in the world.

Story

The real Chinese tea ceremony is an entire art, a kind of ritual that is treated with great respect. This ritual has its roots in the times of Buddhist monks who lived in the 1st-2nd centuries BC. Even then, there were special dishes for drinking tea, and pleasant, relaxing music sounded in the tea room.

It is noteworthy that during the tea ceremony it was customary to enjoy not only the taste of the finished drink, but also the shape of the tea leaves, their color and aroma. Since the times of Buddhist monks, it has been customary to use exclusively pure spring water for tea, which does not change the taste of the drink.

Utensils for the tea ceremony

In the vat ceremony itself, dishes play an important role. So, at the very beginning of the ritual, the master pours the tea leaves into a small box, which is called “chahe”. This box is used to study the properties of tea leaves. People gathered at the tea table pass chahe from hand to hand, while simultaneously communicating and getting to know each other better.

This is what a traditional porcelain chahe looks like.

After this, trays with two small cups, which are called “tea pair,” are brought into the tea room. A tall and narrow cup is called “wenxiabei”, and a small and wide cup is called “chabei”. A tall cup is designed to sense the aroma of the finished drink, and a low one is designed to enjoy its taste and color.

Here in front of us is a porcelain tea pair.

The entire ritual is carried out on a special tea table - “chaban”. It is made of wood and has slots through which water flows down into the installed tray.

The table is also often decorated with small tea figurines, which are poured with water and tea during the process.

Examples of tea figurines.

If you, dear friends, want to get real pleasure from drinking tea, then the most important thing is to choose good tea. In our store we offer the most popular varieties, as well as exclusive, rare teas, which will certainly appeal to tea gourmets. You can view our range of teas and buy Chinese tea with delivery here tea-dolina.ru

Features of the Chinese tea ritual

Dear readers, we draw your attention to the fact that if you decide not just to drink tea and talk about daily matters, but to do it “the Chinese way,” you will need to prepare for the ceremony. For this, in China there is a special purification ritual, during which a person must put his thoughts in order and leave all problems outside the door of the tea room. The Chinese believe that nothing should distract guests in a teahouse from the ritual of tea drinking.

By the way, such “cleaning” is a good practice that will help you free your mind from problems not only during the ceremony, but also in everyday life, so, friends, take note!

Music for the tea ceremony

During tea drinking in China, light music is usually played, which helps you concentrate on the process itself and completely relax. For this purpose, various relaxation compositions are used. During the ceremony, people communicate and try to relax their souls.

Here is one of the compositions.

We looked at some of the features and rules that the tea ceremony has in China. In this country, this drink is especially respected, so they diligently honor ancient traditions.

Tea ceremony in Japan

In Japan, it represents an integral element of the country's cultural heritage. Here the tea tradition originated in the 7th-8th centuries AD. Tea in Japan is considered a sacred drink, which was consumed during meditative practices and prayers.

Later, unique “tea tournaments” were held in monasteries, which were tastings of various varieties, during which it was necessary to determine the name of the drink based on its taste. After some time, similar events were held among the common public: the rich set up special tea houses, and less wealthy people organized modest “tea” meetings in their homes.

It is worth noting that green tea is mainly produced and consumed in Japan. Traditionally, powdered Matcha tea is used in the classic Japanese tea ceremony. Now this tea is widely known all over the world; it is not only drunk, but also used as a natural food coloring for various desserts, ice cream and noodles.

Let's see what Matcha tea looks like.

The Japanese tea ceremony is somewhat reminiscent of the Chinese, but in addition to dishes and music, here people wear special clothes and take appropriate poses. Wealthy people have several luxurious outfits in which they put on before tasting the aromatic drink.

Please note, dear friends, that in Japan to this day there are special tea schools that teach the art of traditional ceremony. In general terms, it is a collection of several actions that occur in a strictly defined order.

Types of tea rituals in Japan

If you ever find yourself in Japan, you can attend one of the following tea ceremonies:

• night (tea drinking under the moon);
• morning (carried out only in dry weather);
• afternoon (during the ceremony, guests are treated to delicious cakes);
• evening (after 18 pm);
• special (the ritual is performed on special occasions).

We would like to note that any ceremony is held in a strictly designated place, which has everything necessary for a pleasant pastime. As such a place, the Japanese use various gazebos, verandas and even entire “tea complexes”, which are divided into several rooms: an entrance hall, a pavilion and a tea room.

The owner greets guests in the hallway. In this room you can take off your outerwear and shoes, after which you can go to a specially equipped pavilion. The pavilion is designed for small talk, as well as for all meeting participants to immerse themselves in the appropriate atmosphere. At this time, the owner completes the final preparations for the ceremony and invites his guests to the tea room. There are no special frills in it: clay walls, a small niche in the wall and a table. There are various incense in the niche, and tea utensils on the table.

Please note that in Japan, tea is prepared directly during the ceremony, and not before it begins. There is also special utensils for this occasion:

• chabako (box for dry tea leaves);
• tyagama or tetsubin (special containers for boiling water);
• chavan (common bowl and bowls for each guest);
• chashaku (teaspoon);
• tyasen (whisk for stirring the drink).

As you can see, the Japanese also take a very thorough approach to the tea drinking process, considering the tea tradition sacred. Any tea ceremony in this country is an incredibly beautiful and spectacular event that is definitely worth visiting if you one day go to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Well, we are returning from our virtual trip to overseas countries and will talk a little about whether there is any tea tradition in Russia.

The domestic ritual of tea drinking is slightly different from those we discussed earlier. Let's start with the fact that tea appeared in Russia only in the 17th century. Initially, it was brewed as a medicinal decoction to treat various ailments.

Some associate the emergence of tea ceremonies in Russia with the advent of the samovar, a traditional Russian “teapot” that has become a national symbol of home warmth and comfort. Despite the fairly high price of tea, this drink was on the tables of even the poorest families. True, the latter used ordinary plants as tea leaves: mint, lemon balm, thyme, linden.

Over time, the price of tea began to gradually decrease, and this drink began to be supplied to the national army. In large cities, small shops called “Tea Shops” opened, where you could find a drink that was already incredibly popular at that time.

Strong black tea is most popular in Russia. Perhaps this is due to the harsh climatic conditions, because on a cold day you want not only to warm up, but also to get a portion of something invigorating and stimulating. Black tea perfectly stimulates blood circulation, invigorates and warms.

Russia has its own tea ceremony set, which consists of the following items:

1. Samovar;
2. Teapot;
3. Cups;
4. Saucer;
5. Teaspoons.

Do you know, dear readers, that in our country it is not customary to serve tea without anything. In Russia, tea is served with rolls, bagels, cookies, buns or pies. Therefore, the domestic tea ceremony is completely different from Chinese or Japanese tea rites.

I would like to tell you about one tradition that was born many years ago in Siberia. According to her, sugar was never put into a cup with a ready-made drink. It had to be eaten as a bite to maximize the aroma of the drink and... save on sweets. It was also believed that tea should be drunk “loudly,” that is, making a characteristic “Serban” sound.

At Russian tea parties, just like in China and Japan, you can hear music. But the music for the tea ceremony in Russia is not always calm and melodic: at fairs and folk festivals, rhythmic compositions are often played that make you want to dance.

We hope that your family tea parties will now become even warmer and more soulful. And to enjoy the taste of real tea, we invite you to our online store “Valley of Tea”, where you will find the most popular tea varieties at affordable prices.

Buy tea for the ceremony

China is a unique country with ancient customs that are revered and passed down from generation to generation. One of the national traditions is the Chinese tea ceremony. It is not just a procedure for drinking tea, but includes a strict sequence of certain actions. The ceremony contains a deep meaning and gives pleasure from the tea drink to each participant. The history of this custom dates back to 618 from the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian.

The mystery of tea drinking in China

The national name for the ritual of drinking tea drink is Gongfu-Cha. In the second part of the fourteenth century, during the reign of the Ancient One, only the emperor could enjoy tea made from whole tea leaves. This tea was specially grown and collected for the imperial family. Ordinary people at that time were content with small-leaf and inexpensive varieties of tea.

Setting for the ceremony

The traditional tea ceremony in China, according to unspoken rules, is held in a tea house. This is a special room without bright lighting. For decoration, soft pastel colors are used using natural shades of color. The very atmosphere of the tea house should be relaxing and soothing. The main condition is a low table to accommodate all guests and the necessary utensils. Soft rugs or pillows are placed on the floor for the comfort of guests. Today, tea houses provide a meeting place where one can socialize in a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Traditional rugs have been replaced by lounge chairs. Each guest can relax and drink their favorite tea drink.

“Chinese tea drinking is a ritual whose purpose is to saturate the human soul and calm the body.”

Water requirements

The Gongfu Cha culture has strict conditions when choosing water. For thousands of years, tea masters have passed on knowledge to each other when working with water for tea. And over time, this skill turned a set of certain rules into real instructions for the correct preparation of the drink. The choice of water is the main feature with which you should start preparing. It should not have any foreign odors or have any flavor nuances. It is assumed that soft water is not suitable for proper tea, since they have a small amount of earth spirit - these are minerals and salts that make the drink persistent and confident.

Suitable water for Gongfu-Cha is traditionally recognized as spring water, which draws its strength from the very center of the earth, saturating and giving it a piece of its soul. The water to be used for brewing should be boiled in a separate clay teapot. The size of the kettle depends on the number of guests. The brewing water is heated only once to the optimal temperature.

The tea master determines the optimal heating temperature, taking into account the type of tea being brewed. When brewing oolong tea, the optimal temperature is 95 degrees Celsius, and for pu-erh tea - 100 degrees. Tea experts determined the temperature of boiling water without a thermometer:

• 76-86 - bubbles with a diameter of 3 mm are formed - the Chinese call them “crab eyes”,
• 90-96 - larger bubbles appear - 8 mm, called “fish eyes”.

Music for the ceremony

The tradition of tea drinking is not only the procedure of brewing and drinking tea. The national ritual also includes listening to colorful Chinese music.

It is impossible to conduct a real tea drinking ritual without music. Its selection is a real tea drinking culture. It should be calm and unobtrusive, and its sound should resemble national instruments. You can find an original version when the chirping of songbirds, the murmur of a forest stream, and the rustle of fallen leaves in the forest fit into the musical composition.

Gratitude to tea

Chinese tea culture is not only rich in ancient legends. There is a custom that has survived to this day from the Qin Dynasty. One day the emperor dressed himself in simple clothes and went to wander around the country to find out what the people thought of him. He entered a tavern and saw two people drinking tea. He sat down with two visitors and started a casual conversation. But they immediately realized that this was no ordinary wanderer. They had to kneel, but in this case they would have been executed immediately, since the ruler was sacred and ordinary people could not talk to him. Then one of the interlocutors, after a conversation over tea, stood up and put his middle and index fingers on the table, bending them. With this, he told the emperor the following: “We understand who you are and we know that we face death for communicating with you. But we want to express our gratitude to you on behalf of our people. With this gesture we make it clear that we adore and love you.” Now, over tea in China, interlocutors show respect with a similar sign.

In the Middle Kingdom they brew and drink tea in any family. Sometimes this custom becomes part of something completely different. During the wedding, the parents of the bride or groom give them a tea ceremony set. They, in turn, offer tea to their parents as a sign of respect to their elders. During the feast, the newlyweds introduce the guests by serving them tea and calling them by name.

What kind of tea do they drink in the Middle Kingdom?

The Chinese rarely use imported tea leaves. This is not necessary when the domestic market is rich in fresh, own varieties:

• Te Guan Yin,
• Pu'er,
• jasmine
• chrysanthemum
• Ren Shen Wulong,
• shu/sheng puer,
• Longjin
• Bi Luo Chun.

These are the most common varieties that are consumed in any family and brewed in inexpensive cafes. In expensive restaurants you can find elite varieties:

• Te Guan Ying,
• Bei Hao Yin Zheng
• Feng Huan Dan Cun,
• Jin Zui Mei
• Mao Fen

It should be noted that the Chinese do not like flavored teas. Mostly natural fruit drinks are brewed or without additives with the original composition. There are many more places where you can drink tea in China than beer bars in the Czech Republic. Moreover, even in ordinary eateries and cafes you can find a very good selection of tea.

Tea ceremony set

Translated into Chinese, it sounds like Chatsui - a tea instrument. Its use came into active use around 1981 and later spread to all countries, where it gained popularity. For a long time the Chinese did not use it, but now it is difficult to imagine the entire process without its use. The inclusion of additional items in the set has a peculiar meaning. Admirers of Taoism and Buddhism are confident that the actions carried out by these objects help relax the mind and get in the mood for tea drinking.

A modern tea set can consist of a different number of items. The main ones are visible in the photo - these are gaiwan, chahai and bowls.

1. Gaiwan is a clay teapot for brewing. Inexpensive version - made of glass.
2. Chahai is a small teapot or jug ​​for pouring brewed tea into bowls.
3. A bowl is a container for drinking tea. It is made mainly from clay or porcelain.

Further items may be excluded or added depending on the scope of the ritual.

1. Scoop – for transporting dry tea into the kettle. Before its use, loose leaf tea was simply poured in using hands or tongs.
2. Tongs – for washing and other manipulations with bowls.
3. Needle – for cleaning the spout of a teapot for brewing or a knife for cutting briquetted tea.
4. A funnel is a safety device for holding tea leaves. The principle of operation is similar to a conventional strainer.
5. A spatula is a tool for analyzing the quality of tea leaves, brewed and dry.
6. Brush – used to remove stains on dishes or polish a teapot.
7. Stand for a bowl – can be square, round or rectangular.

The photo shows the complete set:

When making a set, it is covered with calligraphic painting or ordinary artistic drawings. The sets are made by private craftsmen and factories from different materials.

1. Clay is the most expensive material. Sometimes the items in the set are designed and their shapes can be very bizarre: animals, people, fairy-tale characters.
2. Wooden is the best option for home use. It is durable and not very expensive.
3. Bamboo is the cheapest material. Suitable for hiking and drinking tea in nature.

When purchasing a set, you should check it for possible cracks and chips. Such shortcomings, according to the Chinese, bring bad luck. Please note that wood and bamboo do not tolerate extreme heat, so you should not leave the set in the open sun for a long time. After use, wipe the items with a damp cloth and wipe dry.

Results

The tea tradition of China is of great importance to the Chinese. It calms the soul and relaxes the body, heals and brings people together. A properly conducted ceremony will allow you to take a break from everyday hectic days and recharge with internal energy.

The Chinese believe that while drinking tea you can get closer to your ancestors and plunge into the sacred world of the elements. Real tea cleanses the body of harmful toxins and the head of unnecessary and vain thoughts.

In the lives of Chinese people, tea has a special place, and drinking tea has completely turned into a separate art of the tea ceremony.

The Chinese prefer tea to other drinks even in the summer: it not only quenches thirst, but also helps improve immunity.

Tea ceremony in China - a little history

The appearance of tea is attributed to one of the main figures, the divine progenitor of the entire Chinese people, Shen Nun, whose name translated from Chinese means “Divine Tiller”. It was this hero who taught the people to plow the land, grow cereals, as well as medicinal and other useful plants.

Tradition says that Shen Nong had the head of a bull and a human body, while his belly was made of transparent jade. Shen Nun helped people treat ailments, and to do this he wandered around the country in search of medicinal plants, separating them from the often found poisonous ones. The healer tested the effect of the found herbs on himself. At the same time, he observed the effect of the eaten plant or its fruit on the body through his transparent belly. They say that one day he tried a new plant that was unfamiliar to him and as a result received severe poisoning. When he felt really bad, he lay down under an unfamiliar bush. Suddenly, dewdrops rolled from the leaves of the bush. Having swallowed this drop, the doctor felt a surge of strength and pleasant vigor throughout his body.

From that time on, Shen Nong carried the leaves of this plant with him everywhere, using them as an antidote. And so it happened that he taught the entire Chinese people to drink tea as medicine.

In ancient times, tea was a drink for rich people. No one knows exactly when it became an everyday drink. At the same time, in the 1st century BC, tea was widespread and could already be purchased on the market. And from 618 to 907, the Chinese tea ceremony began to develop, and tea rooms were described for the first time

Over time, tea penetrated into Russia along the Great Silk Road. The literature reports that the Cossacks presented tea as a gift to the Russian Tsar in 1567. Russians were truly able to appreciate the fragrant drink already in the 19th century. It was then that the Russian tea ceremony was formed. We learned how to brew in the world famous Russian samovars.

In China, the tea ceremony is a whole ritual, where a certain order is followed when brewing a drink. The main goal of this action is to reveal the taste and aroma of tea, and haste is inappropriate here. The Chinese tea ceremony implies calm and tranquility. A special atmosphere is created by fancy items of tea utensils, elegant small-sized dishes, as well as pleasant quiet music - thanks to all these factors, it becomes possible to enjoy the unforgettable fragrant aroma of a tea drink and a long aftertaste, known throughout the world.

Features of the Chinese tea ritual

The tea ceremony in China is called gong fu cha: gong is the highest art, and cha is, of course, tea. The Chinese themselves attach special significance to the ritual. They have a skill that not everyone can master.

The Chinese ritual of tea drinking is considered one of the most mysterious and enigmatic in the whole world. This may be explained by the fact that the Chinese consider tea to be more than just a drink. For them, tea is a wise plant, which is given the ability to transmit the energy of life. To receive this energy, there are certain conditions that are summarized in the rules for the tea ceremony.

Special water requirements

The choice of water with which tea will be brewed is of decisive importance. It must be from a clean source. The most suitable is the one that has a sweetish taste and soft structure.

When preparing tea, boiling water is important. It does not need to be brought to a strong boil, because because of this, its own energy is lost. They say that water is considered to have boiled to the desired state for tea as soon as bubbles appear in it - it is not allowed to boil rapidly.

Sounds of music

Traditionally, before the ceremony begins, a person must cleanse himself and achieve a state of inner harmony and peace. That is why it takes place in a beautiful room and to the sounds of pleasant music, often bewitching and mystical. For the best effect, the tea ceremony master prefers to use the sounds of nature. This helps a person immerse himself in the depths of his soul and helps him better merge with nature.

What is customary to talk about at a tea ceremony?

During the tea ritual, people traditionally talk about the tea itself. In addition, an important element of the ceremony is showing respect for the tea deity and talking about him. Often, craftsmen place his figurine or image next to the tea utensils.

The internal state of those gathered

According to all canons, the ritual takes place in an atmosphere of goodness and harmony. While drinking tea, it is not customary to talk loudly, wave your arms or make noise. Full concentration helps you feel true pleasure from the drink and true happiness.

By the way, the tea ceremony in China requires the participation of 2 to 6 people. It is in this case that you can achieve an amazing atmosphere, called in tradition the contact of souls.

Interior for a tea ceremony

All those present are seated on straw mats laid on the floor. Soft pillows of a pleasant warm color are laid out around the guests. In the middle there is a table for tea, called a shepherd, about 10 cm high. It looks like a kind of wooden box. There are special holes in it where the remaining tea is poured, because in China, excess water speaks of abundance.

When all the basic principles of tea drinking are observed, the solemn moment of tea drinking itself begins.

So, Chinese tea party

The tea ceremony set is laid out in front of the guests. The utensils include: a teapot for brewing, a vessel called cha-hai, a tea box called cha-he, and a tea pair. All utensils for the tea ceremony should be made in the same style and not distract from the wonderful drink with their appearance.

First of all, the master pours the dry tea leaves into a cha-he - a special porcelain box, which is intended for studying the structure of tea and inhaling its aroma. All participants slowly pass it into each other’s hands and inhale the aroma. This ritual has another meaning - during the transfer of cha-he, those present become closer to each other.

After this, the gongfu cha master brews tea. The first boiling water poured is drained - this way the dust is washed off from the tea. But from the next pouring, every guest of the ceremony enjoys a miraculous drink.

It is placed on a tray in front of each participant. These are two cups, one of which is high and narrow (wenxiabei), designed to perceive the smell, and wide and low (chabei) - for enjoying the color and taste of tea. The second water is poured into tall cups after it has been in the teapot for about 30 seconds. Wensyabei is filled only ¾ full and immediately covered with a wide cup. After a while, remove the upper cup and, bringing the lower one to your nose, inhale the wonderful aroma of the resulting tea. It is important to concentrate and merge with the energy of the tea. They drink tea slowly, focusing on the sensations.

Tea is poured until the drink retains its color and aroma. With each new pour, the tea acquires different shades of smell and taste.

As a result, the tea ceremony gives peace, peace of mind and helps us forget about the bustle of our lives.

Tea ceremony in England

The UK is one of the world leaders in tea consumption per person. For the British, drinking tea is not just a habit, it is a ritual with its own established traditions. It emerged from the Five-o-clock Tea, characteristic of the British.

The traditional set for the tea ceremony among the British is a white or blue tablecloth without patterns, a vase with fresh white flowers. Tea pairs, with tea, a milk jug, a jug of milk, a strainer and a stand for it. In addition, you will need a sugar bowl (preferably with white and brown sugar), teaspoons, a fork and knife, and napkins to match the tablecloth.

Snacks are always served with tea - these are various versions of English pastries. Traditionally, guests can choose from 5-10 varieties of tea, with Lapsang Souchong, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Assam, and various tea blends being a must.

By the way, another important serving element is a quilted or woolen tea-cosy cover.

The tea ceremony in England has its own secret. When brewing tea, it is taken into account that it will no longer be diluted with boiling water in cups. This means that when brewing, tea leaves are put into the teapot based on the fact that there is 1 teaspoon of tea per person. If you use a large teapot, it is recommended to add 1 more spoon for everyone.

Then the tea is infused for 3-5 minutes and poured out to the guests. Immediately after this, you need to pour boiling water from a jug into the teapot (a feature of the tea ceremony is refilling the tea leaves) and cover it with tea-cozy to maintain the temperature. By the time you finish drinking the first cup, the second pour has time to brew. The kettle can be filled again, but each time the quality of the drink will deteriorate.

Traditionally, tea is drunk with milk, and tea is added to hot milk, and not vice versa.

Russian tea traditions

The tea ceremony in Moscow is a completely different tradition, very different from the rituals that have developed in the homeland of this drink. They say that when drinking tea, the Japanese enjoy tea utensils, the details of the ceremony, and their inner world. The tea ceremony in China - the enjoyment of taste and aroma - is valuable for the very fact of observing traditions, surroundings, and baked goods. And for Russians, the most important thing is the company gathered near the Russian samovar. Communication between all those present is valuable.

In Moscow they originally drank black tea. Boiling water is heated in a samovar, and a teapot is placed on top. The brew is made stronger than the tea that is ultimately drunk. The tea leaves are poured into the cups, and then boiling water from the samovar.

There are always baked goods on the table for tea,
lemon, sugar, jam and honey. The latter are most often eaten as a snack with tea or spread on bread. Often the cup is served with a “tea pair” - a saucer. Hot tea is poured into it from a cup and drunk.

Whatever the tea traditions of different nations, this drink is appreciated everywhere for its pleasant taste, delicate aroma and unusual properties.

For several years, while exploring the tea Internet, we came across (especially on foreign sites) the wording, and this wording amused us greatly - since we, living in Russia, understood perfectly well that there is no Russian tea ceremony. If, of course, we understand the tea ceremony as a formalized set of rules and actions.

However, if a tea ceremony is understood as some kind of extraordinary tea event that goes beyond ordinary tea drinking and is based on the national tea tradition, then everything changes. If you approach the tea ceremony from this point of view (and this is exactly what the British and Chinese do in most cases), then a Russian tea ceremony can be invented. And we will start doing this right now. Let us just make one remark first.

Any tea ceremony includes three parts: spiritual, material and etiquette. The spiritual component is the philosophical, aesthetic, moral, historical and similar foundations of everything that will happen during tea drinking. We'll talk a little about them in the next article. The material component is tea utensils and any other material surroundings that make the tea ceremony technically possible. And finally, the etiquette component is the rules, skills and abilities that all participants in the ceremony must have.

So here it is. All these three components are quite complex in any tea ceremony. And very few of the residents of those countries that have national tea ceremonies can conduct these very ceremonies. We are absolutely sure that a very small percentage of English families have in their “arsenal” a tea set of Wedgwood (or similar quality) porcelain and use it to brew loose leaf tea. Why all this, if earthenware is more practical, and it is more convenient to brew tea in bags.

Likewise, very few Japanese have their own tea house or even a tea ceremony room - it is expensive. And many, many Chinese may not even know about the existence of the Chinese tea ceremony gongfu cha.

We all mean that the Russian tea ceremony should not be publicly accessible at all - including in Russia. Its implementation will require certain utensils, adherence to certain rules and a certain spiritual background - everything that is simply not present in our everyday tea parties.

We are aware that reproducing everything we come up with in the future will be fraught with some difficulties. Well, who said it would be easy ;)

Russian tea ceremony. The most important

I would like to start the story about the Russian tea ceremony with a small lyrical digression dedicated to what can be called the main idea, the main difference or, if you like, the spiritual basis of Russian tea drinking. Speaking about the spirituality of Russian tea, I really don’t want to slide into a banal popular print and talk about the fact that only Russians, with their broad souls and endless melancholy in their eyes, are capable of real tea drinking. All this is nonsense. Broad soulfulness and melancholy eyes are not a way, but a way of comprehending things, which, unfortunately, is very common among our compatriots. Who often don’t care about the quality of what they do - as long as their eyes are wide and there is melancholy in their soul. Or vice versa.

We offer a slightly unusual way of understanding the spiritual part of Russian tea drinking - through comparison. Comparison of the Russian tea ceremony with tea ceremonies of other cultures - established and well-known. Having analyzed what is in Japanese, Chinese or English tea drinking, we can quite accurately determine the highlight of Russian tea drinking. So.

The Japanese tea ceremony is about calm enjoyment of little things, the pleasure of attention to detail and the quiet charm of inner peace. Your own, the world of the tea garden, tea room and tea utensils, the world surrounding the ceremony participants, in all its manifestations - be it the moon or morning snow. And the main goal of the Japanese tea ceremony is to help open up this inner world.

The main goal of the Chinese tea ceremony is to reveal the essence of tea, to give participants the opportunity to taste all the nuances of its taste and aroma. The culture of change, which so organically permeates the entire Chinese culture, did not escape the tea ceremony. It is gongfu cha, like no other tea drinking, that allows you to feel and appreciate the variability of tea, the interweaving of taste and aroma.

English tea drinking is valuable for its surroundings, baked goods, dishes, observance of tradition and pride in the fact that tradition is preserved. The art of tea conversation, which developed in Victorian times, has now lost much of its significance, but the English tea tradition is still a tradition of communication and a tradition of enjoying that communication, even if that communication is very formal.

Here. And in Russian tea drinking, company is most important. It is simply impossible to enjoy refined conversation in its purest form, in an abstract company (consisting of well-mannered people who eat neatly and speak correctly) during Russian tea drinking. But if friends - present or future - gather over tea, then it doesn’t matter at all what they talk about or remain silent about. It is not even particularly important what kind of tea they will drink (this does not mean that the tea can be bad, but it can be quite simple, without any special frills) and what kind of buns they will eat it with. It doesn’t matter at all how refined the manners are (the main thing is not to create inconvenience for the “companions”) and how elegant the jokes are. The only important thing is that at some point during such a tea party, its participants notice that they often cover a rather stupid and extremely satisfied smile with their hand. And what exactly they are happy about is not really clear.

Perhaps, it is precisely this unconscious joy from the fact that good people are sitting at the table, that the conversation is flowing peacefully and sedately, and that there is such an opportunity - to escape from the bustle for an hour or two, to forget about all matters and just drink tea - that is exactly what it is. the most important part of Russian tea drinking.

Well, now it’s time to talk about much more tangible things.

Russian tea ceremony. Options

Due to the fact that tea is a very common drink in our culture, it is not possible to describe a universal tea ceremony. The same mental, spiritual and taste pleasure can be obtained in completely different conditions - both on the veranda of a small country house and in an elegant living room. That is why we propose to distinguish two main types of Russian tea ceremony: salon and country.

Let's start with the salon Russian tea ceremony. We are aware that the salon is a concept that has almost completely disappeared from our lives. However, we propose to use this very term to refer to tea parties “under the roof”, taking place not in the kitchen, but in a room more suitable for a decent reception - in the dining room or living room. The distinctive features of the salon tea ceremony are as follows.

Firstly, the hosts can prepare some tea pastries or some clever tea snacks especially for this tea party. Of course, the use of ready-made products - cakes, pastries, cookies, etc. It’s not forbidden at all, but all this “shopping” will deprive the event of a fair amount of coziness. And, of course, homemade baking is a wonderful topic of conversation.

Secondly, during salon tea drinking, some of the procedures associated with preparing tea (boiling water, often brewing tea) are carried out in another room, separate from the tea drinking itself - most often in the kitchen.

Thirdly, a salon tea party is rarely held just like that - most often there is some special occasion for it. Depending on the occasion, a salon tea party may be accompanied by a decorous table conversation or noisy fun and dancing (with a tea table served in the corner) - but, in any case, it will be tea for an occasion.

A Russian tea ceremony in the fresh air is a completely romantic event that can be held on a balcony (if the balcony allows), an attic, a veranda, in a gazebo, or just in the fresh air - on the banks of a river in which white-bodied peisants bathe, for example. In addition to peisants, Russian tea drinking in the fresh air has the following features.

Firstly, this kind of tea drinking is much less picky about snacks. Some “campiness” of the atmosphere allows for any pastries and any sandwiches - in the fresh air, the most banal store-bought cupcake can turn out to be deliciously delicious. Although, of course, if fresh pancakes are served with morning tea, nirvana will come right on the veranda.

Secondly, all preparations for the tea party will take place in front of the tea party participants - you won’t run into a distant kitchen. Therefore, all utensils and all actions associated with preparing tea should be extremely pleasant and beautiful. And, at the same time, functional.

Thirdly, drinking tea in the fresh air implies complete freedom of movement. A person with a cup of tea, standing up from the table, stepping aside and listening to the nightingales sing or frogs croak, is the decoration of such an event.

And finally, fourthly, such tea parties are held more according to a schedule than for a significant reason. For example, every morning. Or every evening. Or every weekend. An extremely important feature of such a tea party is the familiarity of all its participants to the event itself, and friend to friend. It is the everyday, familiar coziness that makes Russian tea drinking in nature so warm and sweet that remembering it brings tears of tenderness to your eyes.

Here. Now that Russian tea ceremonies have been classified, we can move on to describing the utensils necessary for their implementation.

Russian tea ceremony. Utensils for drinking tea

So, we agreed to the point that we identified two options for the Russian tea ceremony: salon and country. The utensils used for these two types of tea ceremony differ markedly in the part that is used for preparing tea.

But the dishes in which tea is served does not depend on where tea drinking takes place - in the living room or on the veranda. These are cups and saucers. Porcelain, but not earthenware cups and saucers. Classic bowl-shaped, perhaps slightly wavy. Both sets with such tea pairs, and such tea pairs separately are produced in abundance by the Dulevo porcelain factory and the Lomonosov porcelain factory. The most traditional Russian teaware is the Cobalt Mesh set. It is truly beautiful, but its beauty is a little heavy - and, in our opinion, more suitable for a sideboard than for a living tea table. We prefer porcelain with a lighter pattern.

It is very good if the cups are white on the inside. What they look like outside is not very important, although we noticed that in the evening and with not very strong lighting (for example, by candlelight), tea is wonderfully drunk from dark blue cups with a small gold pattern. And during the day, when there is a lot of light and the mood is lively, it is better to use light cups, with some kind of light and, possibly, floral pattern.

Stereotypical glasses - even with the most beautiful glass holders and the most silver spoons - are faithful companions of unsettled tea drinking - it’s not for nothing that they have taken root on trains. Tea from a glass is suitable for a lonely man standing by the window on a long winter evening and looking at passersby, warming up for a few seconds in the light of the lanterns and again disappearing into the frosty darkness. Tea from a glass is uncomfortable. And it’s not particularly tasty, to be honest. For tea to be tasty and cozy, you need to drink it from a cup.

So, tea pairs. Each of which requires a teaspoon - this is obvious. The best one is gold plated. This is less obvious, but very beautiful - gold is in amazing harmony with black tea poured into a cup that is white on the inside.

Russian tea drinking - and we will not reveal a big secret - does not exist without a variety of goodies. Therefore, there should be pie plates on the table. Of course they take up a lot of space. Of course, we have all at least once used tea saucers as pie plates. But we are doing a ceremony, right? Therefore, we will have pie plates and dessert spoons.

And, of course, there may be less important items on the table - a sugar bowl, a plate for lemon (which should be cut into thin circles, but not slices), a fork for lemon and a spoon for granulated sugar or tweezers for lump sugar. We do not pay special attention to these items, because in Russian tea drinking they are of a very auxiliary nature - and no special attention is paid to them. We will also include dishes for various snacks as auxiliary utensils - there will be snacks, there will be dishes, there is nothing to say here.

The final touch to setting the tea table will, of course, be rosettes for jam and honey and vases in which this same jam and honey is served. It is good if there are several vases - on a decent tea table there should be several types of jam.

Russian tea ceremony. Boulettes and tea in pairs

Let's start with the simplest case - with tea drinking under the roof - in the living room, dining room, etc. From the point of view of preparing tea, what is essential in such a tea party is, first of all, that boiling water and, possibly, brewing tea takes place in a room separate from the one in which the tea party is taking place. Most often - in the kitchen. Therefore, the first issue that a decent owner must resolve is the issue of supplying hot water to the tea table.

In former times, a wonderful device called “bouillette” was widely used, the name of which is directly related to the English “to boil” (“boil”, “cook”). At its core, a bouillotte is a small metal kettle mounted on a burner, most often an alcohol one. The bouillette was used both for boiling a small amount directly on the tea table (or on a small table next to it) and for maintaining the temperature of already boiled water.

Of course, in our time, bouillotte would become a decoration for the tea table. Imagine: you boil water in the kitchen in a banal kettle, then pour the boiling water into a bouillette, put it on the table, light the alcohol lamp and calmly drink tea, always having hot water at hand - the flame of the alcohol lamp, naturally, needs to be adjusted so that the water does not boil , but was in a “pre-boiling” state. Then the conversation at the tea table will also be accompanied by pleasant noise and gurgling.

But. There are no bouillottes. They may have remained with antique dealers and museums, but finding such a working device for home use is almost impossible. For example, we only saw bouillottes in pictures. Therefore we will have to do without them. It's a pity.

Without bouillottes, the process of bringing hot water to the table becomes much less romantic, but much simpler. The boiled water in the kitchen is poured into a large porcelain (or earthenware) teapot - and it is in this teapot that it is served to the table. Note that a faience teapot is better suited for such purposes - it holds heat better and is more practical. I mean, not so fragile.

Ideally, the kettle in which tea will be brewed and the kettle in which boiling water will be served should be from the same set. But there is one problem. Such sets are now being produced and can be bought - but their main purpose is decorative. And if a large teapot in such a set, as a rule, does not cause any complaints, then a small teapot - a teapot - is usually no good. Most often because it is too small - it is made this way to achieve artistic contrast. There is a contrast, but good tea is rare.

At the end of the 19th century, sets of large (for boiling water) and small (for brewing) teapots, in which the second could serve as a lid for the first, were very common in Russian teahouses. The tea served in such teapots was called “tea in pairs” and usually cost three kopecks. Now it will be quite difficult to find such a set, and even make tea for three kopecks in it, but the general principle can be easily reproduced by serving tea leaves in teapots and boiling water in boiling water pots.

Russian tea ceremony. Samovar

Well, we’ve reached the most important, most replicated, most beautiful and, alas, very rare attribute of Russian tea drinking in our time - the samovar. In fact, several articles in this section are devoted to the samovar, but now we will be interested not so much in the history and design of this device, but in issues related to its practical use. Let's start by answering the most difficult question: how to get a samovar.

So. A samovar, despite its apparent difficulties, is quite easy to obtain. Firstly, electric samovars are sold quite widely. Of course, these are more souvenirs than functional boilers. Of course, boiling water in such devices is not without its drawbacks. Of course, with their “electricity” they cause a fair insult to the very spirit of Russian tea drinking - but these are, after all, samovars. And if you can’t find another samovar, you can use an electric one.

Secondly, samovars that can run on wood or coal continue to be produced in Tula. They are, however, hybrid - that is, they can run on both electricity and natural fuel. They are also prohibitively expensive (about 40,000 rubles) and quite pretentious. But these are also samovars, and they are sold, for example, by the Rubin trading house.

And finally, thirdly, you can quite easily get hold of a real antique samovar. Among antique dealers, its price ranges from 1,500 to 20,000 rubles and, believe me, those samovars that are cheaper are often better - although they are not so shiny. The fact is that antique dealers rarely assume that the buyer will use the samovar for its intended purpose. Therefore, it is almost impossible to buy a leak-proof samovar in an antique shop - and you need to come to terms with this. The main thing is that the samovar does not have a burnt grate (the grate at the base of the jug - the place where the fuel burns), and it does not fall apart at all - and small leaks can be tinned. (Tinning a samovar, by the way, is not an obvious task - because household electric soldering irons are rarely powerful enough to tin a samovar with high quality, with its heat sink - so it is better to entrust this task to specialists who can be found in any auto repair shop).

Having been puzzled several years ago by “getting a samovar”, I [Denis Shumakov] chose the last, “antique” option - fortunately, in the provinces the prices in antique shops are relatively humane. After spending three and a half thousand rubles and spending two months with a soldering iron, I eventually became the owner of two working (and very beautiful) Tula samovars from the Vorontsov factory. Each of them is probably a hundred years old. And, believe me, the efforts around these two ancient boilers were fully justified. I sometimes boil samovars on the balcony (on charcoal - it produces almost no smoke, and I am not afraid of scaring the neighbors). And, of course, any tea party in nature occurs with their direct participation... It was a retreat.

The samovar, of course, is an indispensable attribute of Russian tea drinking at the dacha, veranda, gazebo or simply in the open air - on the river bank, for example.

There is no particular point in talking in detail about how to heat a samovar (a real, wood-burning one) - although this activity is very exciting and very difficult. We only note that the presence of a pipe greatly simplifies and speeds up the solution of this problem. A pipe for a samovar can easily be made by any tinsmith at the nearest building administration - you just need to tell him the correct diameter. And one more thing - if you decide to heat the samovar with coal, then you will have to light the coal. In principle, a special fireplace ignition fluid is suitable for this - but it has a characteristic and quite strong odor. Therefore, it is better to use alcohol (regular, liquid, not dry fuel). If, of course, there is such a possibility.

In its boiling, the samovar goes through three stages - it “sings”, “makes noise” and “seethes”. Ideally, you should brew tea when the samovar stops making noise and begins to bubble. This moment is quite difficult to capture - it is short. A samovar can sing and bubble for a long time, but its noises are short.

Most often, of course, the samovar is brought to the table bubbling. The jug of the samovar (the container in which the fuel burns) must be closed so that there is less smoke and so that the combustion stops if the fuel is long-lasting (for example, coal). The tea needs to be brewed as quickly as possible - otherwise the water will simply boil over - the samovar will continue to “work” even while standing on the table and the water will continue to boil for some time.

You can place a teapot on a samovar only if this can be done without removing the cap. Otherwise, the teapot will become smoked - and if the samovar is heated with pine cones or pine wood - it will be covered with a layer of resin (for a clay teapot, by the way, such tea drinking will be the last).

The use of a samovar during tea drinking is obvious - boiling water is added from it to the cups after the tea leaves are poured into them. Just remember that the water in the samovar will remain hot for a long time - after all, it is to the samovar that we owe such a tradition as drinking tea from a saucer. Boiling water that has just been poured from a samovar is simply impossible to drink from a cup - but in a saucer it cools down quite quickly...

Well, it seems that we have sorted out the utensils for the Russian tea ceremony. Let us now move on to the ceremony itself. Or rather, with its most characteristic features - starting with the main one.

Russian tea ceremony. Making tea

So, a few articles earlier, we agreed that the main distinguishing feature of the Russian tea ceremony is not just the opportunity to drink tea, but the opportunity to drink tea in good company. It is this feature that, in part, determines the method of brewing and serving tea during Russian tea drinking. But, before we talk about brewing tea, we should say a few words about choosing tea for Russian tea drinking.

Of course, it should be black tea - black in the sense that we Europeans mean by this term. Of course, they drank green tea in Russia, but by the end of the 19th century (just at the time when the Russian tea tradition was finally established), Russians unconditionally preferred black tea.

But with the choice of a type of black tea, everything is absolutely not so clear. If you want your tea drinking to claim historicity (so to speak), then you should brew Chinese black tea - for quite a long time there was simply no other tea in Russia. Of the varieties of tea currently presented in stores, kimuns (aka qihun maofen) and blends like the “Russian Caravan” are well suited for Russian tea drinking. Yunnan Chinese teas are too thin for Russian tea drinking.

But. Russian tea tastes changed greatly in the second half of the 20th century - when Chinese teas almost completely disappeared from our tea market and were replaced by Indian and Ceylon teas. This replacement was to the taste of the Russians - and now the taste of Chinese black tea may seem weak, incomprehensible and uninteresting to unprepared tea party participants. From this point of view, Indian Assam or good Ceylon tea is better suited for Russian tea drinking.

A natural compromise that eliminates all issues with choosing a type of tea is to brew several teas in several teapots. Very often, when many guests gather at the table, the following combination of drinks really helps me [Denis Shumakov]: kimun (to maintain tradition), assam (as a universally good tea), something sweetly flavored (for example, Twinings Lady Gray - for ladies) and Lapsang Souchong (for smokers and aesthetes). Of course, such a set cannot be called classic Russian, but guests are usually satisfied - and this is the main thing. In principle, you can diversify your tea repertoire with teas with the addition of dried substances (herbs and fruits) or teas with the addition of alcohol - but this is a topic for a separate article, and such an article awaits you ahead.

Let's return, however, to making tea. A lot has been said and written about brewing black tea, including on our website. You can use our recommendations, you can turn to Orwell’s experience, you can find cookbooks and brew tea according to Pokhlebkin or Molokhovets. However, the general sequence of actions will be approximately the same.

You will need to boil water (and make sure that it does not boil over), warm up the teapot (ideally a porcelain and round one), pour in the tea leaves, pour boiling water over it, stir, close the teapot with a lid and cover it with a napkin (but not the pseudo-Russian teapot). woman). Leave this whole thing for about five minutes - and drink!

In the process of brewing tea for Russian tea drinking, nuances are possible. For example, you can “feminize” tea by pouring the tea leaves from the teapot into the cup and back. Or pour tea into the teapot not with a spoon, but with your hands - “pasts,” citing adherence to historical traditions. But these are all little things, details. Compared to the fact that tea for Russian tea drinking is brewed very strongly, and then diluted with boiling water in a cup.

We, of course, will not say that diluting the tea leaves with boiling water directly in the cup is an original Russian and unique tradition. This is also done in other countries - however, it was in Russia that this method of preparing tea became the de facto standard. And there are two reasons for this that are not directly related to the quality of the drink.

Firstly, a fairly large number of guests often gather for Russian tea drinking - and it is very inconvenient to prepare tea in such a way as to pour the finished drink straight from the teapot without diluting it. You will need either a very large teapot, or many teapots. But that's not so bad. The trouble is that (and this is secondly) during Russian tea drinking they rarely limit themselves to one cup of tea - each guest drinks three or four cups calmly and completely without tension. And if there may still be enough tea “without dilution” for the “first cup” of tea, by the second (and certainly by the third) round the teapots will be empty. And the owner will have to brew fresh tea.

From the point of view of the quality of the drink, there is nothing wrong with this - it’s even good. But this is extremely inconvenient from the point of view of a person who has already drunk a cup of tea and is carried away by the conversation. There is a terribly reluctance to get up from the table, empty the teapots, and generally fuss around. That is why it is better to put more tea leaves in the teapots so that the tea can be diluted with boiling water directly in the cups - and drink it for a long, long time, without moving anywhere from the table. Well, as a last resort - for new boiling water.

Of course, this method of preparing the drink slightly contradicts the classical recommendations for brewing tea - first of all, due to the fact that when drinking tea for a long time, the tea in the teapots will be a little too old. But we think that there is nothing particularly terrible in this.

Russian tea ceremony. Additives to tea

A story about preparing tea for Russian tea drinking would be incomplete without mentioning various (traditional and not so special) additives to tea. Their diversity and popularity in Russia are such that tea additives can rightfully be called one of the foundations of the Russian tea ceremony. (Well, here’s another basis - if things go like this, then the number of “most important things” will go into the dozens.)

However, we can say with absolute certainty that the variability of tea recipes is one of the highlights of Russian tea drinking - and, perhaps, the most delicious highlight. Because with Russian tea drinking, each new tea can be unique, each tea party participant can come up with their own drinks right at the tea table - and tasting new and new versions of a familiar drink can be a real pleasure for all tea drinkers.

In principle, flavor and aromatic diversity can be achieved by preparing several types of tea for tea drinking - but this approach (although described as an option in the previous article) has not become widespread. Because the difference between tea varieties can be so subtle that it can be very difficult to recognize. We are not saying that Russian tea drinking is devoid of sophistication - far from it! But the sophistication of Russian tea drinking has nothing to do with the sophistication of tea tastes - and you have to come to terms with this.

So here it is. A real, huge and unbridled variety of tastes and aromas is most easily achieved with the help of tea additives. Starting with the banal - sugar and lemon - and ending with the amazing and seasonal, such as fresh strawberries or raspberries. Let's start with fresh berries.

Fresh berries can be added to the teapot when brewing tea or to tea directly during tea drinking - it all depends on the “hardness” of the berries. The best berry to add directly to the cup is, of course, wild strawberries. A few aromatic berries thrown into a cup will preserve the taste of the tea and add not aroma, but real fragrance. And they will retain their own taste - they can be caught and eaten. Forest raspberries are almost as good - forest raspberries, because garden raspberries are not at all as fragrant (as, indeed, garden strawberries).

It is probably better to add blueberries, black currants and blackberries to the teapot when brewing. These berries are not so willing to part with their aroma - and they will need to be allowed to brew. Blackcurrant berries, by the way, can be combined with its own leaves and young shoots - the latter, of course, are not particularly tasty, but surprisingly aromatic.

In addition, tea can simply be eaten with berries - and, of course, berries will not be an additive to tea in the strict sense - but this does not matter, because eating tea with berries (or drinking berries with tea) is very tasty.

The next, no less obvious and no less pleasant addition to tea is herbs. There is nothing to say about mint, lemongrass, catnip and lemon balm - they have become almost standard additives to tea. St. John's wort, oregano and thyme are equally good in tea - both in “raw” and dried form. Herbs are especially good because they help you come up with original tea combinations on the go - on a hike, in the country and in other field conditions. He went out into the forest or into the garden, plucked off five blades of grass, threw them into the kettle - and a new drink is ready.

Fresh apples are surprisingly good in tea - especially Antonovka. There is nothing more fragrant than ripe Antonovka - and this aroma goes surprisingly well with the aroma of tea, just add a few slices of apple to it. Antonovka can also be eaten as a snack with tea - especially if you have the opportunity to dip each apple slice in fresh honey... Unfortunately, dried apples as an additive to tea are very inferior to fresh apples. In order for the aroma of dried apples to noticeably manifest, they must be infused for a long time - the tea will most likely cool down during this time. Dried apples, however, can be added to tea when brewing (this method is especially good in camping conditions, when tea is brewed in a thermos), but the resulting drink will bear little resemblance to tea - although, of course, it will be extremely aromatic.

Perhaps the principle of creating a “situational” tea table is clear from the examples already given. Of course, this principle can be implemented not only in summer - instead of fresh berries, fruits and herbs, you can use dried ones. Or mix tea with a small amount of different jams or jams - in a word, do everything possible to ensure that every time there is a different tea on your tea table - for every taste.

Russian tea ceremony. Snacks and their serving schedule

Having previously highlighted aspects that are very significant for the Russian tea ceremony (the importance of the company, the specifics of brewing tea, additives in tea), we did not say a word about one characteristic feature of Russian tea drinking, which (along with other features) fundamentally distinguishes drinking tea in Russian from drinking tea in accordance with many other national traditions.

Tea drinking in Russian means that no one can leave the tea table hungry. In fact, Russian tea can replace (your choice) breakfast, lunch or dinner. And sometimes – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This does not mean that a decent meal can be neglected in favor of tea - but the number of snacks in a decent Russian tea ceremony should be such that the hungriest participants in the event are satisfied.

With all the variety of possible Russian tea snacks, they can be quite easily divided into four groups, different in content and purpose.

The first group of snacks (let's call them hearty) includes dishes that you can eat with tea, and in addition to tea. First of all, of course, these are pies and pies with substantial fillings: meat, liver, eggs, cabbage, fish, rice, mushrooms, potatoes (what disgusting), cottage cheese. And, of course, with combinations of these fillings: meat and mushrooms, rice and egg, etc. In principle, bagels can be classified as hearty fillings - if you spread them with butter, then they are a very serious appetizer. And, of course, filled pancakes are a hearty snack - if the filling is meat, chicken (with mushrooms and horseradish - delicious!), vegetable mixtures and other niceties.

The second group of snacks (in our terminology, they will be called light) consists of dishes that can be used to alternate between hearty snacks, and (which is very important) that are convenient to eat. Such dishes, first of all, include sandwiches and sandwiches - they are the most pleasant to eat during a conversation - they do not distract (unlike pancakes, for example, which need to be eaten with concentration), and maintain nutritional tone. Sandwiches and sandwiches are good with lightly salted red fish (trout is best), butter, cottage cheese, cucumbers, sliced ​​meat and cheese, sprats, pates - in short, with everything that is usually spread on sandwiches and stuffed into sandwiches.

The third group of snacks (we'll call them sweet or savory) consists, of course, of sweets and delicacies. These appetizers, as a rule, are served after hearty and light ones - and after a thorough pause, during which guests take a break from previous meals and thoughtfully talk, imitating the Russian landowners of the mid-19th century, discussing the merits of pies and expressing their thoughts on a variety of global issues. Sweet (delicious) snacks include any sweet pastries, chocolate, jam, honey, nuts, pancakes with sweet fillings (the combination of lingonberry jam with whipped cream is incredibly tasty).

And finally, the fourth group of snacks (fresh snacks) are similar to light snacks - only they “dilute” not filling, but sweet snacks. When guests can no longer eat pancakes with jam, they (pancakes with jam) can be successfully replaced with fresh or canned berries or fruits. Better, of course, fresh. Apples, pears, grapes, slices of watermelon and melon, peaches, apricots, strawberries, strawberries, raspberries - in a word, anything. You can - with whipped cream.

The order in which all of the listed snacks are served largely determines the schedule of Russian tea drinking. It all starts, of course, with serving hearty and light snacks. After the guests have a snack (this means they are full for the first time), you should take a pause - satiety is conducive to a leisurely conversation, and such a pause will give the guests pleasure and provide rest. The duration of the pause is arbitrary, depending on the circumstances. An experienced owner will easily sense the onset of the psychological moment to serve the second part of the appetizers - sweet and fresh.

Ideally, by this time there should be no more hearty snacks on the table - if you haven’t eaten them, just put them aside. But light snacks should be left (or even supplemented) - they go well with sweet snacks. In principle, it is this set of snacks (light, sweet, fresh) that should remain on the table until the end of tea. Well, if any of the guests want “those cool pies with cabbage” again, just serve them.

Here. From all of the above, it may seem that the purpose of the Russian tea ceremony is to overeat. This is, of course, not at all true. Gluttony is a quality inherent in a particular person, and not in tea drinking. And if the culture of your guests is such that they simply overeat, these are bad guests (although often the hosts are flattered by this behavior of the guests - but that’s who likes what). Good guests eat with pleasure and talk with pleasure, and even if, when leaving, they complain that now they won’t eat for two days, their words contain irony, not deep satisfaction.

Russian tea ceremony. Summary

So, we have dealt with all the attributes and events that precede and accompany the Russian tea ceremony - it’s time to sum it up. First, having said (for the umpteenth time on this site) a few words about one big problem inherent in the Russian tea ceremony.

The fact is that there are practically no systematic studies of the Russian tea tradition - descriptions of tea drinking are found in fiction, among researchers of Russian life and connoisseurs of Russian cooking - but no one has studied only tea drinking. There is, of course, an excellent article by O.B. Strugova, which gives an idea of ​​how, with what and at what time they drank tea in Russia. There are recommendations for setting the tea table - and they are quite universal, adjusted for specific Russian utensils. And there are some more romantic Russian-tea variations in the popular style. It is impossible to formulate a set of any acceptable rules for the Russian tea ceremony based on this material. It is now quite difficult to reproduce the life of the mid-late 19th century; the popular print version is not at all viable, and the serving rules are too universal.

At the same time, it will also not be possible to describe the strict rules of the Russian tea ceremony - this strictness will be completely unlawful and contrary to the very spirit of Russian tea drinking. Therefore, below we bring to your attention a set of basic rules of the Russian tea ceremony - a kind of skeleton, on which you can add meat at your own discretion. With this summary we summarize everything that we wrote earlier - therefore, some theses will briefly duplicate the comments and reflections stated earlier.

So.

• 1. Russian tea drinking is held in the living room, on the veranda, in the outbuilding or in the open air. It is not advisable to hold the ceremony in the dining room or kitchen.
• 2. Russian teahouse implies that the tea will be brewed black, preferably Indian Assam or some Ceylonese, but aromatic one.
• 3. Tea for the ceremony is served strongly brewed, in a teapot. The tea is diluted with boiling water directly in the cups.
• 4. Sugar and lemon must be served with tea; everyone adds them to the tea to taste. Ideally, two types of sugar are served: lump and sand.
• 5. Tea is drunk from cups and saucers. Drinking tea from saucers is allowed, but not recommended.
• 6. If children are invited to tea, then ideally a separate table should be set for them, with much less strict rules of behavior - regarding drinking tea from saucers, for example.
• 7. Russian tea drinking is accompanied by plentiful snacks. In principle, each tea party participant should get up from the tea table well-fed. This, by the way, is another distinctive feature of the Russian tea ceremony. Ideally, there should be four types of snacks on the table. Firstly, the snacks are hearty (pies with meat and fish, with cottage cheese, with eggs, with cabbage, bagels, pancakes with hearty fillings). Secondly, light snacks (lightly salted red fish, cheese, cold cuts, sliced ​​cucumbers, butter, sliced ​​bread and rolls). Thirdly, sweet snacks (any sweet pastries, chocolate, jam, honey, nuts, pancakes with sweet fillings). And finally, fourthly, fresh snacks (fruits and berries, fresh or canned).
• 8. Tea additives can be served at the table, which can change its aroma and taste at the discretion of each guest. Such additives can be herbs, fresh or dried berries and fruits, and alcoholic beverages.
• 9. The main thing in Russian tea drinking is conversation. Therefore, simply do not invite guests to tea who will not fit into this conversation.

Well, that's probably all. Nine simple and fairly formal rules are a good basis for both enjoying tea and making your contribution to the formation of the modern Russian tea tradition.

Enjoy your tea!