What is Zavarka?
Views: 342 Author: Editor of this site Release time: 2021-10-04 Source: This site
When it comes to Russia, everyone thinks of vodka. But in fact, tea (black, white and green) is the more popular beverage of choice in the country. In Russia, the most common method of brewing tea is called Zavarka. Let's get acquainted with the intricacies of the Russian tea ceremony, an important part of the country's social culture.
Zavarka's history
Zavarka is essentially a strong tea base concentrate, possibly a product of the 1917 Russian Civil War. The Red Army took over several large tea warehouses in Moscow, Odessa and St. Petersburg. Before that, black tea was so rare that only the wealthy could afford it. It's hard to pin down the origin of zavarka, which means "brewing" or "cooking" in Russian. But sometime in the 1920s, workers discovered that it was economical to brew a large pot of concentrated black tea and then let everyone dilute it to their liking. This then became the standard way for Russians (not just the working class) to enjoy quality black tea.
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Preparing for Zavarka
A samovar is the traditional Russian production and use of a samovar, a heated metal vessel with a tap for boiling and dispensing water, often as an accessory for concentrated tea. In Russian households, the samovar is regarded as a precious family heirloom. For the rich, it can even be made of intricately crafted precious metals.
To make hot black tea, a samovar is filled with water and placed over burning coals (a standard stove is now used). When the water boils, pour some of it into a smaller teahouse to form a concentrated tea or zavarka. To drink the tea, give each person a small amount of zavarka, then they take the required amount of boiling water from the stopper to dilute the tea as needed.
No specific kind of tea is used in zavarka - fruity tortillas and herbal teas are common, usually made from local berries and plants, such as large leaf black tea
(Although the tea is not grown in the country). As a result, the tea can taste exactly as you desire - light or strong, fruity or bitter. Anyone can make their own ideal tea.
Besides the samovar, the other main serving of zavarka is the podstakannik, a metal and glass cup that, like the samovar, is usually decorated with elaborate decorations.
Zavarka and Russian culture
In Russia, when you say you're drinking tea, you're considered to be enjoying a light meal with high-quality black tea. It is customary to serve tea and refreshments whenever someone comes over, no matter what time of day. These snacks typically include thinly sliced charcuterie, cheese, and Russian desserts like sushki, as well as round crosses between bread and crackers that can be dipped in tea.
Another sign of the dynamism of strong black tea in Russian culture: On Russia’s train system, many luxuries have shrunk in size, but a lasting element is the use of podstakannik (tea, usually in the form of tea bags) to serve tea.
