Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-27
THE GAZETTE.
TEA-DRlNKlNG IN RI SSlA.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY -. 1859.

visitor IN ST. Petersburyh will notice among
the pictorial embellishments of the shop
fronts, which are singular IN their ap-
pearance, i great many signS wherein are
represented the Russian Sam"Sar, or tea
urn, and set of cups and saucers ar glasses.
These signify that the establishment is II tea
house Il place largely patronized 10y the Rus
sans Of all classes.
The tea of which the Russians are So fond.
is brought overland from China thus pre-
serving, as they claim the peculiarly deli
cate flavor which sea voyage is sure I" DIES.
troy 1t ia very dear; the inner kinds costing
from five to fifteen dollars a pound As II
general rule. the blacklist teas are preferred,
although II delicate green liz in high favor
with many. and ut sixteen silver roubles, or
about twelve dollars II pound. There is II
yellow tea at about the same price, which has
a frightful effect upon ones nerves-green
tea is sedative compared with 1t. The
beverage, black, green or yellow, is drank
with sugar. but without cream, II slice OF
lemon being substituted, and the tea sipped
by spoonfuls.
Nv first trial of this singular mixture was
Oh board Of a Russian steamer, where III
enormous quantity was consumed at the
morning and evening meals. 1t then seemed
like spelling lemonade and tea by mixing
them; but have since learned to like 1t very
much, especially of hot day when the mer-
curry stands, IA is often does in st. Peters
burgh, at Il hundred degrees IN the shade
The profuse perspiration into whlch three or
four glasses of tea puts one, Is followed bya
state of composure and GOODNESS which all the
ice-creanl and cold soda water III Boston would
not produce.
L.. h.. 10 tha har-
America, are of high and low degree. lfyou
enter one of the better class, on the Nevskoi
Prospect, you will find large room, or series
Of rooms, with little tables, and invariably
picture of the Virgin and Child, ora saint.
covered with plate Of gold, or silver gilt, so
as TO leave only the face. hands and feet
visible. Ifyour companion be Russian, he
will bow low as he uncovers his head before
it, and cross himself many times. Then
YOU tdxe your seat at one OF the windows
which look upon the street, and order your
"chi" The waiter brings Il portion OF tea
in small tea pot, plentiful supply OF hot
water in another vessel glasses instead OF
cups, some slices of lemon and Jumps Ut sugar,
and then plate of rolls of paper and tobac-
co. for cigarettes There is an organ, which
goes by clock-work, in the corner, Six feet
broad, and as high as the room. The waiter
winds it up, and the Russian airs come roll
ing forth as you sit and sip your tea and
smoke your cigarette, if you choose, and
look out upon the strange sights in the great
street before you; see the moujiks wearing
their sheepskins and the officers and private
gentlemen their overc0ats, with the sun
blazing down upon them, 50 that You almost
expect to have them melt away before your
ewes; watch the 4ueer-looking equipages
which come dashing by; the little boys in the
carriage, with loose robe and girdle and high
top boots, and the misses in the snowy ma
tional costume, which, once Il year the En-
press puts on that her subjects may see the
highest lady in the land dressed like Rus
sian; and the officers In their brilliant am
forms, each sitting in his neat drnshky, with
an extra horse cantering along by the side OF
the trotter, in harness. Every minute there
is fresh novelty, and 80 the time passes
quickly away.
If YOU have business tn 6ansact with Rus
siaa, he orders tea as the Turk orders coffee.
Two friends meet by chance aud forthwith
adjourn to a tea house To celebrate the happy
e-union by copious libatlons OF the steam
ing beverage At christenings at weddings,
at funerals, ut religious festivals, at pic-nics
In public gardens, at all places OF social re-
sort in all times of joy and sorrow. morning.
noon and night. there is tea. When the
young Russian is born in the world, there Is i
cheerful gathering around the samovar, and
when he dies aud is buried, the kettle is put
ON and they all have tea Tea, tea, tea-al-
ways tea.
You may find all grades Of tea-houses in
the Russian cities, even to those in which the
poorest classes gather after their days work
:. hair, fr.m pS
the gentle stimulant. On a tete day | have
seen one of these establishments crowded with
the toughest, dirtiest looking fellows one would
ever wish to see; some dressed in schubes, or
coats made of sheepskin with the woody side
worn nearest the skin, and others in the coarse,
long woolen coats and shoes of plated bark,
which at first look so oddly to the stranger,
and all drinking tea. The quality of the
article at such places is of course inferior,
and it is drunk very weak, with sometimes
a dash of codki in it. In the southern pro-
yinces kirpitchnOi, or brick tea, Il compost
ton of tea, herb and animal substances. for
med into blocks like bricks, is much used.
When dissolved in boiling water, with milk
and butter added, it forms a nutritious as well
as q pleasant beverage for the humber class
es, and large quantities are imported tor
their use.
The Russians drink their tea very weak.
and the teapot is replenished with hot water
by native until person accustomed to
what is called tea in England. begins to
find the flavor Of the lemon preponderate in
his glass. Indeed. the drinking Of strong
tea at fifteen dollars pound is rather IN ex-
pensve luxury. But the higher grades are
usually reserved for special occasions. The
kinds in general use among the wealthy citi-
zens of St. Petersburgh are those averaging
about four rublss, or three dollars pound
in the tea houses still lower quality is used
and in the dwellings Of the poorer classes
the cheap black at ruble and half is most
i'm favor. The samovar keeps the table we'll
supplied with hot water. 1t is an urn with
a charcoal fire AT the b,ttom. the heat
from which passing through tube in the
centre. boils the water and heats the teapot
which rests upon its top. 1t is as common
in Russia as tea kettle in the United States,
and is certainly an ingenious and useful con-
trivance.
The high price at which tea is sold in Rus
sia is owing in great measure to the high
duties levied by government, and heexpense
r. II de.