Category
Oral - Textual or Investigative
Description
For almost two centuries, Russians have embraced tea as an integral part of their culture, adapting tools, habits, and cuisine to create a distinctively Russian tea culture. However, when first presented with tea in the 17th century, Russian diplomats rejected the gift as “superfluous” and “unknown.” Two hundred years later, wealthy nobles, merchant peasants, and half-starved boarding students all enjoyed tea as an integrated part of their lives. How did a despised product become a valuable commodity? When did an imported luxury good become an indispensable element of daily life? This research investigates these questions through the lenses of a rich variety of 18th – 19th century primary sources, including memoirs, literary works, cookbooks, domestic encyclopedias, and European travelogues. These sources show that during the 18th – 19th centuries, tea descended the ranks of Russian society, claiming the allegiance of peasants, nobles, and emperors. Tea’s rising popularity led to the invention or adoption of specialized tools, such as the samovar and the podstakannik, and encouraged the development of an entire category of treats designed for tea-time. In the process, a uniquely Russian tea culture emerged, strong enough to not only withstand the Russian Revolution, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the creation of the Russian Federation but to be embraced by both these successors to the Russian Empire. These findings shed light on the convoluted, stubbornly tenacious roots of the modern Russian experience, highlighting the resilience and beauty of the Russian people.
Samovars in the Snow: The Rise of a Distinctively Russian Tea Culture
Oral - Textual or Investigative
For almost two centuries, Russians have embraced tea as an integral part of their culture, adapting tools, habits, and cuisine to create a distinctively Russian tea culture. However, when first presented with tea in the 17th century, Russian diplomats rejected the gift as “superfluous” and “unknown.” Two hundred years later, wealthy nobles, merchant peasants, and half-starved boarding students all enjoyed tea as an integrated part of their lives. How did a despised product become a valuable commodity? When did an imported luxury good become an indispensable element of daily life? This research investigates these questions through the lenses of a rich variety of 18th – 19th century primary sources, including memoirs, literary works, cookbooks, domestic encyclopedias, and European travelogues. These sources show that during the 18th – 19th centuries, tea descended the ranks of Russian society, claiming the allegiance of peasants, nobles, and emperors. Tea’s rising popularity led to the invention or adoption of specialized tools, such as the samovar and the podstakannik, and encouraged the development of an entire category of treats designed for tea-time. In the process, a uniquely Russian tea culture emerged, strong enough to not only withstand the Russian Revolution, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the creation of the Russian Federation but to be embraced by both these successors to the Russian Empire. These findings shed light on the convoluted, stubbornly tenacious roots of the modern Russian experience, highlighting the resilience and beauty of the Russian people.
Comments
Graduate - 3rd Place Award Winner