What is a Samovar?
A samovar is a type of tea service which is very popular in Russia, although the design can also be found in Iran and parts of the Middle East. In essence, a samovar is a large vat designed to hold water which is heated via a pipe that runs through the middle of the vat. On the top of the samovar, there is room to place a tea pot, which holds concentrated tea that can be quickly diluted with water from the samovar for drinking. A samovar can also be used for coffee service. The basic design of the samovar has been in use for hundreds of years, and is still employed in traditional Russian tea shops and some homes. Ornate Victorian Russian samovars can be seen on display at numerous museums, demonstrating a high level of dedication to the craft and love for the samovar. Samovars can still be found in parts of Russia and Iran today, although they are somewhat more rare. In ornate form, samovars were used for entertaining important guests, and might be silver plated with a genuine porcelai
Symbolic of Russian tea drinking, this utensil is a kettle-shaped urn that heats the hot water and dispenses it through a spigot located at the bottom much like a coffee urn but more shapely and ornate. Samovars are usually made out of silver, bronze or copper and heat the water using charcoal (or in current times, electricity). On top of the samovar sits a small teapot containing a concentrated form of black tea called zavarka. When preparing to drink, a small amount of the concentrated tea is poured from the teapot and then diluted with the addition of hot water from the samovar. This method of preparation conveniently provides tea at a moments notice without the wait of boiling and steeping. Although samovars are not frequently used these days, they are often seen as a collectors item, evoking nostalgia and romance. Can you cook with tea? Yes, you most certainly can cook with tea! In the winter 2007 issue of Tea in Texas, Chef Elizabeth Escobedo of Houston talks about her passion of
A samovar is a heated metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water in and around Russia, as well as in other Slavic nations, Iran, Kashmir, and Turkey. Since the heated water is usually used for making tea, many samovars have an attachment on top of its lid to hold and heat a teapot filled with tea concentrate. In Persia, samovars have been used at least for two centuries and are still being used everywhere. Persian craftsmen used Persian art to produce artful samovars. The art samovars of Borujerd are often shown in Iranian and Western countries’ museums as a part of Iranian art.
No, it’s neither a country east of Arabia, south of the North Pole, west of China, north of Antarctica — nor a Muslim prayer ritual. Here’s how the book, “Russian Cooking” explains it: Tea from a samovar is a mixed drink: strong tea from the pot, diluted with hot water. The hostess* fills her samovar with cold water and puts burning charcoal in the draft chimney. With the extension fitted on (top illustration), she boils the water. With the extension off and no more smoke coming from the chimney, the samovar is carried to the table. Strong tea essence is poured from the teapot and boiling water is added from the spigot (bottom illustration). *Personally, I think it could also be “host”, but remember this book was published in 1969, when men apparently couldn’t fathom how to brew tea! Illustration and text from: RUSSIAN COOKING by Helen and George Papashvily Time-Life Books 1969 Culture or Cliche? SAMOVAR!? St. Petersburg Russian Art Onion Domes Moscow Firebird Coming soon: Russian Blu
