Samovar Tea with Blackcurrant Jam
A strong tea drawn from the samovar, diluted with boiling water, sweetened not by sugaring the cup but by nibbling a spoonful of tart jam.
A strong tea drawn from the samovar, diluted with boiling water, sweetened not by sugaring the cup but by nibbling a spoonful of tart jam.
In our home, tea is not a drink, it is an hour of the day. The copper samovar purred in the corner, and from it we drew the zavarka, that dark, bitter concentrate that each diluted to taste with boiling water. We did not sweeten the cup — no! — we took the jam by the spoonful, blackcurrant or cherry, and let it melt on the tongue before each sip. Around that steaming copper, we talked painting, revolution, theater, until night fell.
- •Black tea leaves — generously (concentrated zavarka)
- •Samovar water — as needed (dilution)
- •Blackcurrant or cherry jam — one spoonful per person (tart sweetness)
Samovar Tea with Blackcurrant Jam
A strong tea drawn from the samovar, diluted with boiling water, sweetened not by sugaring the cup but by nibbling a spoonful of tart jam.
Why this dish? The character's anchor states: Exter drank boiling tea served from the samovar. This steaming copper urn was the social heart of every Russian household, in Kyiv as in Moscow.
In our home, tea is not a drink, it is an hour of the day. The copper samovar purred in the corner, and from it we drew the zavarka, that dark, bitter concentrate that each diluted to taste with boiling water. We did not sweeten the cup — no! — we took the jam by the spoonful, blackcurrant or cherry, and let it melt on the tongue before each sip. Around that steaming copper, we talked painting, revolution, theater, until night fell.
Ingredients (period version)
- Black tea leaves — generously (concentrated zavarka)
- Samovar water — as needed (dilution)
- Blackcurrant or cherry jam — one spoonful per person (tart sweetness)
Ingredients
- Black tea leaves — 2 tablespoons (concentrate)
- Simmering water — 1 L (infusion and dilution)
- Blackcurrant jam — 1 spoonful per cup (sweetness)
Method
- Prepare a very strong infusion (the zavarka) in a small teapot with little water.
- Pour a base of this concentrate into each glass or cup.
- Dilute with very hot water according to each person's taste.
- Serve without sugar: nibble or let a spoonful of jam melt between sips.
How it was made : The samovar heated water with charcoal and kept it simmering for hours. Drinking tea 'nibbling' sugar or jam separately rather than dissolving it was the common practice.
The contemporary twist : Served in faceted glass holders (podstakannik) that catch the light, like a Cubist stained-glass window.
Aleksandra Exter · Charactorium