At the table of a wealthy Russian family in the 19th century, the meal opens with zakuski (small savory bites, pickles, smoked fish) eaten standing, before moving on to hot dishes — a base soup, a grain or pasta dish. The meal never ends without the samovar that heats continuously: tea, drunk strong and sweetened with varenye (jam), sets the rhythm for the whole day and the long working evenings.

Toasted buckwheat is the soul of everyday Russian cooking, even in educated families; and the copper samovar, never extinguished, is the social heart of the house — it is around it that Sofia kept vigil, calculated, and received guests.