Tea traditions in different countries of the world. Russian tea ceremony

For several years, while exploring the tea Internet, we came across (especially on foreign sites) the wording, and this wording amused us greatly - since we, living in Russia, understood perfectly well that there is no Russian tea ceremony. If, of course, we understand the tea ceremony as a formalized set of rules and actions.

However, if a tea ceremony is understood as some kind of extraordinary tea event that goes beyond ordinary tea drinking and is based on the national tea tradition, then everything changes. If you approach the tea ceremony from this point of view (and this is exactly what the British and Chinese do in most cases), then a Russian tea ceremony can be invented. And we will start doing this right now. Let us just make one remark first.

Any tea ceremony includes three parts: spiritual, material and etiquette. The spiritual component is the philosophical, aesthetic, moral, historical and similar foundations of everything that will happen during tea drinking. We'll talk a little about them in the next article. The material component is tea utensils and any other material surroundings that make the tea ceremony technically possible. And finally, the etiquette component is the rules, skills and abilities that all participants in the ceremony must have.

So here it is. All these three components are quite complex in any tea ceremony. And very few of the residents of those countries that have national tea ceremonies can conduct these very ceremonies. We are absolutely sure that a very small percentage of English families have in their “arsenal” a tea set of Wedgwood (or similar quality) porcelain and use it to brew loose leaf tea. Why all this, if earthenware is more practical, and it is more convenient to brew tea in bags.

Likewise, very few Japanese have their own tea house or even a tea ceremony room - it is expensive. And many, many Chinese may not even know about the existence of the Chinese tea ceremony gongfu cha.

We all mean that the Russian tea ceremony should not be publicly accessible at all - including in Russia. Its implementation will require certain utensils, adherence to certain rules and a certain spiritual background - everything that is simply not present in our everyday tea parties.

We are aware that reproducing everything we come up with in the future will be fraught with some difficulties. Well, who said it would be easy ;)

Russian tea ceremony. The most important

I would like to start the story about the Russian tea ceremony with a small lyrical digression dedicated to what can be called the main idea, the main difference or, if you like, the spiritual basis of Russian tea drinking. Speaking about the spirituality of Russian tea, I really don’t want to slide into a banal popular print and talk about the fact that only Russians, with their broad souls and endless melancholy in their eyes, are capable of real tea drinking. All this is nonsense. Broad soulfulness and melancholy eyes are not a way, but a way of comprehending things, which, unfortunately, is very common among our compatriots. Who often don’t care about the quality of what they do - as long as their eyes are wide and there is melancholy in their soul. Or vice versa.

We offer a slightly unusual way of understanding the spiritual part of Russian tea drinking - through comparison. Comparison of the Russian tea ceremony with tea ceremonies of other cultures - established and well-known. Having analyzed what is in Japanese, Chinese or English tea drinking, we can quite accurately determine the highlight of Russian tea drinking. So.

The Japanese tea ceremony is about calm enjoyment of little things, the pleasure of attention to detail and the quiet charm of inner peace. Your own, the world of the tea garden, tea room and tea utensils, the world surrounding the ceremony participants, in all its manifestations - be it the moon or morning snow. And the main goal of the Japanese tea ceremony is to help open up this inner world.

The main goal of the Chinese tea ceremony is to reveal the essence of tea, to give participants the opportunity to taste all the nuances of its taste and aroma. The culture of change, which so organically permeates the entire Chinese culture, did not escape the tea ceremony. It is gongfu cha, like no other tea drinking, that allows you to feel and appreciate the variability of tea, the interweaving of taste and aroma.

English tea drinking is valuable for its surroundings, baked goods, dishes, observance of tradition and pride in the fact that tradition is preserved. The art of tea conversation, which developed in Victorian times, has now lost much of its significance, but the English tea tradition is still a tradition of communication and a tradition of enjoying that communication, even if that communication is very formal.

Here. And in Russian tea drinking, company is most important. It is simply impossible to enjoy refined conversation in its purest form, in an abstract company (consisting of well-mannered people who eat neatly and speak correctly) during Russian tea drinking. But if friends - present or future - gather over tea, then it doesn’t matter at all what they talk about or remain silent about. It is not even particularly important what kind of tea they will drink (this does not mean that the tea can be bad, but it can be quite simple, without any special frills) and what kind of buns they will eat it with. It doesn’t matter at all how refined the manners are (the main thing is not to create inconvenience for the “companions”) and how elegant the jokes are. The only important thing is that at some point during such a tea party, its participants notice that they often cover a rather stupid and extremely satisfied smile with their hand. And what exactly they are happy about is not really clear.

Perhaps, it is precisely this unconscious joy from the fact that good people are sitting at the table, that the conversation is flowing peacefully and sedately, and that there is such an opportunity - to escape from the bustle for an hour or two, to forget about all matters and just drink tea - that is exactly what it is. the most important part of Russian tea drinking.

Well, now it’s time to talk about much more tangible things.

Russian tea ceremony. Options

Due to the fact that tea is a very common drink in our culture, it is not possible to describe a universal tea ceremony. The same mental, spiritual and taste pleasure can be obtained in completely different conditions - both on the veranda of a small country house and in an elegant living room. That is why we propose to distinguish two main types of Russian tea ceremony: salon and country.

Let's start with the salon Russian tea ceremony. We are aware that the salon is a concept that has almost completely disappeared from our lives. However, we propose to use this very term to refer to tea parties “under the roof”, taking place not in the kitchen, but in a room more suitable for a decent reception - in the dining room or living room. The distinctive features of the salon tea ceremony are as follows.

Firstly, the hosts can prepare some tea pastries or some clever tea snacks especially for this tea party. Of course, the use of ready-made products - cakes, pastries, cookies, etc. It’s not forbidden at all, but all this “shopping” will deprive the event of a fair amount of coziness. And, of course, homemade baking is a wonderful topic of conversation.

Secondly, during salon tea drinking, some of the procedures associated with preparing tea (boiling water, often brewing tea) are carried out in another room, separate from the tea drinking itself - most often in the kitchen.

Thirdly, a salon tea party is rarely held just like that - most often there is some special occasion for it. Depending on the occasion, a salon tea party may be accompanied by a decorous table conversation or noisy fun and dancing (with a tea table served in the corner) - but, in any case, it will be tea for an occasion.

A Russian tea ceremony in the open air is a completely romantic event that can be held on a balcony (if the balcony allows), an attic, a veranda, in a gazebo, or simply in the fresh air - on the banks of a river in which white-bodied peisants bathe, for example. In addition to peisants, Russian tea drinking in the fresh air has the following features.

Firstly, this kind of tea drinking is much less picky about snacks. Some “campiness” of the atmosphere allows for any pastries and any sandwiches - in the fresh air, the most banal store-bought cupcake can turn out to be deliciously delicious. Although, of course, if fresh pancakes are served with morning tea, nirvana will come right on the veranda.

Secondly, all preparations for the tea party will take place in front of the tea party participants - you won’t run into a distant kitchen. Therefore, all utensils and all actions associated with preparing tea should be extremely pleasant and beautiful. And, at the same time, functional.

Thirdly, drinking tea in the fresh air implies complete freedom of movement. A person with a cup of tea, standing up from the table, stepping aside and listening to the nightingales sing or frogs croak, is the decoration of such an event.

And finally, fourthly, such tea parties are held more according to a schedule than for a significant reason. For example, every morning. Or every evening. Or every weekend. An extremely important feature of such a tea party is the familiarity of all its participants to the event itself, and friend to friend. It is the everyday, familiar coziness that makes Russian tea drinking in nature so warm and sweet that remembering it brings tears of tenderness to your eyes.

Here. Now that Russian tea ceremonies have been classified, we can move on to describing the utensils necessary for their implementation.

Russian tea ceremony. Utensils for drinking tea

So, we agreed to the point that we identified two options for the Russian tea ceremony: salon and country. The utensils used for these two types of tea ceremony differ markedly in the part that is used for preparing tea.

But the dishes in which tea is served does not depend on where tea drinking takes place - in the living room or on the veranda. These are cups and saucers. Porcelain, but not earthenware cups and saucers. Classic bowl-shaped, perhaps slightly wavy. Both sets with such tea pairs, and such tea pairs separately are produced in abundance by the Dulevo porcelain factory and the Lomonosov porcelain factory. The most traditional Russian teaware is the Cobalt Mesh set. It is truly beautiful, but its beauty is a little heavy - and, in our opinion, more suitable for a sideboard than for a living tea table. We prefer porcelain with a lighter pattern.

It is very good if the cups are white on the inside. What they look like outside is not very important, although we noticed that in the evening and with not very strong lighting (for example, by candlelight), tea is wonderfully drunk from dark blue cups with a small gold pattern. And during the day, when there is a lot of light and the mood is lively, it is better to use light cups, with some kind of light and, possibly, floral pattern.

Stereotypical glasses - even with the most beautiful glass holders and the most silver spoons - are faithful companions of unsettled tea drinking - it’s not for nothing that they have taken root on trains. Tea from a glass is suitable for a lonely man standing by the window on a long winter evening and looking at passers-by, warming up for a few seconds in the light of the lanterns and again disappearing into the frosty darkness. Tea from a glass is uncomfortable. And it’s not particularly tasty, to be honest. For tea to be tasty and cozy, you need to drink it from a cup.

So, tea pairs. Each of which requires a teaspoon - this is obvious. The best one is gold plated. This is less obvious, but very beautiful - gold is in amazing harmony with black tea poured into a cup that is white on the inside.

Russian tea drinking - and we will not reveal a big secret - does not exist without a variety of goodies. Therefore, there should be pie plates on the table. Of course they take up a lot of space. Of course, we have all at least once used tea saucers as pie plates. But we are doing a ceremony, right? Therefore, we will have pie plates and dessert spoons.

And, of course, there may be less important items on the table - a sugar bowl, a plate for lemon (which should be cut into thin circles, but not slices), a fork for lemon and a spoon for granulated sugar or tweezers for lump sugar. We do not pay special attention to these items, because in Russian tea drinking they are of a very auxiliary nature - and no special attention is paid to them. We will also include dishes for various snacks as auxiliary utensils - there will be snacks, there will be dishes, there is nothing to say here.

The final touch to setting the tea table will, of course, be rosettes for jam and honey and vases in which this same jam and honey is served. It is good if there are several vases - on a decent tea table there should be several types of jam.

Russian tea ceremony. Boulettes and tea in pairs

Let's start with the simplest case - with tea drinking under the roof - in the living room, dining room, etc. From the point of view of preparing tea, what is essential in such a tea party is, first of all, that boiling water and, possibly, brewing tea takes place in a room separate from the one in which the tea party is taking place. Most often - in the kitchen. Therefore, the first issue that a decent owner must resolve is the issue of supplying hot water to the tea table.

In former times, a wonderful device called “bouillette” was widely used, the name of which is directly related to the English “to boil” (“boil”, “cook”). At its core, a bouillotte is a small metal kettle mounted on a burner, most often an alcohol one. The bouillette was used both for boiling a small amount directly on the tea table (or on a small table next to it) and for maintaining the temperature of already boiled water.

Of course, in our time, bouillotte would become a decoration for the tea table. Imagine: you boil water in the kitchen in a banal kettle, then pour the boiling water into a bouillette, put it on the table, light the alcohol lamp and calmly drink tea, always having hot water at hand - the flame of the alcohol lamp, naturally, needs to be adjusted so that the water does not boil , but was in a “pre-boiling” state. Then the conversation at the tea table will also be accompanied by pleasant noise and gurgling.

But. There are no bouillottes. They may have remained with antique dealers and museums, but finding such a working device for home use is almost impossible. For example, we only saw bouillottes in pictures. Therefore we will have to do without them. It's a pity.

Without bouillottes, the process of bringing hot water to the table becomes much less romantic, but much simpler. The boiled water in the kitchen is poured into a large porcelain (or earthenware) teapot - and it is in this teapot that it is served to the table. Note that a faience teapot is better suited for such purposes - it holds heat better and is more practical. I mean, not so fragile.

Ideally, the kettle in which tea will be brewed and the kettle in which boiling water will be served should be from the same set. But there is one problem. Such sets are now being produced and can be bought - but their main purpose is decorative. And if a large teapot in such a set, as a rule, does not cause any complaints, then a small teapot - a teapot - is usually no good. Most often because it is too small - it is made this way to achieve artistic contrast. There is a contrast, but good tea is rare.

At the end of the 19th century, sets of large (for boiling water) and small (for brewing) teapots, in which the second could serve as a lid for the first, were very common in Russian teahouses. The tea served in such teapots was called “tea in pairs” and usually cost three kopecks. Now it will be quite difficult to find such a set, and even make tea for three kopecks in it, but the general principle can be easily reproduced by serving tea leaves in teapots and boiling water in boiling water pots.

Russian tea ceremony. Samovar

Well, we’ve reached the most important, most replicated, most beautiful and, alas, very rare attribute of Russian tea drinking in our time - the samovar. In fact, several articles in this section are devoted to the samovar, but now we will be interested not so much in the history and design of this device, but in issues related to its practical use. Let's start by answering the most difficult question: how to get a samovar.

So. A samovar, despite its apparent difficulties, is quite easy to obtain. Firstly, electric samovars are sold quite widely. Of course, these are more souvenirs than functional boilers. Of course, boiling water in such devices is not without its drawbacks. Of course, with their “electricity” they cause a fair insult to the very spirit of Russian tea drinking - but these are, after all, samovars. And if you can’t find another samovar, you can use an electric one.

Secondly, samovars that can run on wood or coal continue to be produced in Tula. They are, however, hybrid - that is, they can run on both electricity and natural fuel. They are also prohibitively expensive (about 40,000 rubles) and quite pretentious. But these are also samovars, and they are sold, for example, by the Rubin trading house.

And finally, thirdly, you can quite easily get hold of a real antique samovar. Among antique dealers, its price ranges from 1,500 to 20,000 rubles and, believe me, those samovars that are cheaper are often better - although they are not so shiny. The fact is that antique dealers rarely assume that the buyer will use the samovar for its intended purpose. Therefore, it is almost impossible to buy a leak-proof samovar in an antique shop - and you need to come to terms with this. The main thing is that the samovar does not have a burnt grate (the grate at the base of the jug - the place where the fuel burns), and it does not fall apart at all - and small leaks can be tinned. (Tinning a samovar, by the way, is not an obvious task - because household electric soldering irons are rarely powerful enough to tin a samovar with high quality, with its heat sink - so it is better to entrust this task to specialists who can be found in any auto repair shop).

Having been puzzled several years ago by “getting a samovar”, I [Denis Shumakov] chose the last, “antique” option - fortunately, in the provinces the prices in antique shops are relatively humane. After spending three and a half thousand rubles and spending two months with a soldering iron, I eventually became the owner of two working (and very beautiful) Tula samovars from the Vorontsov factory. Each of them is probably a hundred years old. And, believe me, the efforts around these two ancient boilers were fully justified. I sometimes boil samovars on the balcony (on charcoal - it produces almost no smoke, and I am not afraid of scaring the neighbors). And, of course, any tea party in nature occurs with their direct participation... It was a retreat.

The samovar, of course, is an indispensable attribute of Russian tea drinking at the dacha, veranda, gazebo or simply in the open air - on the river bank, for example.

There is no particular point in talking in detail about how to heat a samovar (a real, wood-burning one) - although this activity is very exciting and very difficult. We only note that the presence of a pipe greatly simplifies and speeds up the solution of this problem. A pipe for a samovar can easily be made by any tinsmith at the nearest building administration - you just need to tell him the correct diameter. And one more thing - if you decide to heat the samovar with coal, then you will have to light the coal. In principle, a special fireplace ignition fluid is suitable for this - but it has a characteristic and quite strong odor. Therefore, it is better to use alcohol (regular, liquid, not dry fuel). If, of course, there is such a possibility.

In its boiling, the samovar goes through three stages - it “sings”, “makes noise” and “seethes”. Ideally, you should brew tea when the samovar stops making noise and begins to bubble. This moment is quite difficult to capture - it is short. A samovar can sing and bubble for a long time, but its noises are short.

Most often, of course, the samovar is brought to the table bubbling. The jug of the samovar (the container in which the fuel burns) must be closed so that there is less smoke and so that the combustion stops if the fuel is long-lasting (for example, coal). The tea needs to be brewed as quickly as possible - otherwise the water will simply boil over - the samovar will continue to “work” even while standing on the table and the water will continue to boil for some time.

You can place a teapot on a samovar only if this can be done without removing the cap. Otherwise, the teapot will become smoked - and if the samovar is heated with pine cones or pine wood - it will be covered with a layer of resin (for a clay teapot, by the way, such tea drinking will be the last).

The use of a samovar during tea drinking is obvious - boiling water is added from it to the cups after the tea leaves are poured into them. Just remember that the water in the samovar will remain hot for a long time - after all, it is to the samovar that we owe such a tradition as drinking tea from a saucer. Boiling water that has just been poured from a samovar is simply impossible to drink from a cup - but in a saucer it cools down quite quickly...

Well, it seems that we have sorted out the utensils for the Russian tea ceremony. Let us now move on to the ceremony itself. Or rather, with its most characteristic features - starting with the main one.

Russian tea ceremony. Making tea

So, a few articles earlier, we agreed that the main distinguishing feature of the Russian tea ceremony is not just the opportunity to drink tea, but the opportunity to drink tea in good company. It is this feature that, in part, determines the method of brewing and serving tea during Russian tea drinking. But, before we talk about brewing tea, we should say a few words about choosing tea for Russian tea drinking.

Of course, it should be black tea - black in the sense that we Europeans mean by this term. Of course, they drank green tea in Russia, but by the end of the 19th century (just at the time when the Russian tea tradition was finally established), Russians unconditionally preferred black tea.

But with the choice of a type of black tea, everything is absolutely not so clear. If you want your tea drinking to claim historicity (so to speak), then you should brew Chinese black tea - for quite a long time there was simply no other tea in Russia. Of the varieties of tea currently presented in stores, kimuns (aka qihun maofen) and blends like the “Russian Caravan” are well suited for Russian tea drinking. Yunnan Chinese teas are too thin for Russian tea drinking.

But. Russian tea tastes changed greatly in the second half of the 20th century - when Chinese teas almost completely disappeared from our tea market and were replaced by Indian and Ceylon teas. This replacement was to the taste of the Russians - and now the taste of Chinese black tea may seem weak, incomprehensible and uninteresting to unprepared tea party participants. From this point of view, Indian Assam or good Ceylon tea is better suited for Russian tea drinking.

A natural compromise that eliminates all issues with choosing a type of tea is to brew several teas in several teapots. Very often, when many guests gather at the table, the following combination of drinks really helps me [Denis Shumakov]: kimun (to maintain tradition), assam (as a universally good tea), something sweetly flavored (for example, Twinings Lady Gray - for ladies) and Lapsang Souchong (for smokers and aesthetes). Of course, such a set cannot be called classic Russian, but guests are usually satisfied - and this is the main thing. In principle, you can diversify your tea repertoire with teas with the addition of dried substances (herbs and fruits) or teas with the addition of alcohol - but this is a topic for a separate article, and such an article awaits you ahead.

Let's return, however, to making tea. A lot has been said and written about brewing black tea, including on our website. You can use our recommendations, you can turn to Orwell’s experience, you can find cookbooks and brew tea according to Pokhlebkin or Molokhovets. However, the general sequence of actions will be approximately the same.

You will need to boil water (and make sure that it does not boil over), warm up the teapot (ideally a porcelain and round one), pour in the tea leaves, pour boiling water over it, stir, close the teapot with a lid and cover it with a napkin (but not the pseudo-Russian teapot). woman). Leave this whole thing for about five minutes - and drink!

In the process of brewing tea for Russian tea drinking, nuances are possible. For example, you can “feminize” tea by pouring the tea leaves from the teapot into the cup and back. Or pour tea into the teapot not with a spoon, but with your hands - “pasts,” citing adherence to historical traditions. But these are all little things, details. Compared to the fact that tea for Russian tea drinking is brewed very strongly, and then diluted with boiling water in a cup.

We, of course, will not say that diluting the tea leaves with boiling water directly in the cup is an original Russian and unique tradition. This is also done in other countries - however, it was in Russia that this method of preparing tea became the de facto standard. And there are two reasons for this that are not directly related to the quality of the drink.

Firstly, a fairly large number of guests often gather for Russian tea drinking - and it is very inconvenient to prepare tea in such a way as to pour the finished drink straight from the teapot without diluting it. You will need either a very large teapot, or many teapots. But that's not so bad. The trouble is that (and this is secondly) during Russian tea drinking they rarely limit themselves to one cup of tea - each guest drinks three or four cups calmly and completely without tension. And if there may still be enough tea “without dilution” for the “first cup” of tea, by the second (and certainly by the third) round the teapots will be empty. And the owner will have to brew fresh tea.

From the point of view of the quality of the drink, there is nothing wrong with this - it’s even good. But this is extremely inconvenient from the point of view of a person who has already drunk a cup of tea and is carried away by the conversation. There is a terribly reluctance to get up from the table, empty the teapots, and generally fuss around. That is why it is better to put more tea leaves in the teapots so that the tea can be diluted with boiling water directly in the cups - and drink it for a long, long time, without moving anywhere from the table. Well, as a last resort - for new boiling water.

Of course, this method of preparing the drink slightly contradicts the classical recommendations for brewing tea - first of all, due to the fact that when drinking tea for a long time, the tea in the teapots will be a little too old. But we think that there is nothing particularly terrible in this.

Russian tea ceremony. Additives to tea

A story about preparing tea for Russian tea drinking would be incomplete without mentioning various (traditional and not so special) additives to tea. Their diversity and popularity in Russia are such that tea additives can rightfully be called one of the foundations of the Russian tea ceremony. (Well, here’s another basis - if things go like this, then the number of “most important things” will go into the dozens.)

However, we can say with absolute certainty that the variability of tea recipes is one of the highlights of Russian tea drinking - and, perhaps, the most delicious highlight. Because with Russian tea drinking, each new tea can be unique, each tea party participant can come up with their own drinks right at the tea table - and tasting new and new versions of a familiar drink can be a real pleasure for all tea drinkers.

In principle, flavor and aromatic diversity can be achieved by preparing several types of tea for tea drinking - but this approach (although described as an option in the previous article) has not become widespread. Because the difference between tea varieties can be so subtle that it can be very difficult to recognize. We are not saying that Russian tea drinking is devoid of sophistication - far from it! But the sophistication of Russian tea drinking has nothing to do with the sophistication of tea tastes - and you have to come to terms with this.

So here it is. A real, huge and unbridled variety of tastes and aromas is most easily achieved with the help of tea additives. Starting with the banal - sugar and lemon - and ending with the amazing and seasonal, such as fresh strawberries or raspberries. Let's start with fresh berries.

Fresh berries can be added to the teapot when brewing tea or to tea directly during tea drinking - it all depends on the “hardness” of the berries. The best berry to add directly to the cup is, of course, wild strawberries. A few aromatic berries thrown into a cup will preserve the taste of the tea and add not only aroma, but real fragrance. And they will retain their own taste - they can be caught and eaten. Forest raspberries are almost as good - forest raspberries, because garden raspberries are not at all as fragrant (as, indeed, garden strawberries).

It is probably better to add blueberries, black currants and blackberries to the teapot when brewing. These berries are not so willing to part with their aroma - and they will need to be allowed to brew. Blackcurrant berries, by the way, can be combined with its own leaves and young shoots - the latter, of course, are not particularly tasty, but surprisingly aromatic.

In addition, tea can simply be eaten with berries - and, of course, berries will not be an additive to tea in the strict sense - but this does not matter, because eating tea with berries (or drinking berries with tea) is very tasty.

The next, no less obvious and no less pleasant addition to tea is herbs. There is nothing to say about mint, lemongrass, catnip and lemon balm - they have become almost standard additives to tea. St. John's wort, oregano and thyme are equally good in tea - both in “raw” and dried form. Herbs are especially good because they help you come up with original tea combinations on the go - on a hike, in the country and in other field conditions. He went out into the forest or into the garden, plucked off five blades of grass, threw them into the kettle - and a new drink is ready.

Fresh apples are surprisingly good in tea - especially Antonovka. There is nothing more fragrant than ripe Antonovka - and this aroma goes surprisingly well with the aroma of tea, just add a few slices of apple to it. Antonovka can also be eaten as a snack with tea - especially if you have the opportunity to dip each apple slice in fresh honey... Unfortunately, dried apples as an additive to tea are very inferior to fresh apples. In order for the aroma of dried apples to noticeably manifest, they must be infused for a long time - the tea will most likely cool down during this time. Dried apples, however, can be added to tea when brewing (this method is especially good in camping conditions, when tea is brewed in a thermos), but the resulting drink will bear little resemblance to tea - although, of course, it will be extremely aromatic.

Perhaps the principle of creating a “situational” tea table is clear from the examples already given. Of course, this principle can be implemented not only in summer - instead of fresh berries, fruits and herbs, you can use dried ones. Or mix tea with a small amount of different jams or jams - in a word, do everything possible to ensure that every time there is a different tea on your tea table - for every taste.

Russian tea ceremony. Snacks and their serving schedule

Having previously highlighted aspects that are very significant for the Russian tea ceremony (the importance of the company, the specifics of brewing tea, additives in tea), we did not say a word about one characteristic feature of Russian tea drinking, which (along with other features) fundamentally distinguishes drinking tea in Russian from drinking tea in accordance with many other national traditions.

Tea drinking in Russian means that no one can leave the tea table hungry. In fact, Russian tea can replace (your choice) breakfast, lunch or dinner. And sometimes – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This does not mean that a decent meal can be neglected in favor of tea - but the number of snacks in a decent Russian tea ceremony should be such that the hungriest participants in the event are satisfied.

With all the variety of possible Russian tea snacks, they can be quite easily divided into four groups, different in content and purpose.

The first group of snacks (let's call them hearty) includes dishes that you can eat with tea, and in addition to tea. First of all, of course, these are pies and pies with substantial fillings: meat, liver, eggs, cabbage, fish, rice, mushrooms, potatoes (what disgusting), cottage cheese. And, of course, with combinations of these fillings: meat and mushrooms, rice and egg, etc. In principle, bagels can be classified as hearty fillings - if you spread them with butter, then they are a very serious appetizer. And, of course, filled pancakes are a hearty snack - if the filling is meat, chicken (with mushrooms and horseradish - delicious!), vegetable mixtures and other niceties.

The second group of snacks (in our terminology, they will be called light) consists of dishes that can be used to alternate between hearty snacks, and (which is very important) that are convenient to eat. Such dishes, first of all, include sandwiches and sandwiches - they are the most pleasant to eat during a conversation - they do not distract (unlike pancakes, for example, which need to be eaten with concentration), and maintain nutritional tone. Sandwiches and sandwiches are good with lightly salted red fish (trout is best), butter, cottage cheese, cucumbers, sliced ​​meat and cheese, sprats, pates - in short, with everything that is usually spread on sandwiches and stuffed into sandwiches.

The third group of snacks (we'll call them sweet or savory) consists, of course, of sweets and delicacies. These appetizers, as a rule, are served after hearty and light ones - and after a thorough pause, during which guests take a break from previous meals and thoughtfully talk, imitating the Russian landowners of the mid-19th century, discussing the merits of pies and expressing their thoughts on a variety of global issues. Sweet (delicious) snacks include any sweet pastries, chocolate, jam, honey, nuts, pancakes with sweet fillings (the combination of lingonberry jam with whipped cream is incredibly tasty).

And finally, the fourth group of snacks (fresh snacks) are similar to light snacks - only they “dilute” not filling, but sweet snacks. When guests can no longer eat pancakes with jam, they (pancakes with jam) can be successfully replaced with fresh or canned berries or fruits. Better, of course, fresh. Apples, pears, grapes, slices of watermelon and melon, peaches, apricots, strawberries, strawberries, raspberries - in a word, anything. You can - with whipped cream.

The order in which all of the listed snacks are served largely determines the schedule of Russian tea drinking. It all starts, of course, with serving hearty and light snacks. After the guests have a snack (this means they are full for the first time), you should take a pause - satiety is conducive to a leisurely conversation, and such a pause will give the guests pleasure and provide rest. The duration of the pause is arbitrary, depending on the circumstances. An experienced owner will easily sense the onset of the psychological moment to serve the second part of the appetizers - sweet and fresh.

Ideally, by this time there should be no more hearty snacks on the table - if you haven’t eaten them, just put them aside. But light snacks should be left (or even supplemented) - they go well with sweet snacks. In principle, it is this set of snacks (light, sweet, fresh) that should remain on the table until the end of tea. Well, if any of the guests want “those cool pies with cabbage” again, just serve them.

Here. From all of the above, it may seem that the purpose of the Russian tea ceremony is to overeat. This is, of course, not at all true. Gluttony is a quality inherent in a particular person, and not in tea drinking. And if the culture of your guests is such that they simply overeat, these are bad guests (although often the hosts are flattered by this behavior of the guests - but that’s who likes what). Good guests eat with pleasure and talk with pleasure, and even if, when leaving, they complain that now they won’t eat for two days, their words contain irony, not deep satisfaction.

Russian tea ceremony. Summary

So, we have dealt with all the attributes and events that precede and accompany the Russian tea ceremony - it’s time to sum it up. First, having said (for the umpteenth time on this site) a few words about one big problem inherent in the Russian tea ceremony.

The fact is that there are practically no systematic studies of the Russian tea tradition - descriptions of tea drinking are found in fiction, among researchers of Russian life and connoisseurs of Russian cooking - but no one has studied only tea drinking. There is, of course, an excellent article by O.B. Strugova, which gives an idea of ​​how, with what and at what time they drank tea in Russia. There are recommendations for setting the tea table - and they are quite universal, adjusted for specific Russian utensils. And there are some more romantic Russian-tea variations in the popular style. It is impossible to formulate a set of any acceptable rules for the Russian tea ceremony based on this material. It is now quite difficult to reproduce the life of the mid-late 19th century; the popular print version is not at all viable, and the serving rules are too universal.

At the same time, it will also not be possible to describe the strict rules of the Russian tea ceremony - this strictness will be completely unlawful and contrary to the very spirit of Russian tea drinking. Therefore, below we bring to your attention a set of basic rules of the Russian tea ceremony - a kind of skeleton, on which you can add meat at your own discretion. With this summary we summarize everything that we wrote earlier - therefore, some theses will briefly duplicate the previously stated comments and reflections.

So.

• 1. Russian tea drinking is held in the living room, on the veranda, in the outbuilding or in the open air. It is not advisable to hold the ceremony in the dining room or kitchen.
• 2. Russian teahouse implies that the tea will be brewed black, preferably Indian Assam or some Ceylonese, but aromatic one.
• 3. Tea for the ceremony is served strongly brewed, in a teapot. The tea is diluted with boiling water directly in the cups.
• 4. Sugar and lemon must be served with tea; everyone adds them to the tea to taste. Ideally, two types of sugar are served: lump and granulated.
• 5. Tea is drunk from cups and saucers. Drinking tea from saucers is allowed, but not recommended.
• 6. If children are invited to tea, then ideally a separate table should be set for them, with much less strict rules of conduct - regarding drinking tea from saucers, for example.
• 7. Russian tea drinking is accompanied by plentiful snacks. In principle, each tea party participant should get up from the tea table well-fed. This, by the way, is another distinctive feature of the Russian tea ceremony. Ideally, there should be four types of snacks on the table. Firstly, the snacks are hearty (pies with meat and fish, with cottage cheese, with eggs, with cabbage, bagels, pancakes with hearty fillings). Secondly, light snacks (lightly salted red fish, cheese, cold cuts, sliced ​​cucumbers, butter, sliced ​​bread and rolls). Thirdly, sweet snacks (any sweet pastries, chocolate, jam, honey, nuts, pancakes with sweet fillings). And finally, fourthly, fresh snacks (fruits and berries, fresh or canned).
• 8. Tea additives can be served at the table, which can change its aroma and taste at the discretion of each guest. Such additives can be herbs, fresh or dried berries and fruits, and alcoholic beverages.
• 9. The main thing in Russian tea drinking is conversation. Therefore, simply do not invite guests to tea who will not fit into this conversation.

Well, that's probably all. Nine simple and fairly formal rules are a good basis for both enjoying tea and making your contribution to the formation of the modern Russian tea tradition.

Enjoy your tea!

China is one of the most colorful countries in the world. Here lives a nation that sincerely respects its history, strives to preserve traditions and carefully treats everything that reminds of family and ancestors. The process of drinking tea here is turned into a whole ceremony, which is filled with deep meaning and gives true enlightenment to each participant.

Basics of tea drinking in China

The period of drinking tea by the Chinese lasted for thousands of years, although the conquest of the world with this valuable drink began only in the 16th century. Around the 15th century, the tea ceremony in the Middle Kingdom acquired its traditional appearance, the stages were finally formed and a set of tea utensils was established.

Why did such a philosophical and respectful attitude towards tea and its consumption originate in China? Tea here has always been considered an expensive product and very beneficial for health, so only wealthy people could afford to drink this drink, and rare loose leaf teas were consumed exclusively by the imperial family. In addition, the process of growing, collecting and processing leaves was kept secret for a long time, and seeds, and especially tea bushes, were forbidden to be exported outside the state. For any disobedience, serious punishment was imposed, including execution.

Each stage, in accordance with which certain actions are carried out to introduce, prepare and consume a hot aromatic drink, is filled with a special meaning. They are designed to give a person peace, pleasure, help him to know himself and understand others. A foreigner may view the Chinese tea ceremony as a theatrical act, but every resident of the Middle Kingdom experiences every stage of it on a spiritual level.

Oolongs are most often used in the tea ceremony.

It’s not for nothing that the family takes great care of the tea sets that they inherited from their ancestors. There is also a tradition of regular gatherings of all family members on weekends, at home or in a restaurant, to express the children's respect for their parents and vice versa. Drinking tea together strengthens family ties and preserves traditions.

They say that if the ceremony is carried out according to all the rules and each participant has previously prepared spiritually and morally, you can cleanse your mind and soul of negativity, restore good relationships with others, and even come to an understanding with your companions. It is not for nothing that traditional tea parties are included in the program of many business negotiations and meetings, even at the national level.

In the East they believe that if you follow traditions and do everything the way your ancestors did, you can restore balance and harmony between the outside and inner world, stop time and even reverse the course of events. This is why there are no secondary things or rituals in Chinese tea drinking. Every little detail is important here, from the size of the spoon used to pour the tea to the tiny inscription on the cup.

Stages

The Chinese tea ceremony is the basis of many similar traditions for which Japan, Korea and other countries are known. According to the rules, it should be held in a tea house, where there is no bright lighting, the color palette is muted, beige-brown, gray-green, repeating the main natural colors. Flowers can be placed in a vase; quiet Chinese music and sounds of nature can be played in the room. Everything should relax, calm and set you up for the sacrament. A prerequisite is the presence of a large table, at which all guests will be comfortable and where all the dishes can be freely placed.

The owner of the house or the master who is invited to conduct the ceremony arranges the dishes beautifully and in a certain order, heats the water in a kettle or a special pot. Now you can begin actions that may seem ritual to a stranger.

The following stages of classic tea drinking are distinguished:

1. Wen Hu Tang Bei involves heating and rinsing the yixin, the procedure lasts 2-3 minutes. The point is to remove possible dust particles from the dishes and prepare them for brewing tea. First, hot water from the kettle is poured into the yixin, bowls or cups are rinsed from it, and then the teapot itself is rinsed. Everything is done on a tray with a drip tray where the water drains.
2. Zhan Shan Jia Ming involves introducing each participant to the type of tea chosen for the ceremony. Dry tea leaves are poured into Cha-Hae and passed from one guest to another. Each of them, lifting the lid of the vessel, inhales its aroma and evaluates it. Familiarization occurs in a circle from left to right. First, the participant in the ceremony must warm the tea leaves with his breath, and then enjoy its aroma, color and beauty of the twisted dry leaves. At the same time, a conversation can be held praising the tea, the pleasant atmosphere, the experience of the master, and so on.
3. Wu Long Ru Long is the preparation and pouring of the required amount of tea leaves into Yixin. This is done with a small bamboo spoon, which holds approximately 15 grams of tea leaves, which is designed for 50 ml of water - the volume of a standard bowl. Since yixing can have a volume from 150 to 350 ml, from 3 to 7 heaped spoons of tea leaves are poured into it.
4. Suan Hu Gao Chong - involves washing the tea leaves from dust and preparing the leaves for the main brew. This is done in a sizzle, into which water heated to the desired temperature is poured in a high stream, making gurgling sounds. Here it is important to maintain the desired water temperature and not overexpose the leaves in it. The tea must be cleaned of possible dust and impurities and slightly softened in order to maximize its taste and aroma during the main brewing. The height of the stream of water that pours out of the kettle also plays a role. It can reach 70 cm; the entire kettle is filled to the brim with water.
5. Chun Feng Fu Mian is a procedure for cleansing tea leaves filled with water from debris and impurities. This is done using a porcelain spoon. After the bubbles and specks are removed, close the lid of the yisin and keep the tea in it for 1-2 minutes. Next, the water is poured into a separate container - this infusion is not consumed.
6. Zai Zhu Qing Kuan - involves brewing softened leaves with hot water. The height of the water stream that is poured from the teapot into Yixing should not exceed 15 cm. It is believed that the lower the water stream, the slower and better quality the tea is brewed. The result is the first true tea.
7. Mom Lin Gai is the repeated cleansing of blue from bubbles, foam and floating leaves. The Yixin is closed with a lid and after 30-60 seconds you can begin serving the ceremony participants.

Tea drinking is always hosted by the owner of the house. After the tea is brewed, it is poured into the so-called cup of justice, or Cha-Hai, where it is mixed and the flavor is evenly distributed. From Cha-Hai the drink is poured into bowls. First, the drink is served to the oldest guests, thereby expressing their respect and respect. The procedure for drinking tea directly can be repeated several times depending on what type of tea was used. If it is a high-quality oolong, then the fox is filled with water up to 6 times, and if it is pu-erh, then up to 10-16 times.

Clay yixin is the best vessel for brewing elite tea

When the bowl is brought to the mouth, etiquette allows for no more than three sips of tea. The first small one prepares the taste buds for perception. The second full one allows you to evaluate the taste, and the third, also small, is designed to form an aftertaste. Then the ritual is repeated until the liquid in the bowl runs out. If bowls with a volume of less than 50 ml are used, the entire drink can be drunk in 5 or 7 sips.

At the end of the ceremony, the host can lay out all the yin leaves and offer them to the guests for review and in order to show gratitude to them for the wonderful taste and pastime. After this, all the dishes are thoroughly rinsed with boiling water and left on Cha-Pani. No chemical antiseptics or detergents are used. After drying, the dishes are carefully polished with a linen cloth.

During the ceremony in China it is customary to communicate. This is a lively conversation on various topics, although not as active as at home or at work. A person subconsciously relaxes, and therefore his speech and thoughts are put in order, becoming unhurried and deep. It is not customary to bring up family problems in public, so the topic of conversation is usually abstract and positive.

Chinese traditions do not require frequent ceremony. Tea drinking, according to all national rules, is held on special occasions from weddings to birthdays. But in order to preserve traditions and unite loved ones and friends, weekly participation in the ceremony is considered the most correct.

Teaware

The utensils used for tea drinking are selected no less carefully than the tea leaves themselves. The greatest value is that which belongs to more than one generation of the family. In the era of emperors, one could tell by the dishes and their decor about the class to which its owner belonged. This was indicated by the colors of the dishes and the inscriptions on them. Traditionally, tableware for the tea ceremony in China is a set of:

• a cauldron in which soft spring water is heated to the desired temperature;
• a set of gaiwan, which is equal to the number of guests or a set of bowls and saucers;
• a teapot with an average volume of about 300 ml, in which the leaves are brewed - blue;
• bowls in which ready-made tea poured from yixing is mixed - cha-hai;
• a special Cha-hye box in which tea is offered to guests for review;
• Chapani - a stylized tray on which all the dishes are placed;
• strainer for blue;
• a porcelain spoon for removing bubbles and debris during the first and second brewing;
• a special bamboo spoon, with which the required amount of tea is measured.

The tea ceremony held in mainland China is different from that in Taiwan. The differences relate to some changes in the stages of tea drinking and the presence of additional devices in the teaware. But the essence and quality of the prepared drink remains unchanged.

Tea traditions

China is a country where family ties are especially revered. That is why there are such traditions as:

• family meeting;
• sign of respect;
• expression of gratitude;
• apology, etc.

Drinking tea together is a way to maintain strong family ties

At a wedding, to unite the whole family, the newlyweds serve a bowl of tea to each guest, thereby expressing their respect and respect for their relatives. In addition, the wedding ceremony serves as a unique way for the newlyweds to meet each other’s relatives, of whom there are sometimes a lot. In addition, an important point is that young people serve tea to their parents. They kneel down and present bowls with the best drink.

Parents, in turn, take bowls, drink tea and give their children a scarlet envelope, symbolizing good luck.

To express sincere regret, which can almost never be rejected, the tea ceremony is also used. The same applies to expressing gratitude. To reunite the family, parents and children have tea together at least occasionally, even when the families are far from each other. Such family meetings are held on Sundays in the parent's home or restaurant.

Drinking tea in China can be compared to meditation. This is a leisurely, relaxing ritual in which every movement is filled with meaning and is performed taking into account special rules. This is one of the most colorful national traditions, which is more than 5 hundred years old.

We drink tea everywhere - at home, at work, at a party, when we are cold, when it is hot, during business negotiations, when we watch a movie. As soon as we have a free minute, we run, put on the kettle, pour boiling water over the tea leaves, creating a drink without which it is difficult to imagine our everyday life. Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world.

Each country has its own traditions of tea consumption, but Chinese tea ceremonies are considered one of the most interesting.

The tea room must be prepared in a special way for the ceremony

How to brew tea for a tea ceremony

The tea master is responsible for carrying out the procedure; he prepares the tea and talks about its properties. It is the master who serves bowls of tea to the guests.

Green tea is most often used for the ceremony.

Tea is brewed in special bowls, the volume of which is 200-250 ml. They look like a bowl, but they expand greatly at the top and are closed with a lid.

The tea master pays special attention to water for tea.

It would seem that it would be so difficult to pour boiled water over tea leaves. But that was not the case: the Chinese pay attention to every little detail.

The readiness of water during boiling is determined by the special sound that the water makes while heating with the lid closed. The next step is to boil the water, but without a lid. By the appearance of the bubbles, the master can easily determine whether the water is ready.

The smallest bubbles are called “crawfish eye”, the larger ones “crab eye”, the largest “fish eye”.

If the water is under-boiled or over-boiled, the tea will be spoiled and it will not be able to reveal itself in all its glory.

After preparing the water, the master hands all the guests the tea lying in a special box so that the guests become familiar with the aroma. After that, he starts brewing the tea leaves.

Tea can only be stirred clockwise with a special object. When a water funnel is formed, a tea leaf is thrown into it. As soon as the leaves lie on the bottom of the teapot, the tea is ready.

The tea master will take care of the correct preparation of tea

The tea master serves each guest two bowls on a wooden stand.

One bowl is narrow, symbolizing a man, the other wide - a symbol of a woman.

First, the tea is poured into a bowl, covered with a bowl, then turned over sharply so as not to spill. Now you can drink the drink.

The ceremony should take place without haste, you should not shout or wave your arms. Guests can sit together for several hours; throughout the entire time, the master constantly monitors the drink. Tea leaves can withstand up to 10 brewings.

The tradition of “tea tournaments” is also practiced - a meeting of tea lovers, when a large number of varieties are put up for testing. Participants must determine the type of tea by aroma and taste.

The tea ceremony was created for human harmonization

Preserving the tea tradition

Today in China, great importance is attached to maintaining and preserving the traditions of the tea ceremony. For this purpose, there are various government organizations - the All-China Tea Society, the Chinese International Center for the Study of Tea Culture, the Chinese Tea Museum, and the Tea Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. More than 500 thousand tons of tea are consumed in this country every year. Thus, tea culture is the national heritage of the Celestial Empire.

Chinese tea ceremony

In the lives of Chinese people, tea has a special place, and drinking tea has completely turned into a separate art of the tea ceremony.

The Chinese prefer tea to other drinks even in the summer: it not only quenches thirst, but also helps improve immunity.

Tea ceremony in China - a little history

The appearance of tea is attributed to one of the main figures, the divine progenitor of the entire Chinese people, Shen Nun, whose name translated from Chinese means “Divine Tiller”. It was this hero who taught the people to plow the land, grow cereals, as well as medicinal and other useful plants.

Tradition says that Shen Nong had the head of a bull and a human body, while his belly was made of transparent jade. Shen Nong helped people treat ailments, and to do this he wandered around the country in search of medicinal plants, separating them from the often found poisonous ones. The healer tested the effect of the found herbs on himself. At the same time, he observed the effect of the eaten plant or its fruit on the body through his transparent belly. They say that one day he tried a new plant that was unfamiliar to him and as a result received severe poisoning. When he felt really bad, he lay down under an unfamiliar bush. Suddenly, dewdrops rolled from the leaves of the bush. Having swallowed this drop, the doctor felt a surge of strength and pleasant cheerfulness throughout his body.

From that time on, Shen Nong carried the leaves of this plant with him everywhere, using them as an antidote. And so it happened that he taught the entire Chinese people to drink tea as medicine.

In ancient times, tea was a drink for rich people. No one knows exactly when it became an everyday drink. At the same time, in the 1st century BC, tea was widespread and could already be purchased on the market. And from 618 to 907, the Chinese tea ceremony began to develop, and tea rooms were described for the first time

Over time, tea penetrated into Russia along the Great Silk Road. The literature reports that the Cossacks presented tea as a gift to the Russian Tsar in 1567. Russians were truly able to appreciate the fragrant drink already in the 19th century. It was then that the Russian tea ceremony was formed. We learned how to brew in the world famous Russian samovars.

In China, the tea ceremony is a whole ritual, where a certain order is followed when brewing a drink. The main goal of this action is to reveal the taste and aroma of tea, and haste is inappropriate here. The Chinese tea ceremony implies calm and tranquility. A special atmosphere is created by fancy items of tea utensils, elegant small-sized dishes, as well as pleasant quiet music - thanks to all these factors, it becomes possible to enjoy the unforgettable fragrant aroma of a tea drink and a long aftertaste, known throughout the world.

Features of the Chinese tea ritual

The tea ceremony in China is called gong fu cha: gong is the highest art, and cha is, of course, tea. The Chinese themselves attach special significance to the ritual. They have a skill that not everyone can master.

The Chinese ritual of tea drinking is considered one of the most mysterious and enigmatic in the whole world. This may be explained by the fact that the Chinese consider tea to be more than just a drink. For them, tea is a wise plant, which is given the ability to transmit the energy of life. To receive this energy, there are certain conditions that are summarized in the rules for the tea ceremony.

Special water requirements

The choice of water with which tea will be brewed is of decisive importance. It must be from a clean source. The most suitable is the one that has a sweetish taste and soft structure.

When preparing tea, boiling water is important. It does not need to be brought to a strong boil, because because of this, its own energy is lost. They say that water is considered to have boiled to the desired state for tea as soon as bubbles appear in it - it is not allowed to boil rapidly.

Sounds of music

Traditionally, before the ceremony begins, a person must cleanse himself and achieve a state of inner harmony and peace. That is why it takes place in a beautiful room and to the sounds of pleasant music, often bewitching and mystical. For the best effect, the tea ceremony master prefers to use the sounds of nature. This helps a person immerse himself in the depths of his soul and helps him better merge with nature.

What is customary to talk about at a tea ceremony?

During the tea ritual, people traditionally talk about the tea itself. In addition, an important element of the ceremony is showing respect for the tea deity and talking about him. Often, craftsmen place his figurine or image next to the tea utensils.

The internal state of those gathered

According to all canons, the ritual takes place in an atmosphere of goodness and harmony. While drinking tea, it is not customary to talk loudly, wave your arms or make noise. Full concentration helps you feel true pleasure from the drink and true happiness.

By the way, the tea ceremony in China requires the participation of 2 to 6 people. It is in this case that you can achieve an amazing atmosphere, called in tradition the contact of souls.

Interior for a tea ceremony

All those present are seated on straw mats laid on the floor. Soft pillows of a pleasant warm color are laid out around the guests. In the middle there is a table for tea, called a shepherd, about 10 cm high. It looks like a kind of wooden box. There are special holes in it where the remaining tea is poured, because in China, excess water speaks of abundance.

When all the basic principles of tea drinking are observed, the solemn moment of tea drinking itself begins.

So, Chinese tea party

The tea ceremony set is laid out in front of the guests. The utensils include: a teapot for brewing, a vessel called cha-hai, a tea box called cha-he, and a tea pair. All utensils for the tea ceremony should be made in the same style and not distract from the wonderful drink with their appearance.

First of all, the master pours the dry tea leaves into a cha-he - a special porcelain box, which is intended for studying the structure of tea and inhaling its aroma. All participants slowly pass it into each other’s hands and inhale the aroma. This ritual has another meaning - during the transfer of cha-he, those present become closer to each other.

After this, the gongfu cha master brews tea. The first boiling water poured is drained - this way the dust is washed off from the tea. But from the next pouring, every guest of the ceremony enjoys a miraculous drink.

It is placed on a tray in front of each participant. These are two cups, one of which is high and narrow (wenxiabei), designed to perceive the smell, and wide and low (chabei) - for enjoying the color and taste of tea. The second water is poured into tall cups after it has been in the teapot for about 30 seconds. Wensyabei is filled only ¾ full and immediately covered with a wide cup. After a while, remove the upper cup and, bringing the lower one to your nose, inhale the wonderful aroma of the resulting tea. It is important to concentrate and merge with the energy of the tea. They drink tea slowly, focusing on the sensations.

Tea is poured until the drink retains its color and aroma. With each new pour, the tea acquires different shades of smell and taste.

As a result, the tea ceremony gives peace, peace of mind and helps us forget about the bustle of our lives.

Tea ceremony in England

The UK is one of the world leaders in tea consumption per person. For the British, drinking tea is not just a habit, it is a ritual with its own established traditions. It emerged from the Five-o-clock Tea, characteristic of the British.

The traditional set for the tea ceremony among the British is a white or blue tablecloth without patterns, a vase with fresh white flowers. Tea pairs, with tea, a milk jug, a jug of milk, a strainer and a stand for it. In addition, you will need a sugar bowl (preferably with white and brown sugar), teaspoons, a fork and knife, and napkins to match the tablecloth.

Snacks are always served with tea - these are various versions of English pastries. Traditionally, guests can choose from 5-10 varieties of tea, with Lapsang Souchong, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Assam, and various tea blends being a must.

By the way, another important serving element is a quilted or woolen tea-cosy cover.

The tea ceremony in England has its own secret. When brewing tea, it is taken into account that it will no longer be diluted with boiling water in cups. This means that when brewing, tea leaves are put into the teapot based on the fact that there is 1 teaspoon of tea per person. If you use a large teapot, it is recommended to add 1 more spoon for everyone.

Then the tea is infused for 3-5 minutes and poured out to the guests. Immediately after this, you need to pour boiling water from a jug into the teapot (a feature of the tea ceremony is refilling the tea leaves) and cover it with tea-cozy to maintain the temperature. By the time you finish drinking the first cup, the second pour has time to brew. The kettle can be filled again, but each time the quality of the drink will deteriorate.

Traditionally, tea is drunk with milk, and tea is added to hot milk, and not vice versa.

Russian tea traditions

The tea ceremony in Moscow is a completely different tradition, very different from the rituals that have developed in the homeland of this drink. They say that when drinking tea, the Japanese enjoy tea utensils, the details of the ceremony, and their inner world. The tea ceremony in China - the enjoyment of taste and aroma - is valuable for the very fact of observing traditions, surroundings, and baked goods. And for Russians, the most important thing is the company gathered near the Russian samovar. Communication between all those present is valuable.

In Moscow they originally drank black tea. Boiling water is heated in a samovar, and a teapot is placed on top. The brew is made stronger than the tea that is ultimately drunk. The tea leaves are poured into the cups, and then boiling water from the samovar.

There are always baked goods on the table for tea,
lemon, sugar, jam and honey. The latter are most often eaten as a snack with tea or spread on bread. Often the cup is served with a “tea pair” - a saucer. Hot tea is poured into it from a cup and drunk.

Whatever the tea traditions of different nations, this drink is appreciated everywhere for its pleasant taste, delicate aroma and unusual properties.

Gongfu Cha (Kung Fu) is one of the national traditions that originated in ancient China. She can be called the ancestor of the tea ritual, which later spread throughout the world. This ceremony represents the highest level of tea making and tea drinking. The meaning of the ancient ritual is to appreciate the depth of taste, the richness of the aroma of the tea drink, enjoy it, and feel the subtleties of the aftertaste.

History of Gongfu Cha

The first mention of it occurs in the 1st-2nd centuries BC. Buddhist monks used a special ceremony to brew and drink tea. Later, the people of Chaozhou and Minnan revived the tradition and determined the main rules for brewing tea. Utensils appeared that became an integral part of the ritual.

During the Ming Dynasty, in the 14th century, the Gongfu Cha tea ceremony was fully formed. Important aspects were developed: ceremony process, content, speech, space. Tea master Feng Yan made an invaluable contribution to the development of the art of tea drinking. Under Emperor Qian Long, tea drinking became daily, since he believed that the sovereign could not go a day without tea. Exquisite tea ceremonies were held for important guests and ambassadors, and this is how Gongfu Cha became known in other countries of the world.

Utensils for the tea ceremony

True tea connoisseurs know that tableware plays a very important role in tea drinking culture. Each item has its own special role.

• A teapot or gaiwan. It is best to use a ceramic teapot made from Yixing clay. It retains heat for a long time, which is essential for brewing all types of oolongs and fully revealing the aroma of tea. Gaiwan is also suitable for this ceremony.
• Cha He. This is a small bowl that is used to introduce tea.
• Tea pairs Ping Ming Bei and Wian Xiang Bei. The first bowl is low, it is used for drinking tea. The second is high, from it you need to inhale the aroma of freshly brewed oolong, enjoying it. The tea pairs are united by a special stand - Cha Tou.
• Gundaobei or Cha Hai. Bowls are designed for pouring tea from a teapot so that the strength of the infusion is distributed evenly. The name "gundaobey" means "cup of justice."
• Cha Lui. A small strainer is used for straining to prevent small tea leaves from getting into the drink.
• Cha Ju tea tools. They are used only by real masters from China. A Chaxianlo funnel is used to pour tea into the teapot. To clean the spout of the kettle, use a special Chazan needle. There is also a Chacha tea scoop.
• Chachuan or Chachi. This is the name given to the vessel for feeding a kettle or gaiwan with hot water.
• Tea brush Yang Hu Bi.
• Shepherd. Chinese tray-table, which is necessary to place dishes and utensils for brewing tea on it.
• Thermos with hot water.

Specifics of the tea ceremony

The Gongfu Cha tea ceremony is suitable for brewing high-mountain oolongs, and rarely pu-erh. You can use such types of oolongs as Dong Ding, Tie Guan Yin, Feng Huang Dan Tsun, Da Hong Pao and others. The main requirement is the absence of additives and flavorings. For those who decide to hold a tea ceremony on their own, you need to ensure that the tea is the best. The higher the grade of tea, the healthier it is. The raw materials for elite tea varieties are grown high in the mountains, they are collected and prepared by hand by professional pickers.

The Chinese have special requirements for water. The skill of selecting water was passed on by craftsmen from generation to generation. The water should be free of foreign odors so as not to spoil the taste of the amazing drink. Soft water is not suitable for ceremony; it has little earth spirit, according to the Chinese. Spring water is an ideal option; it is extracted from the very heart of the earth, therefore it can revive and spiritualize a tea drink.

Water can only be boiled once; heating it again destroys all its beneficial properties. Only an experienced technician can determine whether the water is heated sufficiently. When brewing oolong, the water temperature should be 95°C, for pu-erh - 100°C. The Chinese do not use a thermometer, determining the temperature visually. It is believed that if the water forms bubbles 3 mm in size, the temperature has reached 75-85°. This state of water is called "crab eyes". If the bubbles became larger (up to 8 mm) and muffled sounds of boiling appeared (the sound of the wind in the pine trees), the temperature rose to the “fish eyes” state, that is, to 90-95 ° C.

Gongfu Cha Ceremony Process

The ceremony takes place in several stages, each of which is very important. Compliance with all the rules will allow you to get a divine drink.

Preparation

It is necessary to prepare all the utensils necessary for the ritual. Boil water and pour into a well-heated thermos. The volume of water should correspond to the number of tea party participants. All dishes need to be heated by pouring boiling water into them and leaving for 15 seconds.

Brewing

The tea master who conducts the ceremony shows the tea leaves to the guests, then pours them into the teapot or gaiwan, closes it and shakes it. After this, you can open the lid to smell the subtle aroma of moistened leaves. After this, boiling water is poured in and the kettle is closed again. This is done to wash the leaves. The water will flow into the chabani tray or into a special vessel. Dust and small impurities are removed, the tea leaves are washed and slightly swollen.

To additionally heat the kettle, hot water from the bowls is poured onto it. After the tea leaves have been washed, you need to immediately brew the tea again. It doesn’t take much time, after 30 seconds the brewed infusion is poured into Wyang Xiang Bei and covered with Ping Ming Bei. Both cups are turned over and placed on Cha Tou. After enjoying the aroma of tea from a tall cup, you can drink the drink from a low bowl in small sips. When properly brewed and used, high-quality tea should leave a deep, enveloping aftertaste in your mouth.

Completion

The master, having opened the teapot, allows guests to smell the aroma of tea leaves. Just smell the lid, which has absorbed the delicate sweetish aroma of oolong. Thus, the quality of the tea is confirmed. The brewing process can be continued, increasing the infusion time each time. Chinese oolong can withstand up to 8 brews, each time revealing a new taste and aroma. At the end of the tea ceremony, the master takes tea leaves out of the teapot, demonstrating to those present the size of the opened leaves and their aroma. This is also a kind of tribute to the tea itself and the tea master. The dishes are thoroughly washed and dried until the next ceremony.

The Chinese tea ceremony takes place in a leisurely atmosphere; it helps you forget about the everyday hustle and bustle, relax, and find harmony. Regular tea parties, held among people of different ages, help preserve the traditions that make up the great Chinese heritage.