Tea Time, Anytime

It's a myth that tea is only a good old English tradition. Drinking tea runs deep within the cultural roots of many world cultures. Russians, too, consider tea time their national tradition. A cup of aromatic, hot tea is absolutely the centerpiece of the Russian dining table. Black or green, before or after a meal, with or without sugar, Russians just like many other nations drink a lot of tea.

Coming from Russia, I would like to share the Russian tea tradition and the secret of making that strong flavorful tea at home. I learned how to brew good tea when I was still in high school, as my family always loved making freshly brewed tea and trying different tea flavors. Brewing tea is a routine, a sacred ceremony, and always an intricate process.


I would like to take you through this beautiful ritual of brewing aromatic and tasteful tea. Although certain steps of the process are absolutely mandatory, don't be afraid to experiment with different teas to create your favorite tea flavor, just the way you like it.

To brew a fine cup of tea, you will need:
1. loose whole leaf tea
2. a ceramic teapot (this is a must because ceramic retains heat well)
3. boiling hot water
4. a sense of what kind of tea you like: strong or not so strong

Follow these steps precisely to achieve a delicious taste:
1. Bring plenty of cold water to a rolling boil (you should see steam when it's boiling);
2. Pour some boiling water into the teapot to preheat it for a couple of minutes (cover with the lid right away). This step is essential for a good tasting tea as the water and the teapot need to be very hot;
3. After you can feel that the teapot is hot, pour the water out and proceed to the next step right away;
4. Add tea leaves to the teapot, or a strainer if your teapot has it;
5. Pour still very hot water over the tea leaves, and be sure to close the lid immediately. Infuse to taste (at the very least let it brew for 2 minutes);
6. Pour the steaming tea into a cup and let it cool for a moment.

As for how much loose tea you need per tea pot, it depends on the kind of tea you are making - black, green, oolong, or white. Generally speaking, you will need one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup of tea. For example, if you are making 4 cups of tea, the right proportion would be 3-4 full teaspoons of tea for 4 cups of water. See the directions on the tea package, or experiment by brewing for a couple of minutes first and continue steeping longer if you want a deeper taste. One word of caution though - don't overbrew it!

You will be surprised to discover that if you infuse your tea for a longer period of time, the taste will change with every minute. If you let it brew for too long, the tea will be very strong and even bitter. In Russia, the method of making tea is a little different. First, you brew very strong, concentrated tea called zavarka, and then you pour some of it into the cup and add hot water to it. I would not recommend it as a preferred way of making it; it's just another way.

Every time you make tea, it will have a unique taste and flavor, but that's what makes each cup of tea one of a kind.

This is one of my favorite teas - a blend of the black tea and herbal tea called carcade in Russian, or hibiscus flower tea. 

These red hibiscus blossoms (on the right) produce a delightfully refreshing and juicy taste, and mixing hibiscus petals with the black tea leaves creates a bold and invigorating taste with a hint of berry and citrus. You will also enjoy the ruby red color of this tea blend.

To make a full pot of this tea, I used 3 teaspoons of black tea and 2 teaspoons of hibiscus full-leaf tea. I brewed it in boiling hot water for about 5-6 minutes.

I very much recommend you try it!

And if you want to wow your guests, make some Russian crepes to serve with the tea.