/ What is a samovar page 13

The device of the samovar

Sbitennik, or samovar-kettle

These vessels are something between the samovar and the kettle. They were made in the form of round kettles, with a heating pipe-brazier inside and holes-podduvalami in the lower part of the body. Used to boil water, and to prepare an old Russian drink - sbitnia. There was a time when sbiten was the most popular drink in Russia. Street vendors with kettles hot sbitnya imprinted in popular prints and in porcelain figurines of the early XIX century.

To prepare sbitnya, scented herbs (sage, St. John's wort, valerian, mint, oregano) were boiled in boiling water, honey and spices were added. Drank sbiten only hot. In order to trade hot sbitem at fairs, bazaars, on the streets, in the sbitennik arranged a heating pipe. Such sbitenniki were distributed in the late XVIII - early XIX centuries, later they were replaced by special samovars for street trading.

Handles were made on hinges, with wooden chiseled details. With the help of such pens "kitchens" it was convenient to rearrange or transfer from place to place. At one time samovars-"kitchens" were indispensable in taverns and in inns all over Russia.

To prepare sbitnya, scented herbs (sage, St. John's wort, valerian, mint, oregano) were boiled in boiling water, honey and spices were added. Drank sbiten only hot. In order to trade hot sbitem at fairs, bazaars, on the streets, in the sbitennik arranged a heating pipe. Such sbitenniki were spread in the late XVIII - early XIX centuries, later they were replaced by special samovars for street trading.

Street merchants sbitnem usually, except sbitennik, wore a wide belt with pockets in which were inserted glasses or mugs, and over the shoulder - a few bundles of sheep or bagels.

Sbiten was also worn in specially made narrow vessels with strongly spaced noses. To preserve the heat, this vessel was wrapped with rags. In the second half of the nineteenth century, sbinth was already traded from ordinary samovars, set on the table directly on the street.

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