The tea-samovar of an earlier period could also be used for tea drinking and for making sbitnia. The tea-samovar did not come out of use during the entire 19th and early 20th centuries. But its shape and individual parts of the structure changed. Beginning in the thirties and forties of the 19th century, oval and octagonal shapes in the cross section become common. The inner tube-brazier moves from the center to the side, the handle is fixed motionless on the opposite wall to the wall. These boilers were used mainly at home. Gradually the sbiten went out of use, and the vessel for making sbitnya completely "re-qualified" for tea. He had a crane, legs and arms "grew". This was a reaction to the high cost of tea: the brewer could repeatedly pour boiling water and "chase" the teas, though only slightly tinted and almost odorless.

Sbitb Recipe

For 6 liters of water, take 300 grams of honey, 700 grams of molasses, 5-10 grams of spices (cinnamon, cloves, hops and mint), boil water, add all the ingredients and boil for another 30 minutes.

Perhaps it was such a shot that was once traded at fairs, loudly calling customers: "Do not drink a mug, but drink a shot on a half-pint!".

So why is it that the samovar, and not the kettle, became the main companion of tea drinking? There were several reasons for this: firstly, the samovar is convenient because of the rapidity of ignition and the rather short cooking time of boiling water. To melt a wood stove and heat it with the same amount of water, it would take much more fuel, time and effort. Secondly, the tea-drinking from the samovar also provided some aesthetic pleasure - a radiant copper or brass handsome samovar undoubtedly decorated the tea table, and could also demonstrate a certain material wealth Family, and his elegant style, intricate details (or, conversely, simple and uncomplicated) gave an idea of the tastes and preferences of the mistress; And most importantly, the samovar was ideally suited for cooking boiling water for tea.

In the first half of the XIX century the journey was a long and tedious business. Not only the famous Russian roads and robbers, but also bad food, and often the absence of it at postal stations, were a real disaster for travelers. Post stations were located at a distance of 18-25 miles from each other. Hotels and taverns were available only at the stations of the first and second categories, which were built in provincial and district cities. At stations 3-4 classes with small settlements, travelers could only offer a crumpled and uncleaned samovar, and woe to someone who did not stock up on provisions and own road samovar.