The Tatar tea culture

The history of Tatar tea is deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Tatarstan, where it has become a traditional and familiar beverage. The study of Tatar tea history has been ongoing, with ethnographer Ruslan Bushkov being a key specialist in traditional beverages in Tatarstan.

Kazan played a crucial role in introducing tea to Russia and Europe, acting as the gateway for this beloved beverage. The Great Silk Road is often discussed by scholars, but it turns out there was also a Great Tea Road. This route, established in the 17th-18th centuries, passed through Kazan. Tatars were among the first in Russia to become acquainted with this drink, often brought by Tatar merchants from East Turkestan and Bukhara, where it came from China and India. Tatar families held a special reverence for tea, and the quality of tea symbolized the hospitality of the hostess.

In Tatarstan, tea is brewed in a separate teapot, and the infusion is poured into the cup (over herbs, if preferred so), then diluted with boiling water. Tatar tea ceremonies are sometimes confused with English ones, as both traditions involve drinking tea with milk. However, this is incorrect, as the addition of milk in England initially aimed to protect porcelain from cracking, while in Tatarstan, it was solely for taste since porcelain was not widespread. 

Tea was initially an elitist beverage. Loose-leaf tea was a luxury affordable only to the wealthy—nobility, clergy, and merchants. This type of tea was served to Empress Catherine the Great when she visited Kazan. The common people, on the other hand, consumed what was known as taqta çəy – black tea pressed into bricks. It was transported in large quantities along the "Tea Route". This type of tea had a rather bitter and intense taste, so it was often diluted with milk. Tatar tea-drinking culture involved freshly brewed boiling hot tea, the milk being added last, in a warmed form, to avoid reducing the temperature in the cup.

To "prolong the taste" of the tea, it began to be blended with herbs. The most traditional tea herbs in Tatarstan are considered to be mәtrüşkә (type of oregano), currant leaves, lemon balm, and mint. Sage and lavender are also added. These herbs didn't naturally grow in Tatarstan, but during the 17th-18th centuries, merchants, covering vast distances to bring tea to the region, traversed many lands and acquired various herbs along the way, introducing many plants to Tatarstan.

Nowadays, it is important not to drink tea brewed the day before, and, of course, no tea bags! Modern Tatars tend to prefer black teas, but Ruslan Bushkov notes the diversity of choices. He recounts an encounter with a woman in a Tatar village who brewed tea using only leaves from medicinal herbs that grew in her village. She insisted on using water from local springs, reinforcing the idea that good tea loves good water, enhancing both the health benefits and taste of the drink.

It's worth noting that this historical context adds layers of cultural exchange and adaptation, showcasing how Tatars incorporated different traditions into their own, creating a unique blend of tea culture with influences from both Asia and Europe.

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R. Bushkov "A Bouquet of Beverages from Tatarstan"