January 03, 2019

New Year, New Coffee


New Year, New Coffee

Most people will associate Russia and Russians with tea, and yes, there is a long tradition of tea-drinking in Russia. Yet coffee is not some sort of Ivan-Come-Lately to Mother Russia.

Einem Coffee
Ad for Einem Coffee

Historically, the tradition of coffee-drinking in Russia begins in the era of Peter the Great. He "discovered" coffee while on his “Great Mission” in Holland, became fond of it, and brought the drink to Russia in the beginning of eighteenth century. (It has been argued, however, that coffee first made its appearance at the Kievan court of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, and that it was recommended by a court doctor under Alexei Mikhailovich in 1665.)

At first, the court noblemen (or “boyars”) called this “outlandish pot” a “smut syrup”. Peter, however, urged them “not to cast aspersions on the praiseworthy drink.” So, little by little, coffee caught on. The first coffee house in Russia was opened in 1720, in St. Petersburg’s Peter and Paul Fortress and was called “Chetyre Fregata” (“Four Frigates”).

In celebration of the New Year and 299 years of Russian coffee tradition, Russian Life, in collaboration with Brave Coffee Company, created a special, limited-run Dark Russian blend. We were on hand for its roasting and packaging yesterday in Waterbury Center.

 

Scenes from the Coffee Roasting

If you would like to try Brave’s coffee, they offer a full line of microblend coffees to suit any taste, and have a great subscription plan where you can have organic, fresh coffee beans delivered to your home every month. Tell them Peter the Great sent you!

You Might Also Like

The Siberian Tea Road
  • May 01, 2013

The Siberian Tea Road

The Great Siberian Tea Road, a historic and legendary route that once connected China and Siberia with European Russia, was one of the world’s longest trade arteries. We retrace its path, geographically and culturally.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955