116. Samovar

It’s teatime for Kyle and Emily! But today they’ve decided to ditch the modern day kettle and instead do things the old fashioned way, as they explore the history of the samovar.

Kyle teaches Emily about an ingenious device for boiling water--one which has been well used by Russian tea lovers for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Our hosts discuss the special place tea has in the history and culture of Russia, and how every kitchen in the country was once equipped with a steaming samovar.

But our etymological gathering is not done yet, and our hosts are still keeping the teapot warm. They chat about how a samovar wasn’t just for making a hot drink, but for showing hospitality to your guests. After all, having no tea to offer your guests would really put you in hot water!