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m Substantiated origin of smoky character of Russian Caravan tea.
Changing short description from "Blend of black teas transported to Europe by caravans" to "Blend of black teas transported by caravans"
 
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{{Short description|Blend of black teas transported by caravans}}
'''Russian Caravan''' is a blend of [[oolong]], [[Keemun tea|keemun]], and [[lapsang souchong]] teas, all produced from ''[[Camellia sinensis]]''<ref>
'''Russian Caravan''' is a blend of [[oolong]], [[Keemun tea|keemun]], and [[lapsang souchong]] [[tea]]s.<ref>
Species allocated to genus in Otto Kuntze, ''Trudy Imperatorskago S. Peterburgskago Botaničeskago Sada'' '''10''' (1887): 195.</ref>
the Chinese tea plant. It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty, and smoky taste. Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, and thus have a less smoky flavor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtea.com/russiancaravan-2.aspx|title=British Tea|website=British Tea}}</ref> Traditionally the smoky character was considered to have been imparted to the tea by the close proximity of the camel caravans to countless [https://greysteas.co.uk/origins-russian-caravan-tea/ camp fires] en route across the Mongolian Steppes to Russia.
Species allocated to genus in Otto Kuntze, ''Trudy Imperatorskago S. Peterburgskago Botaničeskago Sada'' '''10''' (1887): 195.</ref> It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty, and smoky taste. Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, and thus have a less smoky flavor, while others include [[assam tea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtea.com/russiancaravan-2.aspx|title=British Tea|website=British Tea}}</ref> Traditionally the smoky character was considered to have been imparted to the tea by the close proximity of the camel caravans to countless camp fires en route across the [[Mongolia]]n Steppes to Russia.<ref>[https://greysteas.co.uk/origins-russian-caravan-tea/ Origins of Russian Caravan tea]</ref>


Although a Chinese [[tea]],<ref>"More exotic sounding is Russian Caravan tea – named after the camel caravan that brought China tea to Europe along the [[Siberian Route|silk and spice trade route]] – a blend of China tea."
Although a [[Chinese tea]],<ref>"More exotic sounding is Russian Caravan tea – named after the camel caravan that brought China tea to Europe along the [[Siberian Route|silk and spice trade route]] – a blend of China tea."
Susan Cohen, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=dxl7EMm8kY4C&pg=PA20 Where to Take Tea]: A Guide to Britain's Best Tearooms'', ([[New Holland Publishers]], 2008), p. 20.</ref> its name originates from the 18th century [[camel train|camel caravan]]s that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the [[Siberian Route|six-thousand-mile journey]] from the Chinese border to the populated regions of European Russia, and the voyage was harsh."<ref>Sarah Elizabeth Murray, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=YAWRD86pYvwC&pg=PA145 Moveable Feasts]: From Ancient Rome to the 21st Century, the Incredible Journeys of the Food We Eat'', ([[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]], 2007), pp. 145–146.</ref>
Susan Cohen, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=dxl7EMm8kY4C&pg=PA20 Where to Take Tea]: A Guide to Britain's Best Tearooms'', ([[New Holland Publishers]], 2008), p. 20.</ref> its name originates from the 18th century [[camel train|camel caravan]]s that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the [[Siberian Route|six-thousand-mile journey]] from the Chinese border to the populated regions of European Russia, and the voyage was harsh."<ref>Sarah Elizabeth Murray, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=YAWRD86pYvwC&pg=PA145 Moveable Feasts]: From Ancient Rome to the 21st Century, the Incredible Journeys of the Food We Eat'', ([[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]], 2007), pp. 145–146.</ref>
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
The southern route by [[Odessa]] is far cheaper, but the tea is supposed to suffer in flavour in its transit through the tropical seas, while it improves in its passage through the cold dry climate of [[Mongolia]] and [[Siberia]], by losing that unpleasant taste of firing [whereby tea was dried using direct heat]. As Russian epicures believe that a peculiar delicacy of flavor is imparted to it by the slight moisture it absorbs when nightly unloaded and placed on the snow-covered steppes, the enhanced price it commands compensates for the greater expense and difficulty of its carriage by this route.<ref>
The southern route by [[Odessa]] is far cheaper, but the tea is supposed to suffer in flavour in its transit through the tropical seas, while it improves in its passage through the cold dry climate of [[Mongolia]] and [[Siberia]], by losing that unpleasant taste of firing [whereby tea was dried using direct heat]. As Russian epicures believe that a peculiar delicacy of flavor is imparted to it by the slight moisture it absorbs when nightly unloaded and placed on the snow-covered steppes, the enhanced price it commands compensates for the greater expense and difficulty of its carriage by this route.<ref>
''[[Dublin Review (Catholic periodical)|The Dublin Review]]'' (1888), part I, p.422.</ref>
''[[Dublin Review (Catholic periodical)|The Dublin Review]]'' (1888), part I, p.422.</ref>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>


Anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires. Only the [[lapsang souchong]] (if present) in the blend, however, is actually smoke-dried. Some blends use yunnan black tea, together with keemun and lapsang souchong to achieve full bodied, strong copper colored, smoky, and heavy flavored tea with a smooth and mellow aftertaste.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brooklynteablends.com/|title=Brooklyn Tea Blends Co. - Real Gentleman's Tea - New York - Chicago - Seattle -|website=brooklynteablends.com}}</ref>
Anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires. Only the [[lapsang souchong]] (if present) in the blend, however, is actually smoke-dried. Some blends use yunnan black tea, together with keemun and lapsang souchong to achieve full bodied, strong copper colored, smoky, and heavy flavored tea with a smooth and mellow aftertaste.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brooklynteablends.com/|title=Brooklyn Tea Blends Co. - Real Gentleman's Tea - New York - Chicago - Seattle -|website=brooklynteablends.com}}</ref>


== Notes and references ==
== References ==


{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
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[[Category:Blended tea]]
[[Category:Blended tea]]
[[Category:China–Russian Empire relations]]

{{tea-stub}}

Latest revision as of 09:05, 7 February 2024

Russian Caravan is a blend of oolong, keemun, and lapsang souchong teas.[1] It is described as an aromatic and full-bodied tea with a sweet, malty, and smoky taste. Some varieties do not include lapsang souchong, and thus have a less smoky flavor, while others include assam tea.[2] Traditionally the smoky character was considered to have been imparted to the tea by the close proximity of the camel caravans to countless camp fires en route across the Mongolian Steppes to Russia.[3]

Although a Chinese tea,[4] its name originates from the 18th century camel caravans that facilitated the transcontinental tea trade from tea-producing areas (namely India, Ceylon and China) to Europe via Russia. "It took at least half a year to make the six-thousand-mile journey from the Chinese border to the populated regions of European Russia, and the voyage was harsh."[5]

The southern route by Odessa is far cheaper, but the tea is supposed to suffer in flavour in its transit through the tropical seas, while it improves in its passage through the cold dry climate of Mongolia and Siberia, by losing that unpleasant taste of firing [whereby tea was dried using direct heat]. As Russian epicures believe that a peculiar delicacy of flavor is imparted to it by the slight moisture it absorbs when nightly unloaded and placed on the snow-covered steppes, the enhanced price it commands compensates for the greater expense and difficulty of its carriage by this route.[6]

Anecdotal evidence had it that during the camel caravan journeys, the teas took on the smoky taste of the campfires. Only the lapsang souchong (if present) in the blend, however, is actually smoke-dried. Some blends use yunnan black tea, together with keemun and lapsang souchong to achieve full bodied, strong copper colored, smoky, and heavy flavored tea with a smooth and mellow aftertaste.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Species allocated to genus in Otto Kuntze, Trudy Imperatorskago S. Peterburgskago Botaničeskago Sada 10 (1887): 195.
  2. ^ "British Tea". British Tea.
  3. ^ Origins of Russian Caravan tea
  4. ^ "More exotic sounding is Russian Caravan tea – named after the camel caravan that brought China tea to Europe along the silk and spice trade route – a blend of China tea." Susan Cohen, Where to Take Tea: A Guide to Britain's Best Tearooms, (New Holland Publishers, 2008), p. 20.
  5. ^ Sarah Elizabeth Murray, Moveable Feasts: From Ancient Rome to the 21st Century, the Incredible Journeys of the Food We Eat, (Macmillan, 2007), pp. 145–146.
  6. ^ The Dublin Review (1888), part I, p.422.
  7. ^ "Brooklyn Tea Blends Co. - Real Gentleman's Tea - New York - Chicago - Seattle -". brooklynteablends.com.

Further reading

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