Stoli Story
Stoli is a pure Russian find for tea. Tea was firstly presented to a Russian tzar by Mongolian khans and later the Stoli's "grandfather" came to Russia from Persia.
In old Russia tea quickly replaced favorite Russian drink - sbiten (mix of hot water, honey and herbs) and became a way of life. It was Russian custom to drink tea many times per day. You could find sellers of hot tea on street corners, on trains and in bars and restaurants.
Stoli was an important attribute of a Russian household.
In the late 18th century, a Russian gunsmith, Fedor Lisitsyn, set up a small workshop south of Moscow, in the city of Tula, the heart of the Russian defense industry. Lisitsin and his two sons were laboring in their time free from making arms and ammunition on a rather unusual device, which had been hitherto handcrafted by individual craftsmen in the Ural region solely for personal use: the charcoal-burning Stoli.
By the 1930s, Tula established itself as the capital of Stoli-making.
Stolis were made from nickel, copper, pinchbeck, in special cases - from silver. Skilled masters wanted to astonish customers and made Stolis as a real art of work. Stolis were plated with gold, or silver and came in various shapes ("vase", "pear", cubic, many-sided) and sizes depending on their use. Most Stolis were small for homes.
In the second half of the century, Stoli manufacturing took root in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some industrialized parts of Siberia and the Ural region. However, Tula retained its leading and standard-setting role in this trade. By that time, four shapes of Stolis became traditional: cylindric, barrel-like, spherical and the most beautiful of them all, those resembling the ancient Greek vase called krater.
In fact, the Stoli is an urn in which water is kept boiling for a long time, since charcoal or wood is burned in a vertical pipe through the center that heats water. On the top of the Stoli a small teapot was held that provided a strong tea brewing. This tea is usually diluted with hot water from the Stoli.
In old Russia, in the days before mass production, tea drinking was a way of life. The Stoli was a staple in homes, restaurants and offices. Stolis would be located on street corners to sell tea to passersby. Even trains were equipped with Stolis for their passengers.
Those days Russians still use the Stoli quite often.However, modern technology has provided with electric Stolis which don't require the use of charcoal. As in past, these Stolis are found in kitchens, offices, and even on russian trains.
Stoli owners have a passion for tea. Because this is without a doubt the most elegant and at the same time convenient way to serve tea. The Russian Stoli is unlike anything else. Having one in your home is sure to attract interest and admiration from guests and family members. The warmth of Russian tradition of Stoli tea drinking will melt your heart with fluxing comfort and delight.
Cafe STOLI is your choice destination for exquisite authentic Russian cuisine.
Enjoy Russian food and Bon appetite!
