Putin Is Absolutely Correct: Russophobia Is Real!

As Russia’s czar, he expresses his hatred for his people in ways the masses are denied

There is something very special about having tea in a Russian household — especially in the wilds of Russia’s countryside. Tea is not just some leaves in a bag steeped in hot water; it is truly an institution in Russia. It’s a way of life and something I thoroughly enjoyed when in Russia and miss today while living ex-Russia.

Spread out on a table, anywhere between three and ten little dishes will be scattered in no particular order and filled with homemade jams, nuts, cookies, and sometimes even slices of sausage, cheese, and bread, a table prepared properly for tea groans under the weight of the offerings. The best teas are those that have been pulled together throughout the year at the dacha: dandelions, raspberry leaves, rose petals, and any odd assortment of herbs and spices that most of us in the U.S. would never give a second glance can become an afternoon wiled away sipping slowly on tea in Russia.

These tea moments in Russia are ones that I truly cherished over the years I lived there. Occasionally, a tea sitting would be rounded out by a shot or two of homemade liqueur or vodka. In Ukraine, they drink tea similarly but with a little less gusto. I found that…