Another interesting thing about "tea syrup" - or, in this case "tea
concentrate" is also from Russian prison culture.
Very strong tea is being slowly evaporated (preferably without boiling)
into a tarry substance with which different garments are saturated and dried
and then brought inside the prison. Also loose tea is brought into prisons
inside sutures of shirts, raw cotton-filled winter garments, etc.

Dry loose black tea is one of the most valuable items in Russian prisons
(probably the most valuable) and it would take me hundreds of pages to
describe the full process of making chifir, distribution of "seconds" tea -
tea used once and "thirds" tea between major classes of inmates
(thieves-in-law being on the top and homosexuals being on the bottom), etc.
Tea is hold to such a high esteem in such places that prisoners of Georgian
origin, as I was told, have some special privileges because "the are from
where tea grows".
Tea culture in Russian criminal system somehow was never described in
languages other than Russian (as far as I know) and I do not feel like I
know it good enough to break the silence.
Suffice to say that even so that a prisoner is entitled to buy small amount
of tea every month from an inside prison shop, if he does not belong to two
upper layers of prison inmates he has to voluntarily give up dry tea and
later will be given the back the "seconds". Another thing is that tea making
(because of chifir-making) is absolutely forbidden in Russian prisons and
guards assault the inmates of the cell in which they suspect such activity
with force and dogs. Any found tea is confiscated and perpetrators severely
punished by isolation in single "cold" cells.
Tea can be quite a brutal business....

Sorry if this is too off-topic...

Sasha.


"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
t...
> Dear Leo -
>
> This group is mainly occupied by passionate tea lovers and what you're
> describing may (in this group tradition) ironically epitomise exactly the
> opposite - what we would call a tea murder
> Even allowing tea to boil in general is considered to be a no-no, boiling
> tea down would be like burining a flag or something The only tradition
> of boiling tea for a prolonged period of time I know of is an old Russian
> prison tradition of making "chifir" - a very concentrated (1 glass of
> water per approx 3 ounces of tea) black tea boiled for several minutes
> into an almost untolerably bitter drink that brings a special
> mind-wandering and hallucinating effect. No sugar is used because sugar
> is currency in such places, not a tea sweetener.
>
> However one of the principals of the tea culture is acceptance of any
> legal way of enjoying tea, so if you finally find the recipy (why not
> experimenting yourself?) please, tell us.
>
> Sasha.
>
>
> "Leo B" > wrote in message
> ...
> In the 60's and 70's my Mother and Aunt made tea syrup.They would boil a
> pound of tea with sugar or sacrin. Then you could keep it in the Frig in
> a jar and make one glass at a time or use it for hot teas also.
>
> Does anyone know exactly how to make it ? If you do please email
> me the recipe. Thank you....Leo
>