Anybody know about Russian tea?

Indeed...............famous Rusian Tea Room, in New York City. Born and raised New Yorker here.

Next time you make yourself a cup of tea.......in anything.............try this.......pick up the cup, glass or mug, from the bottom.

Pretty hot right.....? after a few seconds, it will probably start to burn a little. Now try picking up the same exact mug, cup or glass, from the upper part, above the hot water line.

Toasty, but tolerable. Also, heat transference plays a role....a lot of people will put their hands around the glass or mug, to warm their hands, absorbing some of the heat . And the longer a cup of tea sits.....the cooler it gets.

A combination of all this, makes drinking tea in glasses possible.... but truly not the best way,

I figure Russia is cold.........and they wanted the tea to stay hotter as long as possible, so used glasses.

Same way Asians drink tea in those small teacups that don't have handles:

Don't completely fill the glass (or cup.) Then grab the glass at the top, above the level of the tea. It'll still be warm but not too hot so you can pick it up, take a sip and put it down.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p...

By the way, nobody drinks tea in glasses at homes or at restaurants in Russia (everybody uses normal cups) and never did.

It is served this way exclusively in the trains. Every year they issue new glass holders (different railway companies produce their own designs). These holders are collectable items.

Maybe he's telling us the Jewish custom and you're both right. Anyway, you're Russian.