Sbitenshchik

Sbitenshchik (Russian: сбитенщик) was a sbiten vendor (sbiten – a hot winter Russian traditional drink) in old Russia. The tradition began in 12th century.

The comic opera "The Sbiten Vendor" ("Сбитенщик – Sbitenshchik") by Yakov Knyazhnin with music by French composer Jean Bullant, 1783, was very popular in 18-19th centuries in Russia.

Quotations

“On the lower floor there were shops with horse-collars, ropes, and cracknels, etc., and in the corner shop, or rather at its window, sat a sbiten seller, with a samovar of red copper, and a face as red as his samovar.” ("Gogol, “Dead Souls”, 1837-1838, Chapter I")

External links

* [http://www.goldmoscow.com/default/text7eng/arch254.htm gOLD Moscow]