Sbitenshchik (Russian: сбитенщик) was a

sbiten Sbiten (russian: сбитень) or vzvar (взвар) is a traditional East Slavic ( Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian) hot winter beverage. It has a dark purple appearance and, depending on the recipe, can be very spicy and/or very sweet. It used ...

vendor and was spread in Old Rus' regions of Novgorod, Kiev, Moscow and other Rus' cities and regions. The vendor was used for the preparation and serving of the traditional honey-based beverage sbiten in Rus' that has been around since the 12th century. The vendor was normally used in winter as the drink was prepared in wintertime. Sbitenshchik was used in Rus' principalities often on the streets to cook the drink and to sell it to the freezing people. The vendor is documented in the Russian

Lubok A ''lubok'' (plural ''lubki'', Cyrillic: russian: лубо́к, лубо́чная картинка) is a Russian popular print, characterized by simple graphics and narratives derived from literature, religious stories, and popular tales. Lubki ...

prints. ''Sbitenshchik'' became 1783 the main theme of the popular comic opera ''The Sbiten Vendor'' by

Yakov Knyazhnin Yakov Borisovich Knyazhnin (russian: Я́ков Бори́сович Княжни́н, November 3, 1742 or 1740, Pskov – January 1, 1791, St Petersburg) was Russia's foremost tragic author during the reign of Catherine the Great. Knyazhnin's cont ...

with music by Czech composer

Antoine Bullant Antoine Bullant, also Anton Bullandt (russian: Антон Булландт or Антуан Бюлан, 9 February 1751 in Mělník, Bohemia – 25 S 13June 1821 St Petersburg) was a Czech musician ( bassoon player) and opera composer that ...

References

{{Reflist Teaware Boilers (cookware) Russian culture