Bizarre Russian Foods

[peacetraveler22]

Remember my post about the Ukrainian market? I wrote there that I love food and my position hasn't changed. In America, we're getting ready to enter the most delicious time of year. We'll celebrate Christmas in less than two weeks. For my family, this means big gatherings and feasts. I can't really say I love Russian food. During my visits I tried some local cuisine, but didn't like most of it. I'm a very picky eater, not liking fish, seafood or a lot of meat. Recently on a popular U.S. website there was an article entitled "17 Bizarre Foods Every Russian Grew Up With." Maybe you'll find it amusing. I picked the most interesting dishes from the list and I've tasted a lot of the items. For me, the most disgusting delicacies are all the food molds stuffed with meats, herring and other treats. Like this photo, where the dish is called "herring under fur coat." :)

1. Olivye salad. I tasted this last New Year's eve. I don't like mayonnaise, so I can't eat it. I never put dressing on anything, or even ketchup, mustard or other condiments. I eat most things plain.



2. Salo. I think this is now more closely associated with Ukraine. I tasted it in Kyiv - ah, chewy fat! Not to my liking. I eat a lot of chicken and steak and all fat must be trimmed. I know some people enjoy this part of the meat but it gags me.



3. Kvas. You can easily find this in America, but the taste is too strong for me. During my recent trip to Russia, I tasted birch beer for the first time. Delicious and lighter!



4. Kompot. This drink I really like! I've had it in several Russian cafes, including Cafe Mu-Mu where I tasted it for the first time. Similar to American fruit punch, but more tasty with the real fruit thrown in.



5. Varenyky. Is this common in modern day Russia? I remember it being the national dish in Ukraine, available everywhere with a wide variety of stuffing like meat, potatoes and sweet fruits.



6. Kishka. Never tasted it and there's too much meat involved!! I doubt I would like it. Maybe I'll be brave next time and take a bite.



7. Blini w/Caviar. I can't eat it though I tried during a New Year's eve celebration last year with a Russian family. Too salty, and I don't like the strong fishy taste.



8. Kholodets. This is the most interesting dish! I remember at the holidays seeing all kinds of creative molds made out of swans, birds, animals, etc. Very strange and funny. :) During Valentine's Day, maybe they produce heart shaped molds? I also ate a version of this at Cafe Mu-Mu and didn't like it. The jelly texture is odd and the minced meat wasn't very good quality.



9. Herring, mayo and pickle sandwich. When we were completely drunk at the seedy St. Petersburg vodka bar, the guys tried to get me to eat this as a snack. I refused and ate cheese and crackers instead. This thick brown bread would have been much better to soak up the poison!! Perhaps this is why I needed help walking home at the end of the night! :) Pickles - I hate this food more than any other!



10. No words for this photo! :))



11. In Russia, I'm completely addicted to the sweets and candies. This is my favorite. Each time I visit, my host always has a bunch in the refrigerator and I eat these bars daily. Delicious!



What's your favorite national dish?

Also, I wonder whether it's interesting to readers if I write about how an average American family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas? I can take photos and write about my family celebrations if it's an interesting topic? What do you think? Vote below please.

Comments

Re: Ошибки быть не может.

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

You ask me for an example of pompous article. But your response is a great example of pompous verbiage:
"These are some of the bravest people on the planet, making huge sacrifices in their lives to defend Americans and the principles for which we stand throughout the globe"(с:)
Assuming that during the war with Iraq, a journalist asks a sailor from the aircraft carrier, "Why fleet is here, why are you here?". And the sailor replied: "The Navy here for the sake of oil, and I'm doing my job here." How do you use your pompous sentence to this sailor? Why do you think that your world view is correct, but his is not?
Do you know what you're mindlessly repeating the words that ABSOLUTELY ALL states hammered into the heads of schoolchildren? In the forty years is unacceptable to argue as a schoolgirl. But we'll fix it. What would you like to be: an anarchist, communist, radical liberal?)

Re: Ошибки быть не может.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

There's nothing pompous about my statement. I think all voluntary military personnel should receive utmost respect, regardless of the country in which they serve. I also didn't say my worldview, or America's, is the best or correct view. People can believe what they want. I don't know why all Russians seem to think Americans are indoctrinated about their superiority from childhood. I already explained I went to a conservative, religious school my entire life. The only indoctrination going on in my school life was about Christ, salvation and fire and brimstone. Yet, I'm agnostic. I can think for myself, and am not easily brainwashed. I love my country, and why wouldn't I? I suffer absolutely no hardships here, everything I need is at my fingertips. Sorry you can't understand or appreciate this.

Re: Ошибки быть не может.

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

OK, your mind isn't washed. How to make so that other people felt the same way about you?) The first step is the following: never legitimizing meanness that your state does. Now, when someone points out the shortcomings of U.S. policy, you're always trying to justify these shortcomings, as if they were yours. In fact, the meanness of the state are not your meanness and you don't have to justify, for example, Obama's eavesdropping of allies. Otherwise, readers will think that the state makes you think that state's shameful actions are your shameful acts, and this collective responsibility is patriotism. If you wish, you can consider yourself responsible in the coming to power of General Pinochet, but never show it to readers. Always say that Pinochet was crap and the part of the U.S. policy, which brought him to power was crap too. Only in this way.
There are a variety of tricks about brainwashing, if I have time I will talk about them:)