An Englishman's View of Russian Food

Before you read:

What is your attitude to Russian food? Are there any traditions of having meals in Russia?

What do you think an Englishman's view of Russian food can be? Can you name most popular Russian dishes?

When living in Russia I never cared for cabbage soup even though it includes a large portion of meat. I always, where possible, chose something different. But I found that my Russian friends always ate cabbage soup day after day, like a Scotsman his porridge.

Black bread is hardly eaten in Britain. But to the Russians their heavy rich black rye bread remains an essential part of their diet.

Personally, I do not like buckwheat "kasha", whether eaten with salt or sweet. This is the Russian equivalent of porridge, which Russian visitors to Britain describe as a "kind of kasha". But unlike porridge, it is eaten with meat like potatoes, as well as cereal.

But now for some of my likes. First, the wonderful variety of milk products which you get in Russian. There in Britain we have our milk, cream cheese, sometimes yoghurt and a variety of hard cheese.

In Russia there is a large variety of further products, a sort of dry granulated cream cheese, called "tvorog", thick sour cream called "smetana" and several types of sour milk products of the yoghurt type (кефир, ряженка). Perhaps my favourite food is smetana - thick sour cream. It can be used almost with anything.

How about meals and mealtimes? Perhaps one of the things that most upsets British visitors to be to Russia (and of course, Russian visitors to Britain) is different times of meals.

Then the Russians often go a very long time without a meal. Very often they wait till 2.30 or 3.30 or even 4 p.m., for "dinner". Then, very late at night by our standards sometimes between 10 o'clock or 11 they have their supper.

Soups: A real Russian soup is something so different from what we normally understand by the word that it is hard to understand in Britain that a real "meal" in Russia can consist of "soup". But when you take into account that the soup can include a whole chicken leg, or a large slice of pork or other meat, as well as potatoes and other vegetables, even cabbage soup becomes something very different from anything which is normally made in Britain from cabbage.

About sweets: The English "pudding" is practically unknown in Russia. The most common third course in a Russian midday meal is "kissel" and "compote". "Compote" is a fruit salad usually made from dried or bottled fruits. In summer, of course, it is made from fresh fruits.

On drinking tea. Every country has its own tea-drinking habits. In Russia tea is drunk very weak with lemon.

1. Answer the questions:

1. What does the Englishman say about cabbage soup?

2. What is an essential part of Russian diet?

3. What Russian dish does the Englishman not like?

4. What dishes does he like?

5. What upsets British visitors to be to Russia?

6. Is Russian soup different from British soup?

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