What foreigners love from Russian cuisine. Strange salad vinaigrette and "disgusting" pickle
The historian of Russian cuisine, a well-known blogger and gastronome Olga Syutkina wrote a column for the website about how residents of other countries relate to Russian cuisine
The Internet is full of funny videos of how foreigners try Russian dishes - okroshka, jelly, herring under a fur coat. "Never again" is the softest thing that can be heard in the comments of the participants of these shows. But at the same time, as the experience of the ongoing football championship shows, foreigners are drawn to our kitchen and try to understand it.
Kulebyaki are interesting, as are dried cockroaches
We ourselves experienced this ambivalence when a couple of years ago at the World Exhibition in Milan we saw huge queues in our Russian pavilion. Where chefs from all over the country treated guests to pie, pancakes, salted fish. So there seems to be an interest.
That's just so far this interest is not like a cuisine that you can eat every day. How about exotic. Exactly the same curiosity is shown by Europeans to dried insects from Vietnam, and to a fried Peruvian guinea pig. And by the way, do not be offended by such comparisons. After all, we ourselves sometimes treat all these foreign culinary delights in this way. And foreigners are not obliged to know that Russian cuisine is full of high spirituality that has suddenly become so popular with us.
Horror stories of pre-Petrine food: garlic and bitter oil
Speaking seriously, our Russian cuisine abroad did not have an easy fate. In the very, very old Domostroev times, of course, they also knew her. Many foreign merchants, diplomats, military men visited both Novgorod and Moscow. We can't say that they didn't like our cuisine at all.
For example, members of the diplomatic missions Herberstein and Olearius in the 16th-17th centuries describe with amazement huge Russian pirogues, swans and sturgeons for royal table. Which did not stop them from complaining about the bitter taste of all dishes from spoiled ghee. And also the smell of garlic that soaked everything, which was then an invariable ingredient in any of our dishes (except for a sweet dessert).
That is, they were amazed, but there was no desire to repeat and adopt this cuisine. The tale left for a long time speaks for itself about how foreigners understood us: “For Russians, every night is a crime,” says a Frenchman who has returned from Moscow in horror. - In the mornings, the streets are always screaming "L" assassin, l "assassin (killer)". – The foreigner didn’t understand that they were just selling salmon…
How Peter I changed the kitchen
Solomko S. Away Much has changed in the Petrine era. And our gastronomy itself, by leaps and bounds, began to master the European experience - products, utensils, culinary techniques. But, of course, not just copying foreign dishes, but adapting them to our realities. Creating versions that were both elegant and subtle, but at the same time familiar to our traditional tastes.
So the old body evolved towards fish pate, and the grandfather's ear turned into a frenchized meat stew. The Great French Revolution of 1789-91 became a great culinary revolution for Russia. After all, it was then that hundreds French chefs arrived in St. Petersburg and Moscow in search of quiet work and fame. In the stormy European sea, Russia then seemed to them an island of calm. Where did they bring their knowledge and experience.
However, this process was two-way. And classic french cuisine Marie-Antoine Carem, having worked for only a few months at the Russian court in 1819, did a lot for our gastronomy. In fact, he turned it into a part of the world culinary process, removing many medieval features - a thick rye dough in pies, flour slurry in soups, fat content (so that the spoon would stand!) In stews. And at the same time, for the first time, he introduced the European public to our dishes.
It was then, from the 1820s and 30s, that the triumphal march of Russian gastronomy across Europe began. Guryev porridge, fire cutlets, pig with horseradish, hot smoked sturgeon - all this is becoming a familiar menu of European restaurants. Not that everyday. But also quite familiar to the foreign public.
Alas, the harmony was short-lived. And the beginning of the 20th century brought tragic changes that no one could have expected. Fine Russian cuisine remained only as a heritage of the Russian emigration in Paris and Berlin.
And revolutionary Russia set about creating a new proletarian culinary arts. So for a while, chicken Kiev and beef stroganoff were more popular in Europe and America than in their homeland. And Olivier salad has acquired the current glory of the “Russian salad” all over the world.
Not everything under the USSR was so bad in terms of promoting our cuisine. And the efforts of "Intourist" bore fruit - foreigners got acquainted with Russian dishes. However, everything was often limited only to foreign tourists. And the Iron Curtain successfully isolated our chefs from the outside world.
Moscow, the restaurant, the chef - everything is changing for the better?
That is why one should not be surprised at the current strange situation, when Russian cuisine abroad is recognizable only by these old memories - pies, pancakes, vodka, and a samovar. And where to take another, if we ourselves think so? Here, stop ten people who have fallen on the street and ask: “What is Russian cuisine?” - What miracles just do not hear. Sausages and chips would not be the most original answer.
At the same time, many of our chefs take prizes at international competitions, and Moscow restaurants with Russian cuisine are in the TOP50 the best establishments peace. They are trying to convey to foreign guests a simple fact: Russian cuisine can be fine, tasty, and healthy. She has gone far both from the medieval standard of pre-building and from Soviet primitivism. And it may well become part of the global culinary context.
That's just a little disappointment along the way they have. Walking around Paris, you will never come across a sign "French Cuisine Restaurant". Similarly, do not meet the institution " Italian cuisine» in Rome or Florence. Just because the domestic cuisine is natural there. "What else can we have?" - a local resident would be sincerely perplexed.
In Moscow, you can walk half the city before you come across our restaurant with a sign "Russian dishes". So is it worth wondering why foreigners do not understand our cuisine, when we ourselves are not so passionate about it?
Being a foreigner in Russia is not an easy task. A place of honor in the difficult process of adaptation is the study of Russian cuisine - interesting, intricate and full of surprises.
Pickles
Salted cucumbers-tomatoes that are familiar to us often cause inexplicable delight among foreigners. representatives of the most different countries unanimously say that they have never tried such delicious pickles, and one Italian who often visits Russia joked that if it were not for our traditional snacks, he would do business in another country.
Dairy
On this issue, the opinions of foreigners fundamentally differ. Europeans admire Russian milk, fermented baked milk and kefir, noting that dairy products in Russia are very diverse and natural. But one American, accustomed to ultra-pasteurized milk, which they buy in the States in cans of 5-7 liters, constantly complained that "the milk is very raw, it smells strange, and the stomach hurts from it."
Buckwheat
The love of Russians for buckwheat - both in the form of porridge and as a side dish - causes nothing but surprise among foreign guests. Finding this dish abroad is almost impossible: for example, Yekaterinburg exchange students in Hong Kong, after a month away from home, began literally bombarding friends and relatives with requests to send a little buckwheat. Here are a few comments from foreigners who have visited Russia about our favorite cereal: “You say you have been eating it since childhood? As soon as you grow up ... it’s only used for livestock”, “I don’t know, I saw it, it looks like dog food ... I won’t be able to swallow a spoon!” abroad for breakfast with delicious buckwheat porridge - a risky business and almost completely doomed to failure.
Aspic
It is unrealistic to explain to a foreigner who has never been to Russia (or at least Poland, where this dish is also held in high esteem) what a jelly is, without having a good example at hand. All dialogues in this direction unfold according to the same pattern: foreign guests ask a million clarifying questions, make big eyes, then wearily wave their hands and say something like: "No ... Russians are very strange." When jelly nevertheless appears on the table, the reaction to it is very ambiguous, starting from “What, is it already dessert time?” and ending with "Ugh, my God, meat jelly!". However, most of those who still decide to try this " meat dessert”, remain completely delighted and then confidently call jelly one of their favorite Russian dishes.
Borsch
This soup, as you know, is one of the main stereotypes about Russia along with the notorious bears with vodka and balalaikas (few people are interested in what it is, strictly speaking, Ukrainian dish). However, not everyone likes it: most foreigners understand the word “soup” as broth or cream soup, from rich Russian cabbage soup or pickle with a million ingredients, they are perplexed.
Salads
A big surprise for me was the fact that many foreigners are extremely suspicious of Russian (or rather, Soviet) salads: Olivier, Mimosa, herring under a fur coat and many others. When I tried to find out what was wrong, the answer was simple: they are confused by the fact that they have too many components and they are all too finely chopped. Scrupulous foreign guests are frightened that they "do not understand what they eat": the traditional "Caesar" with large pieces chicken on lettuce gives them a lot more confidence.
Kissel
This drink, familiar to us since childhood, is not understood by anyone except the Finns: firstly, they themselves are big fans of jelly in the form we are used to, and secondly, one of the most popular Finnish desserts is a very thick cold fruit compote that is eaten with a spoon ( and this already surprises the Russians themselves). The rest of the foreigners are deprived of the opportunity to enjoy jelly, because they are too busy with the question of whether it is a drink or a dessert.
Okroshka
Okroshka is the queen of the oddities of Russian cuisine. Firstly, the taste of kvass itself sincerely surprises most foreigners; The most chic description of kvass that I have ever heard was: “Well ... it's like a slightly spoiled beer. Sweet. And very tasteless." When you try to explain to people that the no less suspicious Olivier salad is about to be poured with this spoiled beer, most people practically lose their minds. I met the extremal who decided to try this devilish mixture only once, and, judging by his face, he bitterly regretted his decision.
It is worth noting that, despite all the surprises of Russian cuisine, it does not lose its popularity: it is not difficult to find a Russian restaurant in most countries of the world.
What to expect from people who come to the country for the first time? For them, all this is a culture shock, they seem to be thrown into the sea, but they don’t know how to swim! Also, the Americans must have arrived in some prostration when visiting Russia. What do they think Americans about Russian food?..
I must say right away that I will talk about the food that Russians eat, and not about original Russian food, so that there are no misunderstandings. 🙂
What do Americans think of Russian food?
Pickles-jam
This is what they love. My husband enjoys eating pickles, they are much tastier than their American pickles (as pickles are called). I've tried it myself, I can confirm. Only Hungarian cucumbers are tastier than ours. 🙂
They wrap jam just as well, especially with pancakes.
Salads
I don't think Americans understand Russian salads with lots of ingredients and lots of mayonnaise.
"Herring under a Fur Coat? So these ingredients don’t really fit together!” the Americans say. We usually buy Russian salad (Olivier) in Houston's international store, this is the salad he likes.
Vegetable stews and other vegetable dishes
Americans hate vegetables in their blood! At least that's how it seemed to me. For example, cabbage in their supermarkets is sold only for foreigners. Well, in vain!
Offal, liver, heart, brains
Oh, it’s really bad for me ... Not every Russian will eat it, let alone conservative Americans. They accept only MEAT, and three types: pork, beef and chicken.
Buckwheat
Well, is it worth saying that buckwheat is not sold in the USA? As I said in the article, buckwheat can only be bought in international stores, we have one in Houston, the Armenians keep it. 🙂 When I bought kosher buckwheat there and cooked it, my American ate with pleasure and said “not bad”! Before that, of course, he had never tried this cereal. Now he constantly asks me to cook buckwheat.
Borsch
I can safely say that many Americans love borscht. I do not know why. Mine would sometimes go to a Russian shop specifically to buy Russian borscht (40 minutes by car from our house). Well, that was before me. Although in general Americans usually eat cream soups (I personally don’t understand their taste) and chicken soups with noodles.
Dumplings
Recently, the American ambassador admitted that he loves Russian dumplings with sour cream! That's where he got caught.
pies
I made pies with unusual stuffing- with cheese and minced chicken, the husband appreciated immediately and then begged for a long time to do the same. He also treated his friend from work, who at first looked at the pie very suspiciously, and then tried it and he also liked it. Another time I made potato pies and ground beef, from these already there was no such blind delight. I ate a couple and that's about it.
Salted herring and caviar
Husband salted herring from cafe Mumu came to taste very much. When he was in Moscow, he ordered it every day. And he only squinted at the red caviar, and when he decided to try it, he spat for a long time.
Mushrooms
Americans eat nothing but mushrooms. However, for them there is no such food as fried potatoes with mushrooms (I love it, but my husband found it very boring). Mushrooms a full meal do not count, well, you can add them a little for taste to chicken gravy, and that's it.
Dairy
Our dairy products are very diverse and, of course, Americans would like them if they wanted to radically change their lifestyle. But for now, they're more attracted to the juicy burger. 🙂
In the USA in general fermented milk products there is nothing but yogurt, some strange cottage cheese and cheese. No yogurt and ryazhenka for you. I advise you to read the article (with photo), if you are interested in what we generally sell.
Aspic
No, well, Americans do not respond with great enthusiasm to Russian food, of course, but JELLY FROM MEAT ?! Are you serious?? However, if they give it a try (try), then everything can change and jelly can become one of their favorite dishes. 🙂
Salo
Yes, this is a Ukrainian "treat", but the Americans don't care! =) They don't understand how fat can be eaten at all. Although they themselves are not averse to eating a couple of pieces of fried bacon for breakfast. Such a light and healthy breakfast... 🙂
Kissel
In addition to the Finns, no one understands the love for jelly, probably. Including the Americans. They won't stop asking if it's a drink or a dessert? And then the drink should be liquid, but THIS is some kind of thick ...
Tea
Our love of tea would be supported by the British, but not by the Americans. Last but not least, coffee. But in general, mine only drinks cold cappuccino and, of course, soda.
Gingerbread
Since gingerbread is sold in international stores in the United States, then someone needs it, right? 🙂 I have noticed more than once that Americans buy them.
Okroshka
What-what is this? Salad with kvass No, these Russians are still crazy...
So the fairy tale (or rather the article) is over, and whoever listened (or rather read) - well done! 🙂 So we found out that in general, Americans do not respond very well to Russian food. Well, in vain! Our food will still be healthier. In fact, I sincerely wonder how in a country with such ugly food preferences, life expectancy is almost 10 years longer than in Russia? And what do you think?
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Perhaps more than the mysterious Russian soul, foreigners visiting Mother Rus' are surprised only by our cuisine. Americans turned out to be one of the most squeamish about food-a-la-rus, which is only worth their tasting of fat. But the Germans show amazing loyalty to our cuisine. Which domestic dishes plunge foreigners into shock, and which ones make them touched with delight, the editors of the Otdykh project will tell in their own rating of the most discussed dishes of Russian cuisine among foreigners.
Salo
Of course, many may argue about whether lard is our original product. However, most foreigners do not distinguish between Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian food. So it is Russian fat that is hotly discussed on the Internet. As it turned out, fat causes a storm of emotions among foreigners (the countries of the former CIS do not count). Americans, Chinese, French, Italians and even seemingly omnivorous Germans call bacon nothing more than “raw salted fat”, which they usually throw in the trash. Even bacon, in principle, is the same fat, only with layers of meat, they are ready to eat only cooked (fried, baked or stewed). I wonder if they know that many of our compatriots use it with sweet tea?
Aspic
Jelly is no less bewildering for the Western brother. Before they force Russian jelly to taste, foreigners will have to explain for a long time why meat is added to jelly, and even generously flavored with horseradish. Americans consider this idea simply disgusting, because their jelly is a priori sweet. You can finally finish off foreigners with a description of the technology for preparing this elastic dish - you need to boil pork hooves. It would never occur to anyone to use offal for food. The least snobs in this matter were the Germans. The descendants of the Aryans in their homeland eat brawn - an analogue of jelly, only it is prepared from the head of a pig. To keep the dish longer, the Germans add vinegar to it.
Borscht and okroshka
In general, our use of a large amount of soups delights many foreigners. Despite the fact that our first courses are far from to everyone's taste, Europeans still admit that this is more healthy food than their usual dry food. Shchi, hodgepodge, and especially borscht and okroshka, which are more famous abroad, evoke polar reviews: either sharp rejection or strong support. True, there are also funny cases: for example, for some Latin Americans, our borscht resembles hot gazpacho, although they do not taste the same at all. That is why they eat it. This soup is also recognized by the Chinese living in the northern provinces, those closer to Russia. Beetroot is unusual product for representatives of the Celestial Empire and surprises by the fact that it is she who paints the soup so richly. Most Europeans are wary of borscht: it confuses boiled cabbage and beets. Although the curious French and Italians are ready to experiment. Beets are nonsense to most Americans because they consider this ingredient to be livestock feed.
But okroshka makes everyone smile, because, as foreign nationals are sure, you can mix sausage, cucumbers, eggs with kefir or mineral water, and then eat all this only as a joke. From their point of view, this is tantamount to filling the salad with Coca-Cola and gobbling up this dish. What to say about okroshka on kvass.
"Herring under a fur coat" and "Olivier"
If many Europeans and Asians are still ready to put up with beets in borscht and vinaigrette, then not everyone can cope with the “rotten fish” in the salad “Herring under a fur coat”. The fact is that "rotten" Americans call any pickled, but not past heat treatment fish. And again, lovers of this dish can be found among part of the Chinese and Germans. True, the latter use this salad in a slightly different form: they twist fish and beets, and then mix them with mayonnaise.
It would seem that okroshka is a liquid Olivier salad. But if not everyone agrees to try the soup, then the "Russian salad", that's what they called "Olivier" abroad, causes mainly positive reviews. Americans compare it to theirs potato salad(although only potatoes are common ingredients), diluted with sausage, egg and vegetables. If these culinary zealots liked this dish, what can we say about the rest. Russian salad is respected by the Chinese, French, Italians, British, Germans and even Chileans. Slightly less popular is the salad from crab sticks.
Shashlik and dumplings
Surely, many readers have already been puzzled: is it possible that all our dishes are not to the liking of foreigners. We can assure you that it is not. It's just these culinary delights they were the most impressed. Positive emotions are evoked by our main meat dishes. In general, Europeans consider meat one of the key components Russian meal. Although shish kebab is not our original dish, nevertheless it is associated with Russia, and our “barbecue” is very sympathetic. Turns out it's all about the marinade. From others meat dishes the Chinese distinguish cutlets, servelat, meat in French. Italians, Australians and French are not against dumplings.
Russian cuisine is difficult to describe in one word, it is too capacious and broad concept: it includes traditional food Russian peasants, exquisite French dishes, which have long taken root in our country, dishes of the twentieth century, invented in Soviet time in cramped Khrushchev kitchens. In short, Russian cuisine consists mainly of quite varied, but fatty, nutritious and even heavy dishes. And if the Chinese love everything spicy, the Japanese - insipid, the Americans - sweet, then Russians, according to foreigners, eat sour and salty most of all.
Most foreigners know little about Russian cuisine: in best case they will remember the famous pancakes with caviar. But those who were lucky enough to visit our country talk with pleasure about some Russian dishes, and with disgust about others. Someone gets excited after trying the famous borscht and Olivier salad, our food seems too high-calorie and even unpleasant to someone. There are even some dishes that almost all foreigners call disgusting - and first of all, Americans speak so negatively about them.
Firstly, this is fat - perhaps not a native Russian product, but very popular in our country. Americans are generally horrified that Russians eat lumps of fat that foreigners simply throw away. Yes, and aspic seems incredibly nasty to them - how can you eat frozen cold meat jelly covered with a crust of fat? Although fruit jelly they don't get that disgusted...
Second, many foreigners are suspicious of all meats other than beef, pork, and chicken. Americans don't eat lamb, rabbit, let alone exotic species meat like horse meat. And they don’t understand that offal can also be edible - after all, before in the USA, offal was given only to slaves. Therefore, they are very surprised that we are happy to eat the liver, hearts, lungs and tongue.
Like others northern peoples, Russians love salted or dried fish. But the Americans call such fish raw, since it has not been subjected to heat treatment. A raw fish no American would even try. For the same reason, Japanese sushi and rolls are nowhere near as popular in the US as they are in Russia. And Russian herring evokes in them about the same feelings as fresh raw fish.
Another feature of Russian cuisine that often surprises foreigners is a large number of soups. According to American Tim Kerby, who has been living in Russia for several years, soup is a completely normal dish for a foreigner, but it is eaten much less often in other countries. Foreigners are especially ambiguous about borscht - someone calls it disgusting hot and runny salad from beets, and someone really likes it.
Pancakes as one of the national Russian dishes are not surprising to foreigners - they are eaten by both Americans and Europeans, similar cakes can be found in Asian countries. But if in America pancakes and fritters are only dessert dishes, which are served with jam, sugar, marmalade, then in Russia they prepare the so-called hearty pancakes with meat, fish, caviar, which seem strange to visitors from other countries.
Many Europeans are surprised that Russians eat little greens - and only parsley and dill. Cilantro, basil, savory are far from being so popular in Russia. And if parsley is loved and eaten in Europe, then they treat dill with prejudice and do not understand Russian love for this too odorous and peculiar grass.
The most popular drink in Russia is tea, which also often surprises foreigners who drink it occasionally and prefer coffee. And, of course, everyone thinks that the most favorite Russian drink is vodka, and they are surprised when they find out that beer is very popular in Russia.
Among the most delicious Russian dishes, foreigners call milk, kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, fish and bread. Many people say that Russian sliced loaf tastier than the best french bread. And because of the shape, Russian bread is called "brick".
Every cuisine in the world has its own characteristics, amazing, strange and unusual dishes. All these statements about Russian cuisine indicate that it is original, interesting and not spoiled by mass love for fast food, flavor enhancers and preservatives. We can be proud of our national cuisine and culinary habits.
Already read: 7316 timesHave you ever wondered what foreigners think looking at a plate of borscht or how deliciously we crunch pickled cucumber fished straight out of a can? Surely, everyone now recalls funny cases from life.So I will share my observations from life, about how "they" relate to our usual dishes. Read on.
Foreigners about Russian food... or humor in a bowl
So it turned out that your obedient servant married a foreigner. Russified, of course, but with their own culinary habits. My husband, you won't believe it, is Hungarian. Yes Yes exactly. He lived a good half of his life in Latvia, therefore he is little accustomed to Russian food. And at the dawn of our relationship with him, he was just razhen thin pancakes, cabbage soup with sauerkraut and Siberian dumplings.
By the way, for 14 years of living in Russia, to our roach, ram, familiar mayonnaise salads, naval pasta, cottage cheese casseroles and pickleHe hasn't gotten used to it yet. Isthat borscht fell in love with all my heart and pickled mushrooms. We have Poles and Vietnamese friends, and so their attitude towards Russian cuisine is generally not unambiguous. Polish cuisine it may be somewhat similar to Russian, but many dishes are a novelty for them. Vietnamese in general.
As a child, for breakfast they fed me milk soup, porridge, pancakes with sour cream, sometimes mashed potatoes with sausage or cutlet. Lunch consisted of three courses: soup, a main course (something with a side dish) and compote, an afternoon snack with cookies and a plump dinner. And before going to bed, still kefir with a loaf. But what is good for a Russian is death for a foreigner.
So, what do foreigners think about Russian food?
Mexican:
... In all stores, salespeople are rude, you can't ask anyone for anything, the waiters ask "what do you want?" so I often go to visit friends, where I was taught to drink beer with dried fish I have never seen this in any other country. At first I didn’t want to try it because of the terrible look and smell, but then I liked it ... Tapping on the table with a roach is very Russian and fun ...
Meat in French always amuses me. In addition to the name, there is nothing French in the meat. In France, I have never met meat under cheese and tomatoes. And truly Russian national product- this is a cut loaf. The personification of your country is white, simple, and most often not the first freshness, but very tasty.
German:
...Your milk is absolutely impossible to drink, he has terrible taste. As if only from under a cow and even unpeeled. It smells like an animal. But you have crab sticks, I have never tried them before. My girlfriend made a salad of crab sticks. She said it's your traditional salad.
It turned out delicious. You still eat soup as a main course, but we have it as an appetizer. We never have breakfast hot food, even an omelet is considered gluttony, and in Russia even a chicken can be eaten. I want to try kvass, they told me about it. Friends tried it - they didn’t like it, it’s bread and water, right? I hope in Germany they will learn how to make "anniversary" cookies. A chocolate candies you don't care. I tried it several times, and I was always surprised - how can there be chocolate without the taste of chocolate.
Chilean:
... In Russian cuisine, meat is the main thing. Russia is similar to big piece meat. tough weather, serious people. Siberia, frost, strength, which is needed to survive the winter. I liked the barbecue here the most. You have very healthy food - Russian people often eat vegetables, a lot. Fresh marinated, salted, in salads, soups. But they do not overeat, as in America. And they drink tea all the time. I have never seen people drink so much tea. Even in nightclubs at 3 am, some order tea. Water... water tastes disgusting.
Argentine:
... In Argentina, we almost never have breakfast, and Russians can even eat soup for breakfast. We consider it gluttony. In turn, we have dinner very late, sometimes at 22-23, and in Moscow they traditionally have dinner at 19-20. The food here is very tasty, especially borscht and dumplings. Not very original, but tasty. But meat ... Meat cannot be compared with Argentinean.
Ecuadorian:
...Most of all I miss bananas. We have a lot of green, red, small, large... You don't have them. And people do not know how to cook Latin American food at all ... By the way, your borscht is somewhat similar to an undercooked gazpacho. This is what I like about him. And caviar, which everyone praises so much and which is so expensive, is, in my opinion, too salty sushi. And from fast food, I like Little Potato the most. So unusual - a mutant potato with mushrooms, lettuce, meat ... 
Australian-British:
...I like your dairy products the most. Ryazhenka, kefir, cottage cheese, varenets - it's incredibly tasty, healthy and there is nothing like it anywhere in the world. More milk soup- Very unusual dish, which is prepared only for you. I tried to make it at home - it didn't work. And for the first time I tried it in MU-MU, an excellent cafe, with real Russian food, by the way. And you have no idea about healthy eating- everywhere you add sour cream, mayonnaise, from this all dishes become high-calorie ... But fat people not much, apparently the climate is like that. I often have to eat dumplings - a very tasty, but harmful thing. An English family can eat the same cereal for half a year in the morning, and every day you have something new for breakfast: cottage cheese, pancakes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, porridge, sandwiches.
Frenchman:
...What we buy every day in France is considered a luxury in Russia. good cheeses, meat, bread are sold in elite stores and are very expensive. But you have the most delicious fish in the world. I have never tasted such fresh soft salmon as in Siberia. In France, many cannot afford to buy seafood, here they are more affordable. Your food is healthier than French food - you eat a lot of soups and vegetables. Everyone is trying to buy products, not semi-finished products. Your "Teremok" is in no way inferior to the real ones French pancakes. 
Nigerian:
... In Moscow, very delicious vegetables, not in stores, but in large markets, on Dorogomilovsky for example. I go there every weekend for groceries and then enjoy it all week: peppers, tomatoes, beans ... But otherwise, your food is exactly the same as everywhere else.
What do you think about Russian food?
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Traveling the world, visiting new restaurants and getting to know different people It's always interesting to touch another culture through local food. Some dishes arouse genuine interest, others seem ordinary, and still others frighten with their exoticism. At the same time, we do not often evaluate the food familiar to us from childhood as critically. Just think, borscht with meatballs!
The national cuisine of any country always reflects not only the peculiarities of the climate, but also the features of the people inhabiting it. Us in website It became very interesting how famous Russian cuisine is abroad. Do foreign guests like our pelmeni and okroshka?
Beta - this is how the ancient Greeks called beets and the second letter of their alphabet, from which later both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets originated. Together with onions, cabbage and other vegetables growing in the Mediterranean in large quantities, beetroot took its place of honor in cabbage soup and borscht, very popular in ancient Greece.
To us, this tasty, fragrant and healthy soup got there a little later. Shortly before the start new era Roman legionnaires landed on the territory of modern Crimea and brought with them not only vegetables, but also ready recipes, as well as sincere love and respect for borscht.
But this is history. Today, people strongly associate borscht with Russian or Ukrainian cuisine and is our most famous dish abroad.
Bags of dough with meat or other fillings were invented a long time ago, and different peoples their names for them: wontons, momo, khinkali, ravioli, manti, poses. Pelmeni, which means “bread ear” in the Komi-Udmurt languages, came to Russian cuisine at the beginning of the 15th century from the Urals and have been decorating our table ever since.
“I ate everything and wanted more. It was damn cool! Now this is one of my favorite dishes ... I like it best in the form of soup, with a lot of dill and with homemade rye bread”, - Formaldehyd3 .
Speaking of dill...
Many, many foreigners who come to Russia note great amount dill, which we love to add to almost all dishes. Even in those where it is not expected at all.
“Dill is terrible. I can't eat it anymore, I'm just tired of it! I can't believe they put it in just about everything." - reluctant_redditer .
Note, however, that dill contains a huge amount useful substances and vitamins, useful for blood, brain vessels, digestion, vision.
Aspic
Cold jelly snack meat broth is present not only in Russian, but also in other cuisines of the world. The main difference between aspic, brawn or other similar aspic is that gelling agents are separately added to them - gelatin or agar-agar. This is not required for the preparation of jelly, desired consistency is achieved due to prolonged digestion in the broth of the legs, tail and head of the animal - they contain a lot of collagen.
It is difficult to name the exact reasons, but jelly more often than other dishes arouses suspicion and rejection among foreigners.
This masterpiece culinary arts, in fact, vinaigrette, mixed with herring, egg and richly flavored with mayonnaise, is still young - it appeared in the USSR in the late 60s. It is very popular among the Russian-speaking population, it is practically unknown abroad. It is often seen paired with jelly, it scares foreign guests less, but the attitude towards it is ambiguous.
“I love this salad. I had to put pressure on me to try it for the first time, but I'm glad it happened" - iseztomabel .
“I just can’t look at all this mayonnaise. Has he taken over everything? Much can be understood, but a few layers ... "- Flashdance007 .
“There was too much mayonnaise. There's always too much mayonnaise..." - Msknowbody .
Buckwheat
Buckwheat comes from northern India and Nepal. Having made a long journey through Asia, in the 15th century it took root in Rus'.
In addition to Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, buckwheat is consumed in Israel, China, Korea and Japan. Very little is eaten in the rest of the world. Not everyone likes her. The fact is that a person who has not been accustomed to its taste since childhood, having tasted it, will feel bitterness and a strange aftertaste.
Now in Europe there is a surge of interest in buckwheat because of its useful properties, nutritional, dietary and hypoallergenic.
“I am a vegetarian and it was very difficult for me to find healthy and suitable food for such cold weather. Buckwheat has become my super-escape in all meals of the day,” says Schell, a student from India.
Syrniki
Cottage cheese, from which cheesecakes are made, was known back in Ancient Rome, but we called it "cheese", as we got it from raw milk. It began to be called cottage cheese only in the 18th century, when Peter I brought hard (rennet) cheeses from Europe and established their production in Russia.
Sometimes you can find the name "cottage cheese", but it did not really take root, and no matter how you call it light dish, which can be both dessert and full breakfast, it will not become less tasty.
“I spent 2 weeks in Russia with my now ex-boyfriend, and his babushka made syrniki all the time. She even made her own cottage cheese! I'm hooked! We ate them with berry jam, which they also pick themselves,” la_pluie .
Solyanka
Solyanka was first mentioned in the 18th century. As the historian of Russian culinary Pavel Syutkin writes, "then, of course, she is not yet a soup (stew), but a hot dish of cabbage, cucumbers, meat, poultry, fish, mushrooms or other products."
Solyanka in the form of a first course appears in the 2nd half of the 19th century. There was no single, “classic” recipe - “... with sturgeon, capers, lemon, smoked meats. Each innkeeper showed his talent in it, attracting customers with unimaginable tastes and smells.
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