Torture with food: how foreigners try Russian cuisine. Which Russian dishes do foreigners not like, and which foreign ones have not taken root in Russia? Reviews of foreigners about Russian food
A new genre has appeared on YouTube: they give foreigners a taste of Russian food and see their reaction. The popular Daily website looked at how the Chinese drink birch sap, Italians eat borscht, and Americans try herring under a fur coat.
Italians
Cabbage soup: Despite the fact that the Italians were suspicious of the appearance of our cabbage soup, after the first sample all doubts disappeared. One of the experiment participants even agreed to eat this soup several times a day, including for breakfast.
Borsch: Opinions were divided about borscht: the Italians said that it smelled strange and tasted too sour. They were also surprised that Russians put sour cream or mayonnaise in their soup.
Ear: The Italians did not appreciate the soup; they did not even want to try this soup because of the smell and appearance, but after the first spoon they changed their minds. But we still didn’t get carried away.
Americans
Kvass: The guys were clearly scared, and then they thought it was an alcoholic drink. Some liked the drink, others compared it to spoiled Coca-Cola.
Pancakes with cottage cheese: The Americans decided that this was a Russian version of cheesecake, and they really liked it.
Herring under a fur coat: It was difficult for the guys to understand that this was not a sweet cake, but something like a salad. Not everyone was able to eat this dish: one guy almost vomited from the combination of salted herring and beets. Other guys decided that this was the Russian equivalent of sushi.
Hong Kong people
Kvass: Several people immediately called this bread drink carbonated soy sauce. Everyone's impressions are different: the taste reminded me of soy sauce and cough syrup.
Cottage cheese: in China there is a dish that is similar to Russian cottage cheese, but in all respects it does not match. Participants in the experiment said that our cottage cheese was too dry and tasteless; others were afraid that it had already gone bad.
Kefir: The guys were surprised that in Russia this drink is consumed just like that, and not in combination with something else.
Birch juice: none of the guys understood what it was and were afraid to try it. However, it later turned out that the contents of the box tasted like water with sugar.
Pickles: not all the guys understood that they need to eat vegetables inside. Some tried the brine itself. The cucumbers turned out to be too salty and sour for Hong Kongers.
What exactly do you think Russians eat for breakfast (according to the average foreigner)? Well, after they polish the red star on the earflaps? Of course, pancakes with caviar and a glass of vodka. Otherwise, how can we survive this eternal forty-degree frost? Moreover, you have to walk a tame bear here...
Don’t believe that in the age of supersonic speeds and the Internet such delusional ideas are still widespread? In vain. For most foreign citizens, the existing stereotypes about Russians, their culture and cuisine are much more familiar and accessible than the truth. It would seem that such a spreading cranberry should have died on the vine a long time ago, but no, it blooms in lush colors and spikes.
But stories and distorted ideas are not so bad. A real extreme experience is to try Russian dishes somewhere in a foreign restaurant! It is always easy to find such establishments - the names do not shine with originality: “Kalinki - Matryoshkas - Cossacks”, inclined in every way, will warmly invite you to a truly Russian menu.
However, even if the Russian classic “cannot understand Russia with his mind,” then the Busurmans, apparently, are not able to comprehend Russian cuisine at all.
Borscht under spreading cherry blossoms
The Japanese, as very serious and scrupulous people, take a responsible approach to preparing Russian dishes in their restaurants. You will be served red borscht, as it should be, but only... without beets. The color of this dish is given by TOMATO! How so? And like this! Beets are very difficult to find in the land of rice and wasabi; they are almost never grown in Japan. For this reason, the menus of Russian restaurants there will delight you with such amazing names as “pancake pies” and purely Russian dishes “kebab” and “shashlik”. Agree, it’s worth a visit - if not to eat, then to laugh.
Although let's not be offended by the Japanese. Are you sure that all the recipes in the most fashionable sushi bar in your city are authentic? And the chef there is Japanese, as stated in the advertisement, and not our “friend of the steppes Kalmyk” who graduated from the local culinary college? However, if no one is alarmed by such purely Japanese names of the rolls, as well as the nationality of the service personnel, you must agree that it should no longer play a role.
Russian dishes in European style
In many European countries, “Russian salad” is very popular. They even sell it there ready-made, in jars. Let's give foreigners credit for trying to popularize our domestic cuisine? It would be possible, if not for the extremely unusual appearance and set of components. Looking at the potatoes, carrots and green peas in the recipe, it is reasonable to suspect that we are talking about, but... As you can see, the peas there, judging by the photographs on the jars, are indeed GREEN, that is, fresh. And the most original component of this gastronomic composition is perhaps green beans. Have you seen it in at least one Russian dish?
In Spain, there is an opinion regarding Russian salad. It also contains peas. The ingredients also include purely Russian shrimp with olives - well, of course, in Russia there is an olive growing in every garden, and in every pond there is no shortage of shrimp. Maybe the Spaniards reproduce with reverent respect? Hm... But for some reason they replaced the hazel grouse... with TUNA!
Well, the highlight of the collection of Russian salads is, perhaps, the German version of this dish: made from boiled sausage, champignons and Bulgarian paprika. Yah? Well, yes! And we didn’t even know!!!
In general, it must be said that in many foreign countries there are Russian dishes that in Russia “have never heard of or seen.”
One of our compatriots, traveling around Germany, stopped at a place with German friends. They decided to pamper him with a Russian breakfast in the morning. Can you imagine our fellow countryman’s astonishment when he was served buckwheat mixed with pieces of fruit and nuts, generously doused with orange juice?!
The Germans can be forgiven for their failed impromptu attempt with buckwheat. You won’t find it abroad during the day, only in specialized stores and departments. How can foreigners know how to properly consume such exotic foods? It's like a delicacy there - it's rare and expensive. In Japan it is generally a seasoning. Sold in bags of several tens of grams, it is used to flavor rice. For this simple reason, a serving of “Russian buckwheat porridge” in a Japanese restaurant will cost you about a thousand rubles. So, the next time you make boiled egg at home, rejoice not only in its friability, but also in its cheapness.
But you can, you know, make up “Russian dishes” using ingredients available abroad!
How do you like it? eggs in Russian"? “Spread mayonnaise with olives on the boiled egg halves and garnish with anchovies.” Would you like some anchovies? Garnish with synthetic black caviar. Caviar (even synthetic) is always Russian. No matter what foreigners sprinkle on her, everything turns out “Russian-style.” Boil the potatoes, pour over hollandaise sauce, sprinkle with caviar - ready "potatoes in Russian" Yep, that’s exactly how we used to eat it!
And German children, for example, love “ Russian bread". It can be bought at any supermarket. What he really is? Small sweet pseudo-gingerbreads in the form of letters (get ready!) of the Latin alphabet. Does anyone think of what this would be? 
could symbolize (from Russian recipes)? The finishing touch like coconut glaze is especially touching. It’s simply impossible to imagine Russe anymore.
True Aryans seem to be generally partial to our baked goods. On the German Internet you will be offered a lot of options. "Russian pies", which have Russian... except perhaps the name. The main thing is that it is absolutely unclear neither at first nor at second glance: well, what exactly served as the prototype? Burnt cheesecake?
Russian tea of non-Russian bottling
Tea is a separate matter. Yes, we Russians are known to be avid tea drinkers. Of course, foreigners think that we drink more vodka. But many foreign restaurants and culinary websites feature such a drink as "Russian tea"
So, how has Nashensky seagulls transformed abroad:
1) Americans make it... not only with black tea leaves, but also with a bag of instant orange juice.
2) The Japanese will bring you Russian tea in a tall champagne glass, accompanied by a jar of jam. No, you won't have to spread the jam. He needs to be blabbed out in an aristocratic manner. In the same glass.
3) In a Berlin tea restaurant, this name refers to black tea with sugar. It is served in a railway glass with a glass holder. At first glance, everything seems to be fine, but... don’t even think about taking out the spoon! The waiter will come running, put it back and explain that it... SHOULD HURT YOUR NOSE.
Yes, there are many misconceptions about Russian cuisine. Although we ourselves, frankly speaking, are not without sin. Are we not sure that the British, as soon as they wake up, fill their stomachs with thin oatmeal, and the Germans do nothing but eat Bavarian sausages, washing them down with liters of beer? That in Korea they eat poor little dogs for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in Paris they cook it exactly the way we are used to?
Myths and stereotypes are an integral part of our lives. Any national cuisine cannot be learned from books or hearsay; it cannot be copied or reproduced. You can taste it only where it was born, where its roots are. And those foreigners who were lucky enough to taste Russian hospitality will not forget our bread and salt.
02 Condensed milk- a delicacy that first causes puzzled looks from foreigners, and then a cry of surprised pleasure. For added effect, serve condensed milk in an authentic Soviet-designed can and sternly punch a couple of holes in the lid with a bottle opener right in front of an astonished audience. Accompany the performance with a heart-warming story about how you loved condensed milk as a child and what value it had for Soviet people.
03 Glazed cheese curds. Incredibly, this familiar delicacy surprises foreigners. A German friend of mine, among all the ceremonial (on the occasion of her arrival, of course) culinary diversity, chose a simple cheese that happened to be on the table. She liked the cheese so much that on the same day we went to the store and bought her a couple more. And then another ten - as gifts for her family. Judging by the Facebook post, the entire extended German family, including the golden retriever, was delighted.
04 Chocolate candies- a controversial treat, because no matter how high-quality Russian chocolate is, it cannot beat the taste of Swiss chocolate, which is so affordable in Europe. So it’s best to give domestic sweets for the sake of beautiful packaging, designed just for the eyes of a foreigner, eager for Russian patterns.
05 Buckwheat porridge. Arabs have couscous, and Russians have buckwheat. It’s hardly possible to guarantee that your foreigner will like it, because we don’t all love this cereal either. But it’s worth a try: serve the porridge in a Khokhloma bowl and hand the foreigner a wooden spoon. If not for the taste of buckwheat, then for the surroundings this moment will be remembered for a long time.
06 Kvass. To the Japanese, kvass resembles soy sauce, and to Europeans it resembles dark beer. The Icelanders have something similar, but our kvass is, of course, a very special drink.
07 Mead. In order to give a foreigner several types of honey, you can go to Suzdal. Although supermarkets in other cities sometimes have a good selection of bottled mead.
08 Birch juice. This drink is exotic for us, but it can surprise a foreigner even more so. The very fact that this is tree sap(!) is impressive.
09 Vodka You can give it to foreigners with confidence: they don’t know how to drink it like we do in one gulp, but they know a lot of cocktails based on it. Among the colorful options, you can give “Putinka”, or take the world-famous brands “Stolichnaya” or “Russian Standard”. Vodka prepared and bottled in the city in which you live also has cultural value. There is an opinion that the only thing better than vodka is some kind of tincture, but be careful with it. In one volunteer camp in France, I saw with my own eyes how the French cruelly and unceremoniously criticized the Brest Zubrovka, a whole liter of which a girl from Belarus brought as a gift. So keep in mind that the French or Italians, spoiled by their own drinks, may not appreciate the originality of our alcohol.
What to expect from people who come to the country for the first time? For them, all this is a culture shock; they find themselves thrown into the sea, but they don’t know how to swim! Likewise, Americans must be a little confused when visiting Russia. What do they think Americans about Russian food?..
I’ll 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 about Russian food?
Pickles and jam
This is what they love. My husband enjoys eating pickles; they are much tastier than their American pickles (as pickles are called). I tried it myself, I can confirm. Only Hungarian cucumbers are tastier than ours. 🙂
They make jam just as well, especially with pancakes.
Salads
I don’t think Americans understand Russian salads with many ingredients and generously dressed with mayonnaise.
"Herring under a Fur Coat? So these ingredients don’t really combine with each other!” - say the Americans. We usually buy Russian salad (Olivier) at the Houston International Store, this is the salad he likes.
Vegetable stews and other vegetable dishes
Americans have a hatred of vegetables in their blood! At least that's what I thought. For example, cabbage in their supermarkets is sold only to foreigners. Well, in vain!
Giblets, liver, heart, brains
Oh, I’m already sick... Not every Russian will eat this, let alone conservative Americans. They only accept MEAT, and three types: pork, beef and chicken.
Buckwheat
Well, needless to say that buckwheat is not sold in the USA? As I already said in the article, buckwheat can only be bought in international stores, but we have one in Houston, the Armenians keep it. 🙂 When I bought kosher buckwheat there and cooked it, my American ate it with pleasure and said “not bad”! Of course, he had never tried this cereal before. Now he constantly asks me to cook buckwheat.
Borsch
I can confidently tell you that many Americans love borscht. I do not know why. Mine sometimes went to a Russian store specifically to buy Russian borscht (40 minutes by car from our house). Well, that was before my time. Although in general Americans usually eat cream soups (I personally don’t understand their taste) and chicken noodle soups.
Dumplings
Recently, the American ambassador admitted that he loves Russian dumplings with sour cream! So he got caught.
Pies
I made pies with an unusual filling - with cheese and minced chicken, my husband appreciated it immediately and then begged me for a long time to make the same ones. He also treated his friend from work, he looked at the pie very suspiciously at first, but then tried it and liked it too. Another time I made pies with potatoes and minced beef, but these weren’t such a blind delight. I ate a couple and that was it.
Salted herring and caviar
My husband really liked the salted herring from the Mumu cafe. When he was in Moscow, he ordered it every day. But he only glanced sideways 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 are not considered a full-fledged dish, but you can add them a little to add flavor to the chicken gravy, and that’s it.
Dairy
Our dairy products are very diverse and, of course, would appeal to Americans if they wanted to radically change their lifestyle. But for now they are more attracted to the juicy burger. 🙂
In the USA, there is generally nothing made from fermented milk products except yogurt, some strange cottage cheese and cheese. No kefir or fermented baked milk for you. I advise you to read the article (with photos) if you are interested in what we sell in general.
Aspic
No, well, Americans don’t speak with great enthusiasm about Russian food, of course, but MEAT JELLY?! Are you serious?? However, if they give it a try, then everything can change and jellied meat can become one of their favorite dishes. 🙂
Salo
Yes, this is a Ukrainian “treat”, but Americans don’t care! =) They don’t understand how anyone can eat lard. Although you yourself wouldn’t mind eating a couple of pieces of fried bacon for breakfast. Such an easy and healthy breakfast... :)
Kissel
Probably no one except the Finns understands the love for jelly. Including Americans. They won't stop asking if it's a drink or a dessert? Otherwise the drink should be liquid, but THIS is kind of thick...
Tea
The British would support our love of tea, but not the Americans. Last resort - 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, it means someone needs it, right? 🙂 I have noticed more than once that Americans buy them.
Okroshka
What-what is this? Salad dressed with kvass??? No, these Russians are still crazy...
That’s the end of the fairy tale (or rather the article), and whoever listened (or rather read) - well done! 🙂 So we found out that in general, Americans don’t respond very well to Russian food. Well, in vain! Our food will still be healthier. In fact, I am sincerely perplexed how in a country with such ugly eating habits, 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, the only thing that surprises foreigners visiting Mother Rus' is our cuisine. Americans turned out to be among the most squeamish about food-a-la-Russe, just look at their lard tasting. But the Germans show amazing loyalty to our cuisine. The editors of the “Rest” project will tell you which Russian dishes shock foreigners and which ones make them smile with delight in their own rating of the most discussed dishes of Russian cuisine among foreigners.
Salo
Of course, many can argue about whether lard is our original product. However, most foreigners do not differentiate between Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian food. So it is Russian lard that is hotly discussed on the Internet. As it turned out, lard causes a storm of emotions among foreigners (the countries of the former CIS do not count). Americans, Chinese, French, Italians and even the seemingly omnivorous Germans call lard nothing more than “raw salted fat,” which they usually throw in the trash. Even bacon, in principle, is the same lard, only with layers of meat; they are ready to eat only in cooked form (fried, baked or stewed). I wonder if they know that many of our compatriots drink it with sweet tea?
Aspic
Jellied meat also causes no less bewilderment among Western brothers. Before being forced to try Russian jelly, foreigners will have to explain for a long time why they add meat to the jelly, and why they generously flavor it all with horseradish. Americans consider this idea simply disgusting, because their jelly is a priori sweet. You can finally finish off the foreigners by describing the technology for preparing this elastic dish - you need to boil the pork hooves. No one would even think of eating offal. The Germans turned out to be the least snobby in this matter. The descendants of the Aryans in their homeland eat brawn - an analogue of jellied meat, only it is prepared from the head of a pig. To make the dish last longer, the Germans add vinegar to it.
Borsch and okroshka
In general, our consumption of large quantities of soups delights many foreigners. Despite the fact that our first courses are not to everyone’s taste, Europeans still recognize that this is a healthier food than the dry meat they are used to. Shchi, solyanka, and especially the more famous abroad borscht and okroshka evoke polar reviews: either sharp rejection or strong support. True, there are also funny cases: for example, to some Latin Americans our borscht resembles hot gazpacho, although they are not at all similar in taste. That's why they eat it. This soup is also recognized by the Chinese living in the northern provinces, those closer to Russia. Beetroot is an unusual product for representatives of the Celestial Empire and is surprising in that it is the one that colors the soup so richly. Most Europeans are wary of borscht: boiled cabbage and beets confuse them. Although the curious French and Italians are ready to experiment. Beets are a nonsense to most Americans because they consider this ingredient to be animal feed.
But okroshka makes everyone smile, because, as foreign citizens are sure, you can mix sausage, cucumbers, eggs with kefir or mineral water, and then eat it all only as a joke. From their point of view, this is tantamount to pouring Coca-Cola on the salad and devouring this dish. What can we say about okroshka with kvass.
“Herring under a fur coat” and “Olivier”
While many Europeans and Asians are still ready to put up with beets in borscht and vinaigrette, not everyone can cope with the “rotten fish” in the “Herring under a Fur Coat” salad. The fact is that Americans call any marinated fish that has not undergone heat treatment “rotten”. Once again, lovers of this dish can be found among some 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 “Russian Salad,” as Olivier was nicknamed abroad, evokes mostly positive reviews. Americans compare it to their potato salad (although the only common ingredients are potatoes), diluted with sausage, egg and vegetables. If these culinary enthusiasts liked this dish, what can we say about the rest. “Russian salad” is respected by the Chinese, French, Italians, British, Germans and even Chileans. Crab stick salad is slightly less popular.
Shish kebab and dumplings
Surely many readers are already puzzled: is it really that foreigners don’t like all our dishes? We dare to assure you that this is not so. It’s just these culinary delights that amazed them the most. Our meat main courses evoke positive emotions. In general, Europeans consider meat one of the key components of the Russian meal. Although shish kebab is not our original dish, it is nevertheless associated with Russia, and arouses great sympathy for our “barbecue”. It turns out that it's all in the marinade. Among other meat dishes, the Chinese highlight cutlets, cervelat, and French-style meat. Italians, Australians and French don't mind eating dumplings.
Russian cuisine is difficult to describe in one word; it is too capacious and broad a concept: it includes the traditional food of Russian peasants, exquisite French dishes that have long taken root in our country, and twentieth-century dishes invented in Soviet times in the cramped kitchens of Khrushchev. 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 - bland, Americans - sweet, then Russians, according to foreigners, eat sour and salty foods most of all.
Most foreigners know little about Russian cuisine: at best, 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. Some people are delighted after trying the famous borscht and Olivier salad; others find our food too high in calories and even unpleasant. There are even some dishes that almost all foreigners call disgusting - and it is primarily Americans who speak so negatively about them.
Firstly, this lard is perhaps not an original Russian product, but very popular in our country. Americans tend to be horrified by Russians eating chunks of fat that foreigners simply throw away. And jellied meat seems incredibly disgusting to them - how can you eat frozen, cold meat jelly covered with a crust of fat? Although fruit jelly does not cause such disgust in them...
Secondly, many foreigners are suspicious of all meat except beef, pork and chicken. Americans do not eat lamb or rabbit, not to mention such exotic types of meat as horse meat. They also don’t understand that offal can also be edible - after all, previously in the USA offal was given only to slaves. Therefore, they are very surprised that we happily eat liver, hearts, lungs and tongue.
Like other northern peoples, Russians love salted or dried fish. But Americans call such fish raw, since it has not been subjected to heat treatment. And no American will even try raw fish. For the same reason, Japanese sushi and rolls are not nearly as popular in the USA as in Russia. And Russian herring evokes in them approximately the same feelings as fresh raw fish.
Another feature of Russian cuisine that often surprises foreigners is the large number of soups. According to American Tim Kirby, 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 have especially mixed opinions about borscht - some call it a disgusting hot and liquid beet salad, while others really like it.
Blinis as one of the national Russian dishes do not surprise foreigners - both Americans and Europeans eat them, and similar flatbreads can be found in Asian countries. But if in America pancakes and pancakes are only dessert dishes served with jam, sugar, marmalade, then in Russia they prepare 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, and savory are not so popular in Russia. And if parsley is loved and eaten in Europe, then dill is treated with prejudice and does not understand the Russian love for this too fragrant and peculiar herb.
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 name milk, kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, fish and bread. Many people say that Russian sliced loaf tastes better than the best French bread. And because of its shape, Russian bread is called “brick”.
Every cuisine in the world has its own characteristics, surprising, strange and unusual dishes. All these statements about Russian cuisine indicate that it is original, interesting and not spoiled by the mass love of fast food, flavor enhancers and preservatives. We can be proud of our national cuisine and culinary habits.
The culinary delights that foreigners see on the holiday tables of Russians sometimes drive them into a stupor. However, not all traditional European dishes were able to take root in Russia. So, what products and dishes of Russian cuisine do foreigners consider strange and even disgusting, and what foreign cuisine will not all Russians risk trying?
Food that puzzles foreigners
Buckwheat
This cereal tops the list of “Russian” products that other nations resolutely reject. In Europe, this cereal is called Tatar or Saracen grain and is used to feed birds. Buckwheat is also sold in specialized dietary departments in Europe. But Russians do not eat such a product because of the unusual processing - the cereal is not fried and is thoroughly crushed.
In addition to residents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, buckwheat has admirers in Korea, where sae me duk buns are made from it. In Japan, buckwheat flour is used to make noodles. Jews also eat porridge, mixing it with pasta and fried onions.
Buckwheat is a cereal with the highest protein content; it also contains vitamins A, C, iron, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. 100 grams of buckwheat porridge is only 97 calories.
The homeland of buckwheat is not Greece at all, but the Himalayas. Grain cultivation in Rus' was mainly done by Greek monks, hence the name. There is an opinion that buckwheat tastes good only if it is part of a person’s diet from childhood. When people try porridge for the first time as an adult, they experience bitterness and a chemical taste.
Salted cucumbers
This is another product that is practically not eaten in Western Europe and America (with the exception of Germans and residents of Eastern Europe - Hungarians, Poles, Czechs). In the West, it is customary to pickle cucumbers using sugar and vinegar, and fermentation is a long process, which results in a product with a specific sour taste. But it should be said that pickled cucumbers are healthier than pickled cucumbers, as they contain lactic acid, which has a beneficial effect on digestion.
Strange vinaigrette salad and “disgusting” pickle
Foreigners treat vinaigrette and rassolnik with undisguised surprise and distrust. The first one in Europe is called “Russian salad”, and is considered an ugly combination of products; the presence of pickled cucumber enhances this effect. Rassolnik is also a very specific dish of Russian cuisine; not every European (unless it’s a Pole) has the courage to try soup with boiled pickles.
Fish eggs
Red caviar is a delicacy in Russian cuisine, obtained from salmon fish - trout, chum salmon, and pink salmon. The nutritional value of this product is very high, it contains vitamins PP, E, C, A, B1, B2, and it is also rich in minerals - phosphorus, fluorine, sodium, magnesium.However, Americans and Europeans (except the French and Germans) do not share our gastronomic delight. They consider “fish eggs” to be waste along with the rest of the entrails. Foreigners are even more surprised by the tradition of eating red caviar with pancakes; they are not used to savory fillings. In addition to Russians, the Japanese and Finns willingly eat caviar.
Kefir
The healthy milk drink did not please gourmets around the world due to its dense texture, weak taste, high acidity and lack of sweetness.
The opinion of foreigners about kefir is not softened even by the fact that this drink has no equal in its usefulness. It contains 30 types of lactobacilli, kefir grains, calcium, B vitamins and other substances that have a positive effect on health.
Dill
If the previously listed products cause bewilderment among foreigners, then dill has earned real hatred. Europeans traveling around Russia call the popularity of this aromatic herb a plague. Indeed, dill is added not only to dishes of national Russian cuisine, but also to places where it most definitely does not belong - to Italian pizza, Mexican burrito, Greek salad. The presence of this component is noted not only on the table of ordinary families, catering establishments in the outback, but also in prestigious metropolitan restaurants.
English journalist Sean Walker even organized a community on Facebook, Dillwatch, in which gourmets unanimously criticize dill. But in fact, this herb is in demand not only in Russia, but also in Bulgaria, Serbia, Sweden and Canada.
Dried fish
Foreigners are truly disgusted by freshwater dried fish - they find its smell simply unbearable and do not even dare to try it. Bream, silver bream, pike, asp, roach, and sabrefish in dried form are not eaten anywhere except Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
As a rule, sausages, steaks, smoked meat, fried krill, smoked cheese, chips, onion rings, barbecued meat, and battered sea fish are eaten as snacks for beer in different countries of the world. And only here we traditionally eat dried fatty ram. Even the omnivorous Chinese and French, lovers of frogs and oysters, are surprised that anyone can eat dried fish.
What neighbors' food has not taken root in Russian cuisine?
Lamprey
Lamprey, a delicacy among residents of the Baltic countries, is practically absent from the tables of Russian housewives. This creature looks like something between a fish and a worm. In fact, it belongs to the order of jawless. The body of the lamprey is without scales and bones and practically without entrails. It should also be noted that the taste is pleasant - not like fish, but rather reminiscent of chicken. Lampreys are fried, smoked hot and cold.
It is extremely popular in Moldova, Serbia, Israel, the Czech Republic, but not in Russia. It can only be bought in large supermarkets; its consumers, as a rule, are supporters of a healthy lifestyle. But in the outback it is difficult to find such a product, which is explained by sluggish demand. And this is at a low price, interesting taste, and long shelf life. Another advantage of celery is that it can be eaten boiled, baked or fresh. The root is added to soups, vegetable dishes, salads, and casseroles. The stems are used for making juices and dressings for meat dishes. There are a lot of ideas for cooking celery.
Goat meat
Dietary and amino acid-rich goat meat, widely popular in Asia, Central and South America, and Africa, is not in high demand among Russians and Europeans. The reason for this is the specific smell and harshness. In Russia, goats are bred mainly in individual household plots to produce milk. These animals do not require troublesome care, consume little food, but even taking into account these advantages, goat meat does not compete with the usual varieties of meat - pork, chicken and beef.
This is a traditional product in the diet of Asians; it is also used in a number of European countries - France, Germany, Hungary. They also love horse meat in Japan. The meat is prepared into roasts and added to sausages to improve the consistency and taste. But most of Russia does not favor this product, with the exception of Yakutia, Bashkortostan and Tatarstan.
This is explained by the fact that the horse is treated as a noble, intelligent animal, an assistant in the household. This means that eating it is a cultural taboo.
In this, the Roma, Indians, British and Americans agree with the Russians. In addition, breeding horses requires large spaces. Keeping animals in a confined space negatively affects the taste of meat.