If you’re feeling adventurous, this video from RT will show you how to make Russian okroshka soup.

Okroshka – Russia’s most beloved summertime soup

Kvass is a fermented, mildly alcoholic, beverage made from rye bread that is popular in Russia. Sometimes called “Russian cola”, kvass is popular with people of all ages. The alcohol content in kvass is very low and considered acceptable for children. Kvass is often sold right on the street from mobile tanks. Here’s some photos of traditional kvass tanks.

Kvass is so popular that Coca-Cola is trying to get in on the market. Here’s a video from Russia Today about the soft drink giant’s attempt to start selling kvass.

Video on YouTube

Link: Kvass on Wikipedia
Shop: Gold Malt Kvas – 6 pack

Recipe Zaar has a large collection of user submitted Russian recipes. You can find recipes for many Russian favorites including more than 50 recipes for borscht. If you’re feeling adventurous, try some of these recipes, or better yet, submit your own Russian recipe.

Link: Recipe Zaar

In a small village called Verkhnie Mandrogi, not far from St. Petersburg, you can find the Museum of Russian Vodka. This museum features over 2600 different kinds of Russian vodka. Bottles range from the ordinary to the extraordinary. You can see vodka in bottles shaped like guns, swords, crowns, and even statues. Here are a few pictures of the museum.

Stuffed Russian bear near the entrance to the museum.

Link: Flickr photo set with more pictures of the museum
Link: Village of Verkhnie Mandrogi

This week is Maslenitsa or “Pancake week” in Russia. Maslenitsa is one of the oldest holidays in Russia, dating back to pagan times. It was originally a sun festival, celebrating the imminent end of winter. The holiday survived both the Christianization of Russia as well as the atheist Soviet rule. Maslenitsa is marked with celebrations and lots of Russian bliny (a type of pancake or crepe).

Link: Wikipedia article on Maslenitsa

It was 17 years ago today, the day the first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Moscow. Here is video of the CBC news report from Moscow on January 31st, 1990.

Link: Muscovites mad for McDonald’s

Pelmeni is a popular Russian dish with a minced meet filling wrapped in a thin dough. There are many traditional (and time consuming) recipes for making pelmeni, but most are sold frozen in the store. The frozen pelmeni are then boiled for about 5 minutes and served with butter or sour cream. Pelmeni is a great dish, especially when you’re in a hurry.

Here’s a 1952 advertisement for Pelmeni from the Ministry of Meat and Milk Industry.

Link: Wikipedia article about pelmeni.

Russians have a love/hate relationship with McDonald’s. Most Russians I’ve met tell me that they don’t like the food and will lecture me about how bad it is for your health. McDonald’s is very popular non the less! The first McDonald’s in Russia opened in 1990 smashing opening day records for customers served … and it is still the world’s busiest McDonald’s. Today’s link is to a brief history of McDonald’s in Russia.

Link: McDonald’s Russia
Link: McDonald’s Official Site in Russia (Russian Only)