Russian cuisine: Vodka

Overview

The production of the purest and seemingly most simple of all alcoholic drinks – vodka – involves the relatively complicated process of distillation. So, it wasn't invented until the 15th century. But vodka’s relative youth (it is about 8,000 years younger than wine) didn’t prevent it from gaining widespread popularity in Eastern Europe and Russia.
The difficulty of growing grapes in a cold climate drove these counties into exploring the alcoholic potential of fermented grain. These explorations led to the discovery of what was called then called ‘bread wine’. It was first distilled at a Muscovite monastery and then, apparently, in the city of Moscow itself in the 1440s. Traditional Russian surnames Vinokur or Vinokurov are derivatives of the Russian word for the distillation process.

Mendeleev's measurements and Pokhlyobkin’s studies

Dmitry Mendeleev Despite beliefs to the contrary, Mendeleev – the legendary Russian inventor known as the ‘Euclid of chemistry’ – didn’t actually invent vodka, which existed about 400 years prior to Mendeleev’s birth. However his thorough and careful studies have greatly contributed to the distilling industry.

The two most notable names in the history of vodka are Dmitry Mendeleev and William Pokhlyobkin.
Mendeleev became a Doctor of Science in 1865 for a dissertation called “On the Combinations of Water with Alcohol”. It’s a unique example of a work on spirits by a scientist of Mendeleev’s caliber, and, unsurprisingly, it has one or two useful ideas.
When appointed Head of the State Bureau of Weights and Measures in 1893, Mendeleev had to come up with vodka production standards. Naturally he didn’t forget his alcohol studies made 30 years earlier, which indicated the ideal volume for vodka to be 38%. But for the purposes of easier marking and taxation, the 40% volume was chosen.
Vodka’s very existence caused an international controversy in the late 1970s (of course its usage has caused infinitely more controversies), when Poland tried to claim that within the borders of the Kingdom of Poland, vodka was known prior to the Russian Empire.
Years of painstaking research by historian William Pokhlyobkin confirmed that vodka was in Muscovy in the 15th century, while Poland was unable to prove the statement that the local vodka (gorzalka) was created prior to the middle of the 16th century.
Russia clearly won the international dispute on the invention of vodka and rightfully keeps it as its national drink.

The importance of ‘zakuska’

Being the national drink of a country as vast as Russia, vodka has created dozens of different traditions. While some prefer to drink it around the table, others see vodka as a universal short-term relaxant that can be consumed virtually anywhere with little preparation.
There are people who enjoy vodka and there are those who suffer from ulcers. So, if you have no desire to pass from the first group to the second follow the advice below. Before a proper vodka session (one that involves more then 200 milliliters of vodka per participant) you have to take precautions.

1. Several hours before the session, swallow 50 milliliters of vodka. Once inside your system, it will behave similarly to the way process gas in pipelines to smoothe the flow.
2. Vegetable oil and raw eggs, as well as tea and coffee may also be helpful, as the oily substance will cover the wall of the gut and prevent alcohol from soaking into your stomach and intestine. A perfect way to avoid any negative effect from drinking is to eat porridge an hour before you start drinking.
3. As far as medicines go, absorbent carbon is good, but antibiotics should be avoided at all costs: when taken with alcohol they damage your heart. And so does excessive smoking while drunk.
4. Chasing vodka with other drinks such as beer, wine or tonics should be avoided. It makes you drunk too fast.
5. Food is a different matter. When the drinking starts the choice of accompanying food – a.k.a. ‘zakuska’ – is crucial. Meat is good, but not sausages; most fish is good; raw vegetables and herbs should be abandoned for saline ones, while any kind of fruit is welcome, especially citrus ones, as well as berries.
6. Russian tradition prescribes that vodka be sipped in order to taste it; it is not acceptable to simply swallow it down. So it should be cool, but not ice cold.

Choosing vodka

RT has put together its own list that might come in handy when choosing a vodka:

Glavspirttrest
$4–$10

Putinka
$4–$10

Five Lakes
(Pyat Ozer)
$4–$6

On Birch buds
(Na Beryozovih Brunkah)
$8–$10

Flagship
(Flagman)
$6–$13

Danish
(Special mentioning:
Danzka)
$17–$30

Sturgeon
(Beluga)
$25–$56

Parliament
$6–$16

Cranes
(Zhuravli)
$6–$10

Decanter
(Zelyonaya Marka
Grafinchick™)
$10–$13

Russian Standard
$17–$37

Cocktails with vodka

Most of the world’s cocktails include vodka. They aren’t really popular among Russian drinkers, who en masse prefer to drink vodka neat, but some of the cocktails are actually quite interesting as they reduce the negative side-effects of vodka.

Bloody Mary

• 3 parts vodka
• 6 parts tomato juice
• 1 part lemon juice

Add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper into highball glass, then pour all ingredients into highball with ice cubes; stir gently

Otvertka (Screwdriver)

• 1 part vodka
• 2 parts orange juice
• pinch salt

Mix in a highball glass with ice

White Russian

• 2 parts vodka
• 1 part cream (milk)
• 2 parts coffee liqueur

Pour directly into old fashioned glass filled with ice

Cosmopolitan

• 2-3 parts vodka
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1 part fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake well and strain into large cocktail glass

Vodka-Martini

• 4 parts vodka
• 1 part dry vermouth
• pinch salt

Large cocktail glass

Long Island Iced Tea

• 3 parts vodka
• 1 part tequila
• white rum
• orange liqueur
• gin
• lemon juice

Gomme syrup and a dash of cola; mix in a glass over ice

Vodka – a drink for all occasions

Russians often joke, “We eat vodka.” Since its invention, vodka has been used in Russia as a medicine, antiseptic and cosmetic remedy. Vodka used to save lives, especially during World War II, when no other antiseptic was available. It was also widely used after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant blast to clear a person's body of radioactive nuclides. And nowadays, vodka is widely used in everyday life:

In medicine As a cleaning substance Recipes that include vodka For cosmetic use

1. At the first symptoms of food poisoning, take one shot of vodka, add a little bit of salt (on the tip of the knife), mix and drink it. This helps to stop the poison from spreading. Vodka with salt is also good if you have diarrhea.
2. Vodka is well known as a great means of reducing high body temperature (above 38 Celsius). Apply vodka to a sponge and wipe the body with it, then let it dry without covering the body. The sick person will feel cold, but the temperature will drop quickly.
3. It can also be used as a warm compress to cure a sore throat. Apply a small amount of vodka to a cotton or linen tissue (enough for it to become wet). Make a second layer from polyethylene or cellophane and tie it around your neck, then cover with a warm woolen scarf.
4. If you have frostbite, then sometimes it is better not to use a warming massage, but instead to make a compress with vodka, apply it to the affected area and then take some internally (no more than 100 grams).
5. Vodka is a great antiseptic. For instance, if you have a bee sting, apply some vodka to the spot. It will disinfect the skin and prevent the poison from getting into your body.
6. To cure toothaches, apply a shot of vodka to the aching tooth, or a put a piece of cotton dipped in vodka on the tooth. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol, which will eventually numb the pain. But don't swallow!
7. For joints aches, take honey, diced radish and vodka in equal parts – say, half a glass – mix together and add one teaspoon of salt. Rub the concoction onto places where your joints hurt.

Russian jumps into record books from Antarctic mountain

 

Russian dare-devil Valery Rozov has become the first person to BASE jump from Antarctica’s Mount Ulve Tanna.

Rozov, along with climbing colleague Aleksandr Ruchkin and photographer Thomas Senf, needed two weeks of preparations at BASE camp before climbing up the mountain, where temperatures fell to -30C.

Yet, that was the relatively easy part of Rozov's mission. The real challenge lay in his descent from the mountain.

Wearing his wingsuit, Rozov took a death-defying jump off the 3000 meter peak, gliding around the mountains for 45 seconds, before pulling the chord on his parachute and landing safely.

The achievement firmly puts Rogov’s name in the history of BASE-jumping.  BASE is an acronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump – buildings, antennae, spans and earth. 
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Russian takes down triple jump records.(Track-Field): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)      

Anna Chapman, hot Russian spy

Katia Zatuliveter Suspected As A Russian Spy, She Denies The Claim

 Katia Zatuliveter, who worked under British MP Mike Hancock is arrested and facing deportation as she is suspected of being a Russian spy. A House of Commons Defense Committee’s member announced the news to the media. On the other hand Mike Hancock said that he was unaware of the fact that the security services had suspected her until she was detained.

A reputed media source reported that Home Secretary Theresa May has already approved of her detention and it will be executed in few days. The Home office has declined to comment anything about this issue and said that they would not comment on individual issue. Mike Hancock said that Katia Zatuliveter is not a Russian spy and he does not know about the “espionage”. However, the MP confirmed that she has been subjected to a deportation order. Mike Hancock said that his aide is appealing to the court as she feels that she has not done anything wrong. He said that the whole thing now rests on Katia Zatuliveter’s lawyers and they will handle the case. Mike Hancock said that his assistant was not involved in the internal issue of the work. However, according to MI5 she will be deported as her presence is conducive to the national security.

Mike Hancock said that his assistant was ambitious and she wanted to prosper in her life and go further than to work under an MP in the House of Commons. Her father Andrei Zatuliveter said that his daughter is presently in a state of shock and as she has no idea of the things happening to her. Some gossip sites reported that Katia Zatuliveter is suspected of working under SVR, which is the foreign intelligence in Russia.
 

Asiatic Black Bear Hunting in Russia

The Asiatic Black Bear, also known as the Tibetan black bear or the Himalayan black bear, is a medium sized, sharp-clawed, black-colored bear with a distinctive white or cream “V” marking on its chest. It is a close relative of the American black bear with which it is thought to share a European common ancestor. It grows up to approximately 190 cm (6 1/2 ft) in length. Males weigh between

110 and 220 kg (240 to 440 lb). The Asiatic Black Bear has a wide distribution range spanning from the east to the west of the Asian continent. This bear can be found in the forests of hilly and mountainous areas in East Asia and South Asia, including southern

Siberia and Far East in Russia. In Russia the Asiatic black bear shares its habitat with the larger and stronger brown bear. However, the smaller black bear has a good advantage over it’s competitor: it can climb trees.

Asiatic black bear hunting has been opened in Russia for several years. Hunting is done in Khabarovsk region and Primnorsky Krai by stalking and bating in the fall or spring and in the dens in the winter.

                                                                                       
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Brown Bear Hunting in Russia.

Brown Bear Hunting in Russia

Without a doubt, a Russian brown bear hunt is the best in the world. The population of brown bears in Russia has been stable for years. According to estimates, its population may approach 140,000, which is more than any other country. The Russian brown bear habitat runs uninterrupted from the Finnish border to the Pacific Ocean for 10000 km. (6000 mi.). The Pacific coast and the European parts of the country have the largest density of bear population.

We offer bear hunts in three distinct areas: European North-West, Central and Southern Siberia, and the Pacific coast.

Eurasian Brown Bear in St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Vologda and Karelia regions. Spring season over baits is offered only in Karelia from April 20-25 until May 10-15. Majority of Eurasian Brown bear hunts are conducted from high stands over bait. Early fall hunts are done from stands along oat and barley fields. Later, bears are hunted by stalking or baiting. The season usually starts on August 15 and ends around October 30. The largest European bear ever taken by one of our clients was 360 kg. (790 lbs.), with a hide 260 cm. long (almost 9 ft.).

The Siberian Brown Bear is a large representative of the species. Both Spring and Fall hunts are offered. Spring hunts usually involve stalking and glassing over the hillsides. In the Fall, bears are hunted by stalking and baiting, and occasionally with dogs.

Far Eastern Brown bear of Kamchatka peninsula and the Pacific Coast of the Russian Far East produce the largest bears in Russia, or perhaps in the world. These salmon-eating bears rival in size, and in density of population the bears of Alaska and the Kodiak Island. However, the prices of these Russian hunts are usually lower than those in Alaska. Kamchatka has become the number one destination for bear hunters in Russia, although many hunters do not realize that the less-often hunted areas of the Russian Northern Pacific Coast offer as good, or perhaps an even better chance of getting a very large bear.

Due to high density of the bears, hunters traveling to the Russian Far East or to the European regions of Russia frequently have an opportunity to take a second trophy.
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Asiatic Black Bear Hunting in Russia.

Russia:The Unexplored Land

Russia is still an unexplored land when it comes to most people from the west. Now that the Soviet Union has been dissolved and communism lost its grip on the new independent states, the entire region that came under the Soviet regime is now open to foreign tourists as well as businesses. Russia has so much to offer to people who have never experienced the ancient cultures and the exciting traditions of the land. Right from the isolated villages in Siberia to the regal elegance of St. Petersburg, there is so much to savour from this vast and ancient land.

Although Russia was an extremely wealthy nation, its deep roots in communism kept it fairly isolated from the rest of the world. Its new freedom that came with the dissolution of communism has brought a breath of fresh air to the country. The Russian people now believe that there are tremendous opportunities awaiting them which just need to be tapped and taken advantage of. The raising of the iron curtain has truly opened the eyes of the people to the enormous possibilities that are now available, especially to the younger generation.

While the country is progressing in terms of technology, it is rediscovering its past. The age old cultures and traditions of this vast land is being brought back to life with renewed vigour. A number of ancient cathedrals that have been neglected over a period of time are now being restored and rebuilt. Art and literature are finding a lot of prominence in the life of people once again. The streets are live with music and the markets and street walks burst with colour and life. A whole nation has literally reawakened to the joy of life.

Russia encompasses an extremely vast area of land. Right from the imperial cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg to the small and remote villages in the far reaches of the Siberian wilderness, Russia spans the two continents of Europe and Asia. While the western border of Russia is shared with various European nations, the Eastern border is as close as 50 miles from North America. Over this vast expanse of land lie majestic mountains, lush forests with an incredible variety of wildlife, and large network of rivers, as well as the largest freshwater lake on the planet. Only for the last few years have these wonders from the largest country in the world, been open to visitors from foreign countries.

One of the factors that inhibit westerners travelling to Russia is the lack of widespread knowledge of the English language. Although a few people speak good English, there are a vast number of people who do not understand the language. But to be able to truly understand and enjoy the beauty of the land and its people, you need to learn Russian during your stay in Russia. No matter how much you try to understand the culture and the traditions of the land, unless you speak and understand Russian, you will not be able to truly relish the beauty of the country.

The Russian people are extremely cordial and kind. It will be a pleasure conversing with them and getting to know them personally. You will however not be able to interact with them on an intimate level unless you are able to speak Russian. There are various ways in which you can learn Russian however. There are many resources available where you can learn Russian free of cost. Especially with the advent of the World Wide Web, learning new languages and dialects has become incredibly an easy task.

There are a number of websites available through which you can learn Russian online. Many websites have a series of lessons for beginners. Once you get a grasp of the basics of the language, then you can move on to more advanced lessons that will teach you more complex framing of sentences and advanced grammatical structures. With these extremely useful resources you can learn Russian free online which will in turn help you to converse easily with the Russian people. The time and effort spent in learning the language of the country will be well worth the effort. It will pay rich dividends in the form of great relationships formed with the wonderful people of Russia.

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Volgograd(Also Known As Stalingrad)

                                                     

                                                Mother Russia Mamaev Kurgan

                                                                          Nick Carter

                                                   

Volgograd was originally named Tsaritsin, then in 1925 the name was changed to Stalingrad.  Stalin died in 1953, but it took another 12 years for the name to be finally changed to Volgograd in 1965 by Khruschev.  The city is located on the river Volga. In the summer it can be more than 30°C and in winter the temperature can become very cold (minus 20°C or more).

Outside the city you can find a typical nearly desert nature. Also the battle fields of World War II are located around here. The city itself is not very nice but has a few interesting spots. The monument on the hill, the promenade at the river also with its Powerplant. I guess it will be very difficult to find people to speak to if you can not speak russian. But if so it can be interesting to find out more about the history of the city.

Volgograd, still referred to by war historians as Stalingrad, was the site of THE bloodiest battle in the history of the world.  During the struggle the city was reduced to rubble and was the setting for a struggle between the might of the German and Soviet war machines.  Because of this there are many fascinating memorials and museums to visit. The city is rich with culture and history, and offers a wonderful experience of Russian life.
 
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Ural Mountains,Sights to see in Russia.

Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains, the boundary line drawn by the nature with the help of mountains between Asia and Europe, It runs through Russia in the west and roughly northern south. The highest point in the Ural mountain range is Mountain Narodnaya around 6200 feet. The Ural Mountains basically runs between Kazakhstan and Russia. It is also named as Urals.

The Ural Mountains are mostly known as the stone belt in the history of Russia. The Mountain range having the age of more then 250 million years also believed to be the oldest Mountain range, covering the area of around 2500 KM’s, starting from the north of Kazakhstan till the Arctic Ocean. The major portion of the Mountain range of Urals is based in Russia; over 70 % of this mountain range belongs to Russia whereas the remaining is situated in Kazakhstan.

The mountain range also has the privilege to be full of resources and richest in wealth. It has been anticipated by the scientists well before 18th century and in 1800s a scientist worked properly on the Urals mountain range to explore its full capacity of resources and richness. He traveled thousands of miles to gather the big collection of minerals like platinum, topaz, gold, magnetite, perovskite, rutile, ilmenite, quartz, zircon, chromite, chrysoberyl, uvarovite, phenakite, and minerals and metals.

The scientist was the Russian mineralogist and his name was Ernst Karlovich hofmann. He was the man who studied the Urals mountain range and explored the richest wealth and let the world understand the importance of this mountain range for the region.

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Beyond the Ural Mountains: The Adventures of a Siberian Hunter
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Churches, Monasteries and Convents

As the spiritual home of the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow boasts a fascinating religious history and an impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture. The church has always played a vital role in Russian society and still does today. So tag along with me and I'll reveal something of the Russian spirit to you, the soul of our people, and I just know you're going to be fascinated by it all! Follow the links below and enjoy a virtual browse around the city's most famous churches, monasteries and convents, and enjoy their architectural variety, gleaming golden cupolas, ancient frescoes and irreplaceable icons.

St. Basil's Cathedral - built in the 16th century on Red Square by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his successful military campaign against the Tartar Mongols in the besieged city of Kazan, its mass of brightly painted onion domes and turrets is now one of Moscow's best-known landmarks.

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior - magnificent replica of the 19th century church designed by the architect Konstantin Ton to commemorate Russia's victory over the French in the Napoleonic Wars, which was demolished on Stalin's orders in the 1930s but built anew in the 1990s to mark Moscow's 850th birthday.

Kazan Cathedral - newly constructed replica of the 17th century church built in honor of the Kazanskaya Icon to commemorate Tsar Mikhail Romanov's victory over the Poles and Lithuanians in 1612, and later destroyed by the Bolsheviks.

Novodevichy Convent and Monastery - beautiful 16th century convent founded by Vasily III in 1524 to commemorate the recapture of Smolensk from the Lithuanians ten years earlier and the resting place of some of Moscow's most famous artists, writers, politicians and public figures.

Andronikov Monastery - 14th century monastery built on the steep eastern bank of the Yauza River and once the seminary of the famous Russian monk and icon painter, Andrey Rublyov.

Danilov Monastery - built in the 13th century by Prince Daniil Moskovsky, the youngest Son of Alexander Nevsky, and thought to be the oldest monastery in Moscow.

Danskoi Monastery - founded in the 16th century by Boris Godunov in honor of the Donskaya Icon of the Mother of God, which was thought to have delivered Moscow from the repeated attacks of the Crimean Khanates that century.

Church of the Intercession at Fili - spectacular Baroque church commissioned by Prince Lev Naryshkin in the late 17th century next to the riverside village of Fili, which was given to him by his nephew Emperor Peter the Great.

Ivanovsky Convent - 16th century convent used as a depository for unwanted wives and daughters and a prison for Moscow's noblewomen and featuring dauntingly high walls, crenellated bell towers and brick cupolas.

The Metropolitan's Residence at Krutitsky - originally established at the end of the 13th century as the seat of the Metropolitan of the Christian minority among the Tatar Golden Horde and later a prison for the 17th century Bishop Avvakum, leader of the Old Believers sect which branched away from the main Russian Orthodox Church in a schism precipitated by Patriarch Nikon's desire to reform the church.

Novospassky Monastery - thought to have been founded in the 12th century during the reign of Prince Yury Dolgoruky, the founder of Moscow, and initially established on the site of the present-day Danilov Monastery before being transferred to the Kremlin complex in 1300 by Ivan the Terrible and then relocated back to its present site in 1490 by Ivan III.

Simonov Monastery - founded in 1371 by the monk Fyodor, the nephew of Sergei of Radonezh, the 14th century Russian monastic reformer and later patron saint of the Moscow principality, and one of the city's mightiest defensive outposts during the 15th century.

The Trinity Church in Nikitniki - built between 1631 and 1634 by the merchant Grigory Nikitnikov on his own estate and considered the finest example of 17th century Russian ornamental architecture in the city.

Vagankov Cemetery - dating from 1771, when an outbreak of plague compelled the authorities to dig up all the graveyards in central Moscow and establish new ones beyond the city limits, and the resting place of many of the city's notable public figures, including the maverick actor and poet of the Brezhnev era, Vladimir Vysotsky, and the volatile young poet, Sergei Yesenin.

Zaikonospassky Monastery - the 15th century remains of the Kitai Gorod monastery, which saw the birth of Russia's first higher educational institution, the Slavonic, Greek and Latin Academy. Notable students included the great philosopher Mikhail Lomonosov, who came to Moscow to study at the age of 19 and 25 years later was responsible for the founding of the country's first university.   Related Posts The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood.