Introduction to Russian food culture: Which is more popular in Russia, drinking tea or drinking alcohol?

Russia is a nation that likes innovation. This characteristic of seeking change and novelty was vividly reflected in the diet of the Middle Ages. Here is an introduction to Russian food culture. Which is more popular in Russia, drinking tea or drinking alcohol?

First, let’s take a look at the wine culture

According to research, the emergence of the wine-making industry is attributed to the development of the honey-making industry. In AD ?880-890, "mead" медовуха began to be sold among the people. Its brewing process was very similar to wine. The birch juice wine produced in 921 was full of aroma. At the same time, people began to add spleen hops to honey. As early as 996, people were accustomed to steaming honey. In 1284, Russia had its own beer.

From the 1540s to the 1570s, vodka finally became popular. It is made from rye grains, which are slowly distilled and then condensed in the same vessel. It differs from Ukrainian and Polish liquors in that it is purer and slightly less alcoholic. After the emergence of vodka, mead and birch wine were gradually squeezed out of the stage of history. In the 16th century, vodka achieved the status of a national monopoly commodity in 1533. The first Royal Tavern was grandly opened in a small alley opposite the Kremlin. Time has passed, and now the splendid Kempinski Hotel stands here.

Vodka (Водка) is the national drink of Russia, also known as Odek and Osk. Japan and China also produce it. It is a product of extremely cold places. In the 18th century, the method of filtering raw vodka through a layer of birch charcoal was established. In the 19th century, with the application of continuous distillation machines, today's odorless, tasteless, clear and transparent vodka was created. Genuine vodka does not have the flavor and aroma of other distilled spirits, so it is the most suitable base for cocktails. It's also wonderful to drink dry after being chilled, as if the ice melts in your mouth and turns into a flaming heat. Vodka is a famous Russian wine and is also famous in the world. Some Westerners simply regard vodka as synonymous with Russia.

In the eyes of Russians, a man who doesn’t drink is not a real man. The Russian man said that it would be better for me to die if I was not allowed to drink vodka. Some Russians will also ask if they have had a drink when they meet, just like we Chinese people often ask "have you eaten" when we meet, but they do not say it out loud, but express it with body language: the thumb and index finger of the right hand form a circle. Then the index finger pops out and reaches the chin. No wonder foreigners living in Russia compare vodka to the "first wife" of Russian men. Of course, nowadays, many Russian women drink alcohol, and they love wine as much as men.

Strictly speaking, vodka is roughly equivalent to what China calls liquor, because it does not specifically refer to a brand of wine but to a category of wine in general. Almost all liquors in Russia are called vodka. There are dozens of domestic brands of vodka, and there are also ten brands imported from Europe. There are two ways to make vodka. One is to treat the alcohol with activated carbon to remove the impure smell and then add water to blend it. Most of the vodkas sold on the market are blended in this way, with three degrees of alcohol: 38 degrees, 40 degrees and 42 degrees. This kind of vodka is not as mellow as liquor. There is another type of vodka that is brewed from grain. This kind of vodka tastes much better than the one blended with alcohol. It is refreshing and refreshing, with a long aftertaste. It is basically the taste we imagined. It's a pity that this vodka is not sold in many stores.

Russians are very particular about wine glasses when drinking. Ordinary people have various special glasses for drinking beer, wine, brandy, and vodka at home. Most vodka glasses are large cups of 200-300 ml. Before drinking vodka, you need to put it in the refrigerator to cool down. It is said that it tastes better this way. Russians like to drink vodka in one gulp, which is very generous. Of course, under normal circumstances, the wine is only poured into about two-thirds of the glass. The first drink is usually drunk together, and everyone can drink as much as they like. Russians never play tricks when drinking, and are extremely honest. They generally do not persuade people to drink, and they drink as much as they want until they collapse.

They don't pay much attention to the place when they drink. As long as they want to drink, they don't have to be at home or go to a restaurant, and besides, that costs money. At five or six o'clock every afternoon, the streets are full of lovely drinkers: the girls are holding their dogs in one hand and holding beer bottles in the other. They firmly believe that beer is bread; the men are definitely holding beer. Vodka, drink on the go. Drunkards often freeze to death on the snow in winter, and drunkards staggering around unable to find their homes can be seen everywhere on the streets. And I don’t pay much attention to the food. I just have a drink of wine, a bite of bread, and a small bite of cheese. For the convenience of traveling or drinking in the wild, portable silver flasks sold in Russian stores can be seen everywhere. Many Russians always carry vodka with them when they go out, but they may not always have food to go with their drinks. If any drinking companions in the same car or plane have already opened the delicious smoked sturgeon or sausage, cheese, pickled cucumbers, etc., then their journey will be more enjoyable. It is said that before the "October Revolution" in 1917, some poor people drank liquor and could not afford food, so they drank white wine in the hotel. After taking a sip of wine, they put the greasy cuffs to their noses and smelled it, and they treated it like food.

The Russian nation is good at singing and dancing. Most of the men are eloquent and have a great sense of humor. Drinking wine will show this personality to the fullest. After a few glasses of vodka, I became very elegant, dancing or singing to my fullest. Then came various stories, jokes, and tongue twisters, which were full of fun. Drinking gatherings among friends usually last three to four hours, with a 10-minute break every hour so that smokers can go out and indulge their cravings. Russian toasts are also very interesting. The first cup is for reunion, the second cup is for health, and the third cup is for love, love for the motherland, love for the family, love for the wife, in short, a toast to all love. The next step is to wish for peace, wish for friendship and so on. If you are gathering at a friend's house or a guest, the last glass should be dedicated to the hostess to express your appreciation for her superb cooking skills and gratitude for her hard work.

Another alcoholic beverage favored by Russians is beer (пиво). In Russia, beer is sold as a common drink. You can easily buy beer in any store or kiosk that sells soft drinks, but you may not be able to buy vodka. Because it has the characteristics of both soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, it has become a must-have for Russians in their daily life. No matter in the scorching summer or in the severe winter, in the early morning or late at night, you can see a large number of Russian male and female citizens in the streets, alleys, stations and subways, either walking in a hurry or leisurely holding beer bottles and drinking happily. scene. This has become an integral part of Russian street culture. You can always see discarded beer bottles in the cleaning boxes set up on the street and on the tartar on the street.

Every nation has its own favorite drink. Chinese people admire tea, Germans and Czechs love beer, Americans like Coca-Cola, French people are willing to drink cider and lemonade, and Italians prefer orange juice. The national drink of Russians is kvass (квас). With its deep color, sweet and sour taste, and aroma of fresh rye bread, it is one of the non-alcoholic beverages. Kvass has been used in Russia for over 1,000 years and is still popular today. In ancient times, people knew that it quenches thirst, can effectively restore physical strength, make people energetic, and can also help digestion. Traditionally kvass was made with malt (rye malt and barley malt), rye flour, sugar and mint, now with bread, and also with fruit kvass - with apples, lemons, cranberries, etc. ?Why kvass is good for health. Some people say that it is the grass crops that play a role, some think that it is the yeast put in when making bread, and some people think that it is something added to make kvass. The debate has not stopped to this day. It seems that those who think that all the ingredients of kvass are working are right. Its ingredients are: yeast, carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, various vitamins, enzymes, and minerals. ?In the past, Russians could not live without kvass for a day. Drink it at work, after get off work, before and after meals. No wonder its approach has aroused the interest of many countries in Western Europe. In the 1975 international competition in Yugoslavia, Kvass from Moscow scored 18 points, while the famous Coca-Cola only scored 9.8 points.

Now, in Russia, older people are still fond of a drink called kvass, but young people have been conquered by the special taste and massive advertising campaigns of Western drinks such as Coca-Cola.

Wine does not seem to occupy as high a position in Russia as it does in continental Europe. Some people prefer Moldavia’s red wine. Vodka's status in the hearts of Russians is so important that no matter how good it is, it will be difficult to replace it.

Next, let’s take a look at tea culture

In addition to drinking, Russians also have a hobby of drinking tea. Russians prefer black tea, consuming an average of 500 grams per year. Russia only produces a small amount of tea in Sochi in the south, so it mainly relies on imports. Chinese jasmine tea and Indian black tea are deeply loved by Russians. Every afternoon from 5pm to 6pm is tea time for Russians. For a long time, Russians have formed a unique tea-drinking custom:

(1) They like to drink sweet tea, that is, put sugar, jam or honey in the tea, and also eat some sweets, such as homemade cakes, Desserts, cookies, candies, etc.

(2) I like to use a samovar to make tea. The samovar is a unique Russian kettle for boiling water. Traditionally it was made of copper, but now it is more common and made of stainless steel. Its structure is similar to the charcoal-burning copper hot pot in northern China. The lower part of the kettle is equipped with a hollow cylinder, which is used to burn charcoal, shavings and pine cones. Almost every Russian household has a copper or stainless steel samovar, and modern households use electric samovars. Hospitable housewives often invite relatives and friends to drink tea and entertain guests with homemade snacks. When drinking tea, the hostess first pours the strong tea brewed in the porcelain teapot into the guest's teacup, and then brings the teacup to the samovar to refill the water. The samovar and the drinking of tea are signs of hospitality.

(3) People like to drink strong tea, and modern people often put some Roma wine in their tea.

In addition to drinking wine and tea, the traditional summer drink of Russians is kvass, which is made from fermented mint, flour or brown rusks, raisins, berries and other fruits plus white sugar. of refreshing drinks. In recent decades, mineral water has become the main drink at meetings large and small.