Table of contents:
- Buckwheat
- Salted cucumbers
- Strange salad vinaigrette and "disgusting" pickle
- Fish eggs
- Kefir
- Dill
- Dried fish
- Lamprey
- Celery
- Goat meat
- horsemeat
Video: What Russian dishes do foreigners dislike, and which foreign ones did not take root in Russia
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The culinary delights that foreigners see on the festive 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 domestic cuisine do foreigners consider strange and even disgusting, and what foreign cuisine will not all Russians dare to try?
Buckwheat
This groats tops the list of "Russian" products that other peoples strongly reject. This cereal in Europe is called Tatar or Saracen grain, it is used for bird feed. Also, buckwheat is sold in Europe in specialized departments of dietary nutrition. But Russians do not eat such a product because of the unusual processing - the cereal is not fried and is carefully crushed.
In addition to the inhabitants 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 Russia was mainly carried out by Greek monks, hence the name. There is an opinion that buckwheat tastes good only if it is included in the diet of a person from childhood. Having tasted porridge for the first time in adulthood, people feel bitterness and a chemical aftertaste.
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, as a result of which a product with a specific sour taste is obtained. But it should be said that pickled cucumbers are healthier than pickled ones, since they contain lactic acid, which has a beneficial effect on digestion.
Strange salad vinaigrette and "disgusting" pickle
Foreigners treat vinaigrette and pickle with undisguised surprise and distrust. The first in Europe is called so - "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 is brave enough to try soup with boiled pickles (if it is not a Pole).
Fish eggs
Red caviar is a delicacy in Russian cuisine, obtained from salmon fish - trout, chum salmon, pink salmon. The nutritional value of this product is very high, it contains vitamins PP, E, C, A, B1, B2, it is also rich in minerals - phosphorus, fluorine, sodium, magnesium.
However, Americans and Europeans (except for the French and Germans) do not share our gastronomic delight. They consider "fish eggs" as waste along with the rest of the guts. Even more foreigners are surprised by the tradition of eating red caviar with pancakes, they are not used to savory fillings. In addition to Russians, Japanese and Finns willingly eat caviar.
Kefir
A healthy milk drink did not please gourmets all over the world with 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 terms of its usefulness. It contains 30 types of lactobacilli, kefir fungus, 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 in Russia call the popularity of this fragrant herb a plague. Indeed, dill is added not only to national Russian cuisine, but also to places where it definitely does not belong - to Italian pizza, Mexican burritos, Greek salad. The presence of this component is noted not only on the table of ordinary families, catering enterprises in the provinces, but also on prestigious metropolitan restaurants.
English journalist Sean Walker even organized a Facebook community called Dillwatch, in which gourmets scold dill in unison. But in fact, this herb is in demand not only in Russia, but also in Bulgaria, Serbia, Sweden and Canada.
Dried fish
The real disgust among foreigners is freshwater dried fish - they find its smell simply unbearable and do not even dare to try it. Bream, silver bream, pike, asp, roach, sabrefish in dried form are not eaten anywhere except in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
As a snack for beer in different countries of the world, as a rule, they eat sausages, steaks, smoked meat, fried krill, smoked cheese, chips, onion rings, meat barbecue, sea fish in batter. And only here they traditionally eat dried fat ram. Even omnivorous Chinese and French, lovers of frogs and oysters, are surprised that someone can eat dried fish.
Lamprey
Lamprey, a delicacy among the inhabitants of the Baltic countries, is practically absent on the tables of Russian housewives. This creature looks like something in between a fish and a worm. In fact, it belongs to the order of the jawless. The body of the lamprey is without scales and bones and practically without viscera. Also noteworthy is the pleasant taste - not fishy, but rather reminiscent of chicken. Lampreys are fried and smoked hot and cold.
Celery
It is extremely popular in Moldova, Serbia, Israel, Czech Republic, but not in Russia. It can be bought only in large supermarkets, its consumers, as a rule, are supporters of a healthy lifestyle. And in the outback, such a product is difficult to find, which is explained by sluggish demand. And this is at a low price, interesting taste, long shelf life. Another advantage of celery is that it can be eaten boiled, baked and fresh. The root is added to soups, vegetable dishes, salads, casseroles. The stems are used for making juices, dressing for meat dishes. There are a lot of ideas for cooking celery.
Goat meat
Dietary and rich in amino acids, goat meat, widely popular in Asia, Central and South America, Africa, is not in high demand among Russians and Europeans. The reason for this is the specific smell and hardness. In Russia, goats are bred mainly in individual household plots for milk production. These animals do not require troublesome care, consume little feed, but even taking these advantages into account, goat meat does not compete with the usual varieties of meat - pork, chicken and beef.
horsemeat
It is a traditional product in the diet of Asians; it is also used in a number of European countries - France, Germany, Hungary. Horse meat is also loved in Japan. Roast is prepared from meat, added to sausages to improve consistency and taste. But most of Russia does not like 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 farm. So, there is it - a cultural taboo.
Gypsies, Indians, British and Americans are in solidarity with the Russians in this. In addition, horse breeding requires a lot of space. Keeping animals in a confined space negatively affects the taste of meat.
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