Russia
Nicholas Engleman B2
the Agricultral products
Though food is plentiful, it is often expensive. Those on fixed and limited incomes (mainly the elderly) eat more bread and potatoes than anything else. Urban residents have meat and dairy products more often. Pork, sausage, and cheeses are popular but can be expensive. People in rural areas eat more homegrown produce than imported fruits and vegetables. When they can, urban residents like to go to their dachas (countryside cottages) to grow their own fruits and vegetables.
Eating customs
Russians eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right, although many use only a fork. People keep their hands above the table, not in their laps. Many Russians eat breakfast between 6 and 7:30 a.m., before they go to work. Later, they eat a small snack (including coffee, tea, yogurt, or fruit) as a sort of second breakfast. Around 1 or 2 p.m., Russians eat lunch, and dinner is eaten around 6 or 7 p.m. Urban Russians may not eat dinner until 8 p.m. or later because of their long commutes. Soup is common for lunch or dinner. At dinner, or the main meal, diners often eat salad, soup, meat with rice, vegetables, and potatoes. When entertaining, Russians show hospitality by putting more food on the table than they and their guests can eat, and guests may leave some on the plate to indicate there is abundance in the house, whether this is true or not. Guests finish their meal if they enjoy the food, but they are not obligated to do so
Holiday celebration
National public holidays include New Year’s Day (1 Jan.), Women’s Day (8 Mar.), Solidarity Day (1 May, also known as the Day of International Solidarity for the Working People), and Victory Day (9 May, commemorating the end of World War II). New holidays since 1991 include Russia Day (12 June) and Constitution Day (12 Dec.). Every profession (teaching, mining, law enforcement, etc.) has its own special day each year, but only people within each profession celebrate their holiday. Religious holidays include Christmas (7 Jan.), Maslenitsa, and Easter.