Moscow Markets

Rynoks (outdoor markets) are good places to find strange and delicious foods. Look for lumpy red churchkhela, a kind of Georgian candy made from walnuts and grape juice. Stalls sell piles of bright-pink pickled garlic, peppers, and grape leaves, strings of dried wild mushrooms, and dried and salted fresh-water fish. In fall, the berry selection might include rose hips; orange oblepikha, or sea buckthorn; and brusnika, or cowberry. You can also sample unfamiliar fruits, including the small red plum, kizil, or Cornelian cherry, and aromatic green feikhua (feijoa), a citrus fruit with an interior that tastes like strawberry.

Usually no price is shown for goods. Ask " SkOlko stOit?" or "how much is it?" If the price sounds too high, say the number of rubles you think is reasonable. If the offer is refused, and you don't like the price, say "nyet, dorogo," or "no, it's expensive," and turn away. The trader may then tell you, "dlya vas skidka," or "you get a discount." You'll likely receive a realistic price then.