Folk Food

Folk Food

In Russian folk tales, amorous admirers ply their sweethearts with pryaniki pechatnie (printed ginger breads). This ancient Russian culinary delight, named after aromatic pryanosti (spices), is a baked sweet pastry filled with honey or jam and flavored with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices. It's easily found at any bakery and at many coffee shops.

Another longstanding favorite is kvas, a refreshing nonalcoholic drink. Many Russians would say kvas beats modern colas hands down. Coca-Cola got the message: they now produce vast quantities of their own brand of kvas. Kvas, which literally translates as "sour drink," is made with fermented rye bread and is a renowned hangover remedy. In summertime people buy it by the liter from large wagons on the street.

Rye bread itself is quite a treat, too: don't miss karelsky with raisins, borodinsky with coriander, and rizhsky with cumin.