Bear with us: this week's Odder News lacks a theme. Instead, we have tomato paste, emotion workshops, and Russian pandas.

You’ll have to pay full price for that burger.

“Alcohol is the most harmless component of beer. The remaining minor components that give the beer its properties - foam, color, taste - are extremely unhealthy compounds for human health.”

- Expert in narcology, Daniil Pokrovsky

In this week's Odder News: a Pushkin theme park, a boot-kicking contest, and just the kind of entrepreneurial shake-up the world needs right now.

January 7 is Russian Orthodox Christmas, which calls for a Christmas dish. But the chosen one, kutya, is much more than a winter holiday treat.

Nothing says the Russian holiday season like rolling up to an office party with… sushi rolls?

Seven types of kasha to last you all winter – from farina to kutya, and everything worth eating in between...

Fish aren’t food, ice cream is medicine, ferns are pickles

Hearty Russian soups to warm up this autumn, all seven days a week. 

Nikita was trained as a philologist, but gave it all up to co-found a craft brewery.

This week, eagles rack up data bills while Putin pontificates about AI and a restaurant operator starts Meatless Mondays.

Fall starts on a harmonious note, Putin’s meeting with the Saudis — not so much. Also, happy birthday to vodka!