Fiscal sanctions may be devastating for an economy, but food sanctions are a punch to the gut.

Russians put mayonnaise on everything. Even robberies, apparently.

The pirog is quite capable of holding the flag as the most important dish in Russian cuisine. It is a filling, generous, and hearty meal, containing all the major food groups (vegetables, animal protein, grains, and bread) rolled up in one.

An annual Russian competition to decide the best school cafeteria cook in all the land was held recently.

One brave Russian journalist has done great service for the world’s population of domestic cats by taste-testing their vittles.

In this week's Odder News, good luck finding your bus, good luck getting your caviar order, and the cosmos is about to get boring.

It’s that time of the year again, when afternoons are short, the colors are subdued, and the appetite for rich spicy foods is at its highest. What a perfect occasion to cook a hearty Central Asia pilaf with mutton, lots of cumin, and (if you can find them) barberries (also known as berberis or “northern lemon”).

"Sauerkraut that can almost completely solve the problem with dysbiosis. This is because it contains a fairly large amount of dietary fiber, which is a good nourishment for your microflora, and immunity largely depends on the work of the intestines.”

– Nutritionist Andrey Solotarev on what might be good for the gut.

In this week's Odder News, the most amazing cakes you have ever seen, Russia's Suez Canal moment, and how do 100 kids sound?

One Russian city is taking moonshine off the streets by offering a trade: groceries in exchange for booze.

What better way to celebrate the shifting seasons than with a review of the delicious things you might find stored away in a Russian pantry for colder days. Recipes included!

Somebody’s got a sweet tooth in Tyumen, where they deputy head of Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service has accepted forbidden fruit in exchange for the right to supply other sweet ingredients.