Culture & Customs

A look back at the many variants of Soviet Fast Food.

As Russian elections inch closer, the perfect climate has developed for satire...

Just a few hours’ drive from Moscow is the wonderfully preserved, ancient town of Kolomna. And here, amidst golden-domed churches and a beautifully restored kremlin, there is a hidden gem of a museum.

The art of Ivan Bilibin spurs a consideration of the history of beer brewing in Russia.

Moscow’s bustling food markets are colorful, clamorous, exciting places. And much of what goes on there lies hidden behind the superficial din. This is a story of pesto, plov and piglets.

As a festival in Moscow brings together virtuoso guitarists from across Europe, the traditional Russian seven-stringed form of the instrument is enjoying a renaissance… in America.

Boris Kustodiev’s painting Moscow Tavern (1916) captures a world that was soon to vanish. Here, old-fashioned cabbies, wearing the telltale long beards and caftans of Old Believers, enjoy a break from their work as they relax over tea. Recipe: Herring in Dill Sauce

Two young Americans decide to ride across the breadth of Eurasia, and spent 162 days traversing 6000 miles of Russian roads (and non-roads). They survived. And they brought back this tale.

A look at Vladimir Mayakovsky as painter and poet, and a recipe for Tyanuchki - a candy-like fudge.

Winter offers unique travel opportunities to Russia, particularly when it comes to Siberia. For instance, how about a trek across the world’s largest freshwater lake? Or ice skating atop crystal clear waters, then enjoying a searing banya...?