January 01, 2019

A Legendary Glutton


A Legendary Glutton

While many Russian writers are far from ascetics when it came to food and wine, one among their number was legendary for his gluttony. Stories on this score have survived nearly two centuries.

“Grandfather” Ivan Krylov, the author of more than 200 fables, whose fame is comparable among Russians to Pushkin, was widely known for his gargantuan appetites and for the dinner parties regularly thrown in his honor.

History tells us that Krylov rarely ate at home, as he was never officially married, and his housekeeper wasn’t much of a cook. Mostly he took his meals at St. Petersburg’s English Club, and he was a devotee of hearty Russian cuisine, be it shchi cabbage soup, pies, geese stuffed with mushrooms, or roasted suckling pigs with horseradish.


Digital Subscription Required

Get unlimited digital access for just $2 a month.

Don't have an account? signup

Tags: ukhafishsoup

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955