August 23, 2021

Biscuithead Sweet-Talks on Safety


Biscuithead Sweet-Talks on Safety
The bread offender Screenshots from TolkoNovosti

Administrators of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Tula Oblast have decided to approach their educational efforts with sugar and spice. On August 13, the Tulksy television channel reported that rather than simply lecturing local youth on safety measures, they would make use of the charms of one of the region's favorite teatime treats.

The Ministry fashioned a new safety mascot with the sickly-sweet head of a "Tulsky Pryanik," one of the region's culinary specialties (and rather similar to the Gorodets pryaniki we wrote about in our July/August issue). The gingerbread biscuits, which come stamped with sometimes hand-crafted designs and usually the name of the region in script, are popular gifts from those who have visited Tula.

but tulsky pryanik biscuit
Tulsky Gift! | Photograph by Piv-pro on Russian Wikipedia

The Ministry of Emergency Situations' decorated pryanik, who carries a stuffed fire extinguisher, will be providing interactive demonstrations alongside humanoid colleagues to help the region's youth better remember safety rules. Pryanik Head's first assignment at the "New Wave" recreation center included demonstrations of fire safety equipment and lessons on how children should conduct themselves when a blaze breaks out.

There is a Russian expression equivalent to the "stick and carrot" – "knut i pryanik," or "whip and pryanik." We'll just let you sit with that one.

 

You Might Also Like

To Tula! Samovar Optional ...
  • September 01, 2001

To Tula! Samovar Optional ...

Don't bring your samovar to Tula is just one of the idiomatic expressions related to tea and coffee in this issue's column.
Steeped in Tradition
  • September 01, 2001

Steeped in Tradition

Some may think that vodka is Russia's national drink, but the truth is that Russians can live without vodka, but they cannot survive without tea. In fact, there are few places on earth where more tea is consumed per capita than Russia. We take a look at the origins of this obsession, from samovars to tea with jam to torts and pryaniki. You'll be brewing a cup yourself before you finish.
More than a Cookie
  • July 01, 2021

More than a Cookie

For some 300 years, the residents of Gorodets, near Nizhny Novgorod, have been making a spicy cookie famous throughout the country, and perhaps the world.
Cookies for Carolers
  • January 01, 2009

Cookies for Carolers

Pryaniki are a time-honored cookie enjoyed at holiday time. Get yours here.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

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