March 17, 2024

A Pancake a Day...


A Pancake a Day...
Delicious, but not nutritious. The Russian Life files.

How many Russian pancakes should you eat during Maslenitsa? Probably none. But if you were going to, Izvestia has you covered.

A recent article by the state-owned news agency recommended eating only one or two blini at a time. After all, according to the article, blini are full of carbs and fat (and plenty of calories) but absent just about everything else.

Should that recommendation be too stringent, the piece does allow a cheat day: a healthy eater could have one day to indulge in as many as six or seven of the sweet snack. Of course, there's also the filling: fruit and jam are recommended over something less healthy.

Maslenitsa, or "Butter Week," is Russia's version of Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, and Mardi Gras: it marks the beginning of Lent with a celebration tinged with pagan influence but leading to Orthodox Easter. During the week, participants eat fatty and indulgent foods (like blini) that won't be permitted once Lent begins. often, Russians burn an effigy-witch to mark the end of winter and the start of spring.

Whether or not many Russians take heed of this nutritional recommendation is yet to be seen, but we're doubtful. And there is this sobering tale by Anton Chekhov, about the consequences of over-eating blini.

 

You Might Also Like

Russian Pascha
  • January 23, 2001

Russian Pascha

Easter is the most important celebration of the Russian Orthodox Church. Find out what constitutes a traditional Pascha meal and read the Patriarch's message.
A Holiday for Every Occasion
  • February 22, 2018

A Holiday for Every Occasion

Traditional celebrations like Maslenitsa are accompanied by new ones, like Chinese New Year. The party never stops!
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

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