January 05, 2022

Charcuterie à la 1984


Charcuterie à la 1984
Attack on snacks Управление Россельхознадзора по Свердловской области on YouTube

On December 29, the Sverdlovsk Region Administration of Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) posted a video of the burning of three hundred kilograms of sausage, ham, and cheese.

Officials posted the 18-minute video of the gustatory tragedy after the delectables were discovered during an inspection of the PolonAmbar store in Yekaterinburg. Some items came from countries whose products have been counter sanctioned by a 2014 decree of the President of the Russian Federation; others were of unknown origin.

The counter-sanctions are related to sanctions issued in response to the Ukraine conflict. The embargoes were rolled out in three stages: in 2014, products from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway were banned; controls on items from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania, and Montenegro followed in 2015; and in 2016, Russia stopped the import of certain items from Ukraine.

It looks like Dmitry Nazarov, the store’s owner, won’t be bringing home the bacon this year. On top of his estimated half-million-ruble ($660) loss of product, he might also owe a fine of up to twenty thousand rubles ($650) under Article 10.8 Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

It’s not just poor Dmitry, folks. Rather than being enjoyed in proper New Year’s fashion, the tastiest of treats ended up cremated. But like the Russians say, “as you meet the New Year, you will spend it.” Perhaps best to clear out the larder early in preparation for a fresh start.

You Might Also Like

The Patty Shop
  • January 01, 2020

The Patty Shop

In Russia, a bus ride is always more than a bus ride, especially when it stops over at Klava’s patty shop.
Sausage in Exile
  • March 01, 2013

Sausage in Exile

There is a common saying: "If you want to respect laws or sausages, don't watch them being made." Yet in this case (Alef Sausage, in Chicago IL), the more you watch, the hungrier you get.
A Dedication to Dairy
  • September 13, 2021

A Dedication to Dairy

Residents of Voronezh have made us all proud (and a little bit jealous) by setting the Russian record for eating the most sweet cottage cheese-based desserts in one day. 
Dear Cheese
  • July 13, 2021

Dear Cheese

Is there anything that could make cheese any better than it already is? A new patent in cheese-making with an unusual ingredient is attempting to do just that. 
When Well-Oiled, Skip the Fat
  • June 16, 2021

When Well-Oiled, Skip the Fat

If you enjoy a hefty pour (or three!), you might think twice about what you consume to offset the effects of a night of drinking.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Murder at the Dacha

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.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

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.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Survival Russian

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.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

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

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.

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