November 24, 2020

No Ketchup Here


No Ketchup Here

School cafeterias are getting some new restrictions.

The head of Russia’s Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, or Rospotrebnadzor, recently approved the new requirements, intended to make children healthier by increasing their vitamin intake and using iodized salt to keep children safe from an iodine deficiency.

The changes require that children are fed a hot meal, but there are some limitations on what that can include. For example, the classic dish macaroni po-flotski (макароны по-флотски) is no longer allowed, along with many ingredients, such as mushrooms, vinegar, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Also not allowed are kvas, sausages, peanuts, caramel, and cold soups, like okroshka. Vending machines can be installed, but they can’t contain candy, soda, or chips, but rather juice, water, nuts, and dried fruit.

The new regulations go into effect on January 1, 2021.

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Some of our Books

Murder and the Muse
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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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
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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.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
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Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

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The Little Humpbacked Horse
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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.

At the Circus
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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.

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