On the Soviet tradition of making do, and spending long evenings around the table drinking tea and eating cake. Like Bird's Milk cake, this issue's recipe.

Think you know your vodka? Take this True/False quiz (just 12 items) about Russians and their vodka and see if you are right about that...

A Russian entrepreneur and family save a village, start an agro business, and share a recipe for Tatar pies.

Photography, food and spies comprise this week's Three Best Reads. We travel to Vilnius, Brooklyn, and Washington, DC, to consider wagging tongues, boiled tongues, and an overlooked photographer.

As fall deepens and winter approaches, what could be better than a warm honey drink imbued with Russian history.

A great writer lives on his stomach. And Sofia Tolstoya had a way in the kitchen.

In which we consider the less than humble cabbage and its history in village life, and offer a quick sauerkraut recipe.

Russians love bread, and you are going to love this recipe for Whole Wheat Bread with Seeds.

We look at the special place in Russian culture occupied by tvorog, and of course offer a tasty recipe...

In 1865, vodka joined bears and matryoshkas as an eternal symbol of Russia. Here's how it happened, plus nine trivia tidbits on Russia's most beloved, harmful, and historical libation. 

Kefir is the most popular fermented milk in Russia. But it did not get there overnight. Kefir and Russia have a long history...

Russia's Maslenitsa week has begun! So what's it all about?