Culture & Customs

The art of Ivan Bilibin spurs a consideration of the history of beer brewing in Russia.

Moscow’s bustling food markets are colorful, clamorous, exciting places. And much of what goes on there lies hidden behind the superficial din. This is a story of pesto, plov and piglets.

As a festival in Moscow brings together virtuoso guitarists from across Europe, the traditional Russian seven-stringed form of the instrument is enjoying a renaissance… in America.

Boris Kustodiev’s painting Moscow Tavern (1916) captures a world that was soon to vanish. Here, old-fashioned cabbies, wearing the telltale long beards and caftans of Old Believers, enjoy a break from their work as they relax over tea. Recipe: Herring in Dill Sauce

Two young Americans decide to ride across the breadth of Eurasia, and spent 162 days traversing 6000 miles of Russian roads (and non-roads). They survived. And they brought back this tale.

A look at Vladimir Mayakovsky as painter and poet, and a recipe for Tyanuchki - a candy-like fudge.

Winter offers unique travel opportunities to Russia, particularly when it comes to Siberia. For instance, how about a trek across the world’s largest freshwater lake? Or ice skating atop crystal clear waters, then enjoying a searing banya...?

Our series in the Cuisine section about the interaction of the culinary and visual arts continues with columnist Darra Goldstein's consideration of Pavel Filonov's "Angels by the Stove." And the recipe? Black bread!

An excerpt from George Kennan's famous diary of his travels across Siberia, Tent Life in Siberia, in which he finds out he is not so fluent in Russian as he thought he was.

In recent years, a resurgent interest in religious pilgrimages has swept through Russia. Stella Rock joined 20,000 Russians on a 150-kilometer journey through Kirov region and brought back this story.

Konstantin Makovsky's Boyarina Bearing a Tray serves as an introduction to an ancient Russian custom of hospitality.

This edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.