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

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

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.

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.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

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.

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.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

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.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

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.

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.

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