February 22, 2026

No Butterfingers Here


No Butterfingers Here
Like this, times twenty. The Russian Life files

It's that time of year again: when Russians gather to celebrate the start of Orthodox Lent through the folk holiday of Maslenitsa. And what better way to usher in a period of austere food than making rich, buttery blini?

And, if you're looking for lots (and lots, and lots) of blini, you may want to call up Alexandra Rogova, who recently broke the world record for most blini prepared in an hour.

On February 19, her 19th birthday, Rogova cooked 199 blini in a single hour. Due to the strict regulations regarding proper sizing and coloration, however, only 173 of the blini counted. Still, 173 blini per hour stands as the new world record for speed blini-making.

In total, Rogova used 24 large frying pans, 4 liters of water (about a gallon), 4 liters of milk, 30 eggs, and almost 3 kilograms (about 6.5 pounds) of flour to make her 173 blini, which weighed a total of 7.5 kilograms (about 16.5 pounds) when completed.

Rogova worked entirely independently, although she did have to hunt down the 24 large frying pans around her home city of St. Petersburg, as each blin must be at least 20 cm (about 8 inches) in diameter. Her frenetic cooking was monitored online by two third-party observers and a committee of "experts," who certified the results.

The 16.5 pounds of pancakes, once cooked, were reportedly donated to a local homelessness charity. Which is good news, as, while blini are delicious, eating 173 of them does not seem like a wise decision.

 

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