Since many of you have asked, I'll take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about day-to-day life for me here in Dnepropetrovsk. This week, I'll start with my favorite and the most interesting topic - food. As Jay Leno once joked, "I went into a McDonald's yesterday and said, 'I'd like some fries.' The girl at the counter said, 'Would you like some fries with that?'" That about sums it up!
Joy's Top 10 List of Foods She Eats in Ukraine:
1. Potatoes (but you knew that)
2. Fried cabbage balls (tastes much better than you might think)
3. Apples (someone is leaving one on my desk everyday, but who?)
4. Fish (everyday for lunch... pictured above)
5. Sushi (its the latest craze here, thank god)
6. Varniki (stuffed like perogies and delicious)
7. Croutons (the unofficial Ukrainian snack food)
8. Beet and raisin salad smothered in mayonnaise (no comment)
9. Groats soup (scary until I realized groats are crushed barley)
10. Peanut butter Luna bars (Mom, can you please bring more?)
Top 10 Foods Most Ukrainians Eat:
1. (drum roll please...) Potatoes
2. Borscht (usually meat/pork/chicken-based)
3. Porridge (Please Sir, can I have some more?)
4. Cabbage (served in as many forms as the potato)
5. Kholodec (meat jelly... Zach, isn't this your favorite?)
6. Fruit jelly (not to be confused with meat jelly)
7. Fried cottage cheese pies (no comment)
8. Cottage cheese with sour cream (as good as it sounds)
9. Homemade sausages (otherwise known in Russian as "sisiskys")
10. Clabber (no, its not a disease, its curdled milk)
I do my grocery shopping in one of two places in town. I prefer to buy my fruits and vegetables at the outdoor market. You can find "organic" produce which generally refers to products which are homegrown without chemicals on the outskirts of town and sold by local farmers. You can also find a wide-range of imported produce, nuts and grains mainly from Turkey, Spain, Iran and Uzbekistan (pictured above). I've only been to the upstairs section that includes the poultry and small animal meat market (pictured above) once because I nearly fainted. The rest of my shopping and for packaged foods is done at a more western-style market.
On that note, its obed (dinner) time!
7 comments:
Leno and Letterman could use you these days since the writers strike. Your material is as good, if not better, than theirs. Have a great time with your mom. It should be fun exploring with her. You can introduce her to some new food groups.
Love, Auntie Dana
I do love a good meat jello. It goes exceptionally well with spicy mustard and warm vodka.
Zach
YUM! I can't wait to try the local cuisine....
I agree with Auntie Dana. Keep the comedy coming... :)
JRT
Maybe you could open a branch of the Chelsea Market in the Ukraine! You need a Fat Witch!
I am enjoying reading all of your articles, beautifully written and clearly reflective of your love of the work that you are doing!
Happy new year!
Rachel Miller
Joy, loved catching up on your "adventure"-know you and Jonathan had a wonderful time despite the banyans(sp!) If ever in the Ukraine, I think I'd pass.
Stay warm and keep up the wonderful work that you do.
Rhona B
Joy, loved catching up on your "adventure"-know you and Jonathan had a wonderful time despite the banyans(sp!) If ever in the Ukraine, I think I'd pass.
Stay warm and keep up the wonderful work that you do.
Rhona B
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