| Friday, October 07, 2005 |
| За ваше здоровье! |
Za vasha zderovyra! = To your health! - Oh boy, I could do without hearing this toast again for another year.
The Russians cooked for us last night. Instead of going out to another restaurant, or another dinner in someone's home, they insisted on cooking a Russian meal for their host families out of C's little kitchen. Well, at least the women did. Sergei and Victor sat around smoking and drinking red wine, and Victor had to personally inspect the plumbing job on my new water heater because he was incredulous about the price (in this we agreed). He grudgingly gave his approval after a thorough inspection.
Dinner was wonderful, but it was definitely not a South Beach Diet experience. Wonderful meatballs with boiled potatoes; a salad of ham, chopped eggs, peas, potatoes, and mayonnaise; another salad of tomatoes and cheese; and plate after plate, after plate of boiled dumplings filled with different meats, potatoes and cheese (see a theme here?). And to add insult to injury - a wonderful chocolate cake with ice cream. These people LOVE their ice cream. We had to stop every afternoon for a coffee and ice cream treat. The English have tea, the Russians have coffee and ice cream.
At the dinner table, the small glasses were filled with chilled vodka and the toasts began. To our hosts (x3), to our guests (x3x6), to the program, the weather, the food, the desert.... These people will toast to anything. I think we even toasted Nicole Kidman in absentia. Granted, each small glass should last 3-4 toasts, but this was unreal.
Russians love to linger over dinner. This was not a meal that's over in 45 minutes so you can return to reading, getting work done, or watching TV the rest of the evening. Oh no. This was an event. Victor and Sergei presented us with gifts (each one requiring another toast of vodka). I received a gorgeously illustrated book on Russian history (in Russian so I can practice), a beautiful stone box made of malachite with an inlaid lid depicting a fall beech forest scene - it's gorgeous. I got a screen saver DVD and music from Sergei of his city of Vladivostok (ever the politician, I believe it is a marketing device they created to attract new businesses to the region), and I got some wonderful post cards, little plates, and other trinkets including a small flag and some pins. We finally stumbled down the block back to my house around 10:30.
It was a lovely evening, and tonight we get to do it all over AGAIN - at the going away dinner to be held in someone's home. I managed to get them all some small gifts as well, but I think the best gift of all are the friendships that this exchange created. |
posted by Broadsheet @ 8:12 AM   |
|
| 4 Editorial Opinions: |
-
Maybe tonight you can toast with Bohs!
-
but did you ever take them to Ze Mean Bean?!?!
(uh-oh. ACW's on a post-a-comment-no-matter-what rampage again.)
-
ACW: I got Sergei to drink a Boh last weekend. He was not impressed. I'm not sure anything less than 80 proof is impressive enough for these guys.
Zen: Nope, no time for Ze Bean. They've been wined and dined awfully well this week. Or should I say vodka-ed and dined?
-
Sounds like an awesome night to me, I love dinners like that!
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
Maybe tonight you can toast with Bohs!