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recently on the counter of one of the most popular in Tokyo bookstores, I was surprised to find a book called “Dining. Bar mleczny. Konsumgaststatte”. The collection contains more than sixty recipes, which are enjoyed great popularity in the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and Czechoslovakia. The book describes in detail methods for preparing soup, fish soup, okroshka, the friedge, dumplings, soups, pies, salad, pilaf, and even pancakes. Found a page for such delicacies as sandwiches with bacon on black bread. The components of this simple snack – a rarity in Japan.

Separately want to say about the illustrations, which show the interiors, utensils, some household items that – the Soviet – time. For example, in one of the photos depicted a kitchen with a square table and four chairs, a stove, a simple sink and a few primitive hinged lockers. A familiar picture for those who were born and raised in the Soviet Union. On the other picture you can see the train compartment. Near the window is a table with a white tablecloth. The book from beginning to end is imbued with nostalgia and love for the Soviet past that is so atypical for Japan. Towards the end of a work readers will find examples of Soviet porcelain. Touches children’s tableware with good figures from Russian folk tales and Soviet cartoons. Really severely look shabby located next, all the scratches, spoons and forks.

Journey through the Soviet dining ends with a sweet dessert – ice cream cones, ice cream in cake, chocolate candy with the image of bears on the wrappers, kvass and red soda machines. All this suggests that the compilers of the book are experts not only in Russian life, maybe even understand the mysterious Russian soul. Is there helpful information for travelers. A separate unit provides addresses of some locations in Moscow, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Kiev, Kharkov, Berlin, Dresden, Prague and Krakow where you can taste dishes from the socialist past.

by the Way, Russian cuisine had a certain success in the land of the rising sun. In Tokyo and other major cities of the Japanese archipelago with nice restaurants with nice atmosphere, where it will feed a hearty soup with bread and pour “one hundred grams”. Often in such institutions are run by immigrants from countries of the former USSR. Somehow I was lucky enough to dine in a Russian restaurant in the port city of Kobe. The situation there was a little bit strange. In a small room on the wall hung a balalaika, next door was a painting of St. Basil’s Cathedral, stood on the shelves of matryoshka and Cheburashka. Although there were cooked perfectly.

When it comes to Russian cuisine, Japanese, as a rule,��azu recalls borscht, beef Stroganoff and cakes. Perhaps these dishes are in every Russian restaurant on the territory of the island nation. In addition, these places are guaranteed can be enjoyed stuffed cabbage, dumplings and skewers. You will definitely be asked to drink Russian vodka or Georgian wine. And almost always pour hot black tea with jam.

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Jennifer Alvarez is an investigative journalist and is a correspondent for European Union. She is based in Zurich in Switzerland and her field of work include covering human rights violations which take place in the various countries in and outside Europe. She also reports about the political situation in European Union. She has worked with some reputed companies in Europe and is currently contributing to USA News as a freelance journalist. As someone who has a Masters’ degree in Human Rights she also delivers lectures on Intercultural Management to students of Human Rights. She is also an authority on the Arab world politics and their diversity.