Windows to Russia

Everyday while walking around Russia, whether in Moscow, side of the highway or a little village. You will find Babushkas selling “Salt Cucumbers”. These cucumbers look exactly like pickles but taste totally different.

I am a dill pickle lover and when I first came to Russia I saw pickles (cucumbers) everywhere. I finally got one and took a big bite! That is not a pickle I said…

That bite changed my idea on how to preserve cucumbers forever. After the initial shock of not having a vinegar kick with the dill, I really like “Salt Pickles”.

I then learned that these are not pickles but “Salt Cucumbers”. In Russia they do not make small batches of “Salt Cucumbers” the process is made a barrel at a time. This is a old time preserving method that is handed down from generation to generation. So you have somewhere around 150,000,000 “Salt Cucumber” recipes! 🙂

Simple Salt Cucumbers:

Ingredients:

1. 800 grams salt for every 10 liters of water – (So that salt is fully dissolved the water should be boiled and salt added as boiling, then allowed to cool)

2. one third kilo of dill (that is a bunch)

3. 50 grams of horseradish (this is for flavor only not to make spicy, so you really could leave it out and not effect the end result much)

4. garlic claws only (start with 3 or 4 whole garlic clusters)

5. leaves of black current or cherry (as desired)

6. tarragon (as desired)

7. celery leaves or parsley (as desired)

8. bitter peppers (3-5 peppers but the more the merrier)

9. No – Vinegar – No

Items Needed:

1. 4 or more big glass gallon jars or about 4 liter size glass jars or what ever you have handy. (Or big bucket, in America you have pickle buckets for free, but glass is the best)

2. lids or use poly plastic as a seal.

Lets Make Salt Cucumbers:

First the cucumbers: initially sort out, and discarding those which are overripe, damaged and those that just do not make you happy. 🙂

Second sort and salt the cucumbers by size. Always salt according to size (small, medium, large) in separate containers. Makes a better product.

Cucumbers then need to be thoroughly wash. Try to use only cucumbers that are solid and no cutting away bad areas. (other words no bruised, cuts or broken skin)

To prepare ingredients – Take dill and tarragon, horseradish (root), garlic claw no skin, bitter peppers, clean them and to chop into pieces about 5 to 15 cm long. (some like onion also and I suggest to crush a garlic claw slightly to help release the flavor. I also like to use the whole pepper and leave stem on, they are very edible also.)

On the bottom of each jar – place a layer of the mixture of spices, and then the cucumbers as densely packed as possible, it is works best to keep all in the vertical position and make sure that you do not damage the cucumbers. As you fill the jar with cucumbers remember to add more ingredients at the half way point and at the end of filling the jar with cucumbers. (other words three times you add ingredients to each big jar)

Salt water that you made as an ingredient – (above) is now poured over top of the cucumbers to fill the jars to the brim.

Seal the jar with lids – to keep out dirt and debris.

Now we wait:

To storing the salt cucumbers:

The best temperature is around 0-3 degrees centigrade. The salt cucumbers can be eaten in about 50 to 60 days at this temperature.

In room temperature storage, the fermentation of cucumbers will be done in 30 days. (but warning: the process is quicker at a higher temp. but quality is lower)

Now we Eat:

Yummy – Yummy!

comments always welcome.

Notes:
Use uncut baby onions and whole peppers. They will convert like the cucumbers and are delicious. Medium size cucumbers are the best for this recipe.

This recipe is almost identical to one my Grandma made except about a kilo of sugar is used instead of salt and transplant a third of the water with vinegar. (sweet pickles)

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of wonderful coffee here in Moscow Russia. I came across this tidbit of information on the airwaves in Russia…

Seems that about 3,000 schoolchildren from Moscow and surrounding regions in Russia had a get together on the Red Square today (Sunday) to sign up in the communist Pioneer Movement, they also paid their respects to Lenin at the famous Lenin’s mausoleum.

The Communist Party leader, Vladimir Zyuganov and several lawmakers were present at the ceremony, presenting the new members with the traditional red neckerchiefs worn by school children since the founding of the movement in the Soviet Union 87 years ago.

Pioneer camp was the name for the vacation or summer camp of Young Pioneers. In the 20th century these camps existed in many of the socialist country’s, particularly in the Soviet Union.

This tradition has been carried on to this day by Russia and other CIS countries. (Link)

Svet says that she was very involved in the Pioneer Camp and it was a wonderful. Svet’s Mom was also a member when she was young. This is a tremendous growth and learning opportunity for kids in Russia.

From what I see this is a lot like the Scouts in America and even can be compared to the 4-H Club in America.

WtR

The Eurovision in Russia final came to a close early Sunday at Moscow, Russia’s Olympiysky Arena with Norway and the song “Fairytale”, performed by Alexander Rybak, proving to be the winner by a landslide.

Read More!

PS:
1) Norway, 2) Iceland, 3) Azerbaijan, 4) Turkey, 5) England, 6) Estonia, 7) Greece, 8) France, 9) Bosnia and Herzegovina, 10) Armenia, 11) Russia, 12) Ukraine, 13) Denmark, 14) Moldova, 15) Portugal, 16) Israel, 17) Albania, 18) Croatia, 19) Romania, 20) Germany, 21) Sweden, 22) Malta, 23) Lithuania, 24) Spain, 25) Finland

Russia News Source – RIA: May 15th, 2009!

St. Petersburg Ford plant protest 4-day working week:
Some 150 workers from a Ford car factory near St. Petersburg held a protest rally on Friday against a four-day working week at the plant, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

Two police officers killed in blast outside Chechen ministry:
Two police officers were killed and three injured in a bomb blast on Friday near the Chechen Interior Ministry in central Grozny, a police spokesman said.

Russia says planned European security treaty not aimed at NATO:
Russia’s proposals for a new European security treaty are not aimed against NATO, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.

Premier of Russia’s Bashkortostan charged over illegal land deal:
The prime minister of the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan faces criminal charges over alleged illegal land acquisition deals, Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Friday.

Russia to raise oil export duty to over $152 per ton from June 1, 2009:
Russia will increase oil export duty from the current $137.7 to $152.8 per metric ton from June 1, in line with trends on global oil markets, a Finance Ministry official said on Friday.

Sri Lanka to buy military helicopters from Russia:
Sri Lanka has ordered a number of military transport helicopters and other weaponry from Russia, the country’s defense secretary said in an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti.

Russia protests child illegally taken out of country to Finland:
The Russian foreign minister has made a protest to his Finnish counterpart after a Russian boy was illegally taken out of Russia by his Finnish father, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Strasbourg court orders Russia to compensate Chechen families:
The European Court of Human Rights ordered Russia on Thursday to pay 104,000 euros ($141,000) in compensation to the relatives of two people who were abducted or killed in Chechnya.

Russia, Abkhazia ‘to sign military base deal soon’:
Russia and Abkhazia will sign an agreement on the deployment of a Russian military base in the former Georgian republic within the next two weeks, the Abkhaz president said on Thursday.

Kremlin to decide on sale of advanced missile systems to Belarus:
Russia will only supply advanced Iskander and S-400 missile systems to Belarus if the country’s leadership approves the deal, state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Thursday.

Georgian opposition denies allegations of Russian funding:
A Georgian opposition leader denied on Thursday President Mikheil Saakashvili’s allegation that opposition members were receiving funding from Russia.

Major midair collision prevented near Moscow:
Two Russian passenger airliners carrying some 300 passengers between them were seconds away from colliding in midair near Moscow, a paper said on Thursday, citing the state air navigation service.

Hello,

I came across this interesting news tidbit here in Russia Today:

“It was at about 3AM. I was standing by my tractor when the guys started shouting: ‘Look, there are some balls flying.’ They were big and sparkling with yellow, red and green,” an eyewitness told Interfax news agency over the phone.

According to the witnesses, the spherical objects were approximately 60 cm in diameter, had a silvery surface with what appeared to be a small opening. The UFOs failed to bend or dent when local residents attempted to strike them with their tools, and said the balls produced sparks when they attempted to do so.(Link)

Now, I like that kind of story. This kind of story is for the imagination and makes your brain start to work. No one was hurt, murdered, beat up or attacked. The flying balls did not try to destroy the earth (yet) and they were not seemly intent on causing any mayhem. (yet)

The balls that sparkled have been sent to a secret specialized organization laboratory to discover what wonderful fantastic capabilities that these flying balls have. (if any) The odds are that we will never hear about these flying balls again.

Did you ask – why?

I am so glad that you asked that question. because I wanted to give an answer.

I think that there are several reasons we will not hear about these fantastic flying balls:

1. They are real and the secret agency that is checking them out will never let out any information, due to the fact that us normal humans can not comprehend fantastic flying balls anyway. But if we could comprehend fantastic flying balls, we would be too excited and out of control.

2. They are dangerous – so then see reason number 1.

3. They are worth a lot of money – so then see reason number 1.

4. They are full of little green men that control human minds – so then see reason number 1.

5. They are full of peaceful pleasant creatures that want to show us the way to Nirvana – so then see reason number 1.

6. They do not exist – so see reason number 1.

So it looks like these flying balls, will never be heard from again… (unless we find where the officials in Kazakhstan sent them and set them free) 🙂

Windows to Russia!

comments always welcome.

Picture by RIA: Click This Link to Go to all Their Pictures!

Hello,

I was drinking that famous cup of coffee here in Moscow, Russia and came across this tidbit of information. 🙂

“Figure hall” of Russian museum incorporates into the Moscow metro: The name of the train that carries this Moscow Metro Art Museum is “Water Color”. This train will contain a total of 35 copies of famous water color paintings that are put into the walls of the carriage. The “Water Color” Train it is painted with bright flower compositions. This train is unique and has been specially reconstructed for the mobile gallery. This train will run for about half of a year in the Moscow Metro system and the citizens and tourists will be able to see pictures of Karl and Alexandra Brullovs, Isaak Levitan, Ilia Repin, Nikolay Rerikh and many other world-famed artists. (Link)

This train was commissioned on May 13, 2009! So you have plenty of time to come to Moscow, Russia to see the “Water Color” Train!

comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia!

Hello,

What is Russia up to right now in the world? Well lets see..

Medvedev as President of Russia has just recently finished his first year as president and has weathered the first year well despite all the issues that have come up. Seems that the Georgian War was the big issue during his first year… (Medvedev marks his first year in office with anti-corruption vows )

Putin as Prime Minister has been busy in Japan doing his thing with the financial issues of Russia. Getting all kinds of signed deals with energy stuff…

Russia just won the World Ice Hockey Championship in Switzerland and everyone in Russia is happy – happy – happy about that…

Eurovision is still going and will finish this weekend. Then finals will be between Turkey, Sweden, Israel, Portugal, Malta, Finland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Romania, Armenia and Iceland…

A big issue in Russia right now is about donor issues with children. In Russia the law does not allow any donor organs from any child. Just from adults that have died. This creates a problem with children that need heart transplants. The one organ that can not be taken from an adult is the Heart. So Russia is looking at new guidelines for children donors…

Then to end this article lets see what a woman in Chechen might gets for turning over a bunch of explosives… A woman in the Russian Republic of Chechnya has voluntarily handed over 182 kilos of TNT to the police and could now get up to $100,000 as a reward. (Link) Hope she gets the reward…

That is all today!

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of wonderful coffee here in Moscow, Russia! The city is a buzz with “Eurovision Fever”. From what I can tell this is a function that the recession has not touched and this video shows that to be true…

Welcome to “Life Styles of the Rich and Famous”!

One of the top favorites of this year’s contest, Alexander Rybak representing Norway, says this Eurovision “is a big party.” He said: “Everybody is so polite and wishes the best to every artist, that’s so special! It’s not much of a competition, it’s more of a party,” he says. (Link)

Life is just a party to some people…

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Russia News Source: May 12th, 2009!

Russia’s Glonass system to get full state support – deputy PM:
Russia will not cut funding for its Glonass satellite navigation program despite the current economic crisis, a deputy prime minister said on Tuesday.

First Eurovision semifinal to be held in Moscow on Tuesday:
The first of two Eurovision semifinals will start on Tuesday at Moscow’s Olimpiisky Indoor Arena with ten places up for grabs in both, the competition organizers said.

Ukraine minister tenders resignation amid drunken fight reports:
Ukraine’s interior minister, Yuriy Lutsenko, has asked parliament to approve his resignation after reports that German police detained him over a drunken brawl at Frankfurt airport last week.

Thailand, Cuba report first swine flu infection:
Thailand and Cuba have joined the list of 30 countries that have reported cases of human A/H1N1 infection, local media said on Tuesday.

Maradona’s Argentina to play Russia in Moscow friendly:
It is “almost 100%” certain that the Argentinean national football side, managed by Diego Maradona, will play a friendly against Russia in Moscow in August.

Russian truck maker KamAZ resumes work after three-week halt:
Russia’s largest truck maker KamAZ has resumed production, after a lack of orders led to a three-week halt, a spokesman for the truck producer said on Tuesday.

Russia, Japan looking to resolve disputes through economic ties:
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Moscow and Tokyo could resolve their existing territorial dispute by building mutual trust and developing strong economic ties.

U.S. president to visit Russia July 6-8 – Kremlin:
U.S. President Barack Obama will pay an official visit to Russia on an invitation from his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on July 6-8, the Kremlin said Monday.