Lunch with Russian Family ?

[rfortner@realtyexecutives.]

I'm considering doing lunch with a Russian family as part of our day in St. Petersburg?

Someone said it's not a good idea because the water is not potable. Would like some input from those that have done this. Did you have any ill effects? Do you recommend this?

[westielvr]

We had lunch in a Russian home. It was the highlight of 2 days in St. Petersburg.

We were concerned about the drinking the water and any uncooked fruits/veggies. Bottled water was served as was hot tea. We requested no unwashed fruits/veggies.

 

Let me tell you a little about our experience. Our experienced guide had never been in this home before, so we were a little apprehensive. We walked into a dark/dreary/dingy "courtyard" -- no flowers, just cement, walked up 4 dark/dingy flights of stairs into an immaculate, light, airy apartment. Our hostess lives there with her adult daughter and 13 year old son. There was a master bedroom (the double bed took up the entire room), a living room/dining room - china cabinet displaying her pretty china/glassware, small TV,small bed. The dining room table was extended to seat 6 and it took almost the entire room. There was a small kitchen. Our hostess was delightful -- she had "retired" due to physical problems ??. She was proud of her home and of her cooking. We talked with her for 2 hours while our guide translated. It was a fabulous 2 hours!

We took small hostess gifts -- a small wallhanging and a mug from NASA. I don't know that this was necessary as her apartment was so tiny that she had no room for anything else.

 

My advice -- have lunch in a Russian home. It was a wonderful experience.

[shoshona2]

Hi,

 

I agree that lunch with a Russian Family was a wonderful experience. Six of us did this last August with Red October. It was a highlight of our two day St. Petersburg tour. We were at a similar family apartment. The grandmother reminded my husband and myself of our old world grandmothers. Her daughter was a former ballerina and now taught ballet. Our guide was our interpreter. They served bottled water and lunch was good and included a old family recipe for desert. We had a delightful hour with them. They are paid the money R.O. charges for lunch and I'm sure it is a good source of their income. If you have time, I encourage you to do this. It was so much better than eating in a restaurant, which we also did the first day.

[wwb]

i agree with everything that was said.

this experience with RO was the highlight of our visit to russia. the family we visited was also wonderful, and bottled water was served.

wwb wendy

[Princess Di]

Thank you, so much, for your very vivid descriptions. This option also appeals to me - sailing the Star Princess, 2 September 2005, R/T from Copenhagen. :cool:

I have been e-mailing with Olga at DenRus; however, she never quoted me as I thereafter indicated that one of the men in our party is diabetic and not interested in eating with the Russians. :rolleyes:

Well, I am considering doing it myself, anyway. ;)

Could you each tell me, what was the separate charge for the lunch? :confused:

I appreciate all your help. :D

[peggyann]

Try dealing with Red October directly instead of Denrus. Laura there in St Petersburg can make just about any arrangement happen. I loved dealing with her and we fine tuned our tour over several months. Ditto to what was said about the lunch with the family. A great eye opener as to how a typical family functions there.

[Princess Di]

Thank you for your reply. How much extra was just for the Lunch with Russian Family? :confused:

[stanj]

I can say the hospitality of average Russians is one of the highlights of living in Russia also. Any tour company can arrange it and it is a very nice glimpse into Russian culture. What was described in the first posts regarding the decor and courtyard was spot one. Most apaprtments are small but effiecent with every chair of sofa ingeniously folding out to be a full bed at night. The courtyards belong to the city and they are supposted to be kept up by them. they hire maintenance companies to service the yards, hallways, stairs, elevators and roofs, Often those are in need of repairs. But entering an apartment of a working class family is usually a happy experience with super neat decor and cleaning standards, cozy kitchen with things on the stove all the time. A small party could be accomdated by the kitchen table where talk, tea, cookies/cakes are served as friendst drop by unannounced to solve the problems of the world with gossip and laughs. IT REALLY is Russia's strength, these 3 generation families living in a small apartment have some the happiest and most content, mentally balanced peoiple you will ever meet. I love it when my friends or their mothers invite me for dinner or or just dropping by.

 

Water: no one drinks from the tap, they can not even imagine that some places it can be done safely. As a result bottled, still or sparkling, is available foe low cost on every block. Some of the mineral waters are acquired tastes, but the clear water is fresh and clean tasting. Every home has ample supplies of fruit juices of all types, and of course tea. Coffee is very popular with young people who like to hang out in cafes but king in the home. Many newer renovations include powerful water filters that render the water safe and surprisingly tasty.

 

Vegetable, chicken, pork and fish are fresh and tasty particularly the way it is prepared by skilled cooks in Russia but red meat is often boiled or otherwise over cooked and not recommended..by me anyway. Salads in Russia are different than the term refers to in the west. A salad might have meat, fish or fowl in addition to vegetables. All the ingrediants are chopped into tiny cubes and mixed something a kin to patato salad in the west....only much better and tasty.

 

Ir is easy for a vegetarian to find good food in Russia but often salads are the least likely to be meat free. Except for the middle age and elderly, obesity is rare in Russia and almost anyone under 45 is trim and in shape. That said, it is common to have large portions of very rich food and as a guest you will be given twice what you could possibly eat, even if your host is very poor. Yet a better toned population would be hard to find. The average dress size is 4 despite most people who were born after the seige are tall, many young women are over 6' yet their grandmothers might be under 5'. There are not that many old men so the differences are not as dramatic as when comparing generations of women. Those who survived the seige or their WWII generation are short and stout, but their children and grandchildren are tall slim and elegant.

 

Real Russian food is a treat but the warm open hospitality is even better. Appitizers are an art in Russia and it often replaces dinner because they are so tasty and filling.

 

For a visitor who needs a special diet, I am sure he can be fed to everyone's satisfaction with a little advanced notice.

 

Stan

[alpal1993]

Thanks for all the info.I selected lunch with a Russian family on my Red October survey.