A handy discovery in Kaliningrad is that the Russian for fast food is in fact, fast food. (Fact Fyd.)
In case this is still a difficult concept, most of the outlets provide a wall-chart where you simply point to the desired shape of deep-fried batter. One wonders about declining literacy rates.

The Ukraine, the former ‘Breadbasket of the Soviet Union’, is now literally a few sandwiches short of a picnic. According to reports, ‘bread cards’ - a kind of ration card - will soon appear in Kiev.
‘Bread cards are being introduced in Ukraine and the poorer residents of the cities will get them in early August. [...]

One of the pleasures of camping in Russia is that it gets you out into the local markets sampling the local produce.
Actually, not a chance. I was fascinated to learn earlier that Russia even imports potatoes and vodka. (From Holland.) These days it appears Russia imports everything else as well. Barring Polish beef and ‘fascist’ [...]

Wu-Wei has been playing a game of restaurant tag. It’s a jeu-sans-frontieres which makes it particularly appealing to peripatetic expats. (And few more peri than Wu.) Anyway, it had me thinking about my five Euro faves.
1. Mama Roma. Italianskaya Ulitsa, St Petersburg
In shakedown, plastic-melting St P, Mama Roma’s business lunch is rare value [...]

The first thing you notice in Uzbekistan is that the men do the cooking. After Russia, where the girls either can’t cook or won’t cook, it’s a welcome sign.
When you prepare food, your energy, your soul, goes into a meal. Your vibes are as pervasive as polonium in a sushi bar. So often in Russia [...]

With Spam, Russians got their very first taste of capitalism. Under lease-lend in WW2, shiploads (sic) of Spam was sent to Russia. It’s probably why Russians clung to communism for another 50 years. But if you can find someone to lease or lend you a tin, there are nostalgic ways with Spam.

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No traveller’s tale of Novgorod would be complete without a run-down of the regional delicacies.
I always find the best way of collecting recipes in Russia is to find some inept Olga (not difficult) and then have her cook something while you write up the method.
As you know, all Olgas like attention and you can get [...]

There is a small Korean colony in Novgorod.
Although the majority of Russia’s Korean immigrants have ghettoised Volgograd, a bunch of separatists moved north to Novgorod’s leafy ulitsas. Their second home is here at the Asia cafe, where you can discover the quintessence of Korean cuisine.
The decaying premises are called locally in Korean, ‘the house [...]

Mamonovo, the border-crossing town outside Kaliningrad, is about to get some pop art: a new sculpture in the form of a giant can of Baltic Sprats. The tin monument will be about the size of a family car and hopefully rustproofed too.

Mamonovo Sprats are as famous as Campbell’s Soups in this part of Russia. Locals [...]

Moscow witnessed an unusual demo this week..
Girls in yellow bikinis locked themselves in a cage outside Moscow’s Kentucky Fried Chicken while brandishing the slogan: KFC Tortures Chicks.
According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the birds’ wings and legs are broken and chickens are parboiled while fully conscious.

I fancy myself as a bit [...]