Often foreigners call "Russian" some dishes that are considered simply popular in Russia, but not national at all. At the same time, the attitude towards such food is very different: it causes delight, bewilderment, and even disgust. In general, Russian cuisine is often described as "sour and salty"
Dishes that cause confusion and delight among foreigners
One of the usual dishes of Russian cuisine is jellied meat. Foreigners treat him with great suspicion and even disgust - but, as a rule, only until the moment when they do not dare to try the "delicacy". The fact is that fruit and berry jellies are common in many countries, and the very idea that jelly can be made from meat products causes a kind of culture shock in people. Those foreigners who have tried jellied meat often refer to it as an appetizer to vodka, which is good with mustard.
Surprisingly, Europeans and Americans often speak with enthusiasm about Russian pickles. Pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms can be bought in other countries, but it is in Russia that they are prepared at home according to special recipes. Foreigners like original Russian pickles so much that lovers of stereotypes even ranked them as national dishes.
Often, foreigners experience genuine amazement when they taste jelly. In some countries, including Finland, there are similar dishes, but they are still rare. People who are not familiar with jelly often ask themselves which category this dish should be classified as drinks or desserts.
"Classic" Russian dishes
Borsch is one of the dishes that foreigners call the basis of Russian cuisine. This soup evokes a variety of feelings: some people like it very much, while others call it too fat and heavy. Nevertheless, if a foreigner wants to demonstrate knowledge of Russian cuisine, he may well begin his reasoning with a story about borscht.
Okroshka has also become a part of Russian cuisine for many people. Foreigners are surprised that they put ingredients in this dish that are usually not added to soup - for example, fresh cucumbers and radishes. Nevertheless, they treat okroshka favorably, noting the original and pleasant taste of this strange dish.
Back in Soviet times, the classics of Russian cuisine included salads "Olivier" and "Herring under a fur coat." They often cause mixed feelings among Europeans. They are especially suspicious of "Herring": people who are accustomed to eating salads from coarsely chopped ingredients admit that they are embarrassed by the need to eat something finely grated. A large number of products and a special method of grinding them lead to the fact that sometimes foreigners simply do not understand what they are eating. However, they are no less surprised by the vinaigrette, which is supplemented with such "typically Russian" ingredients as boiled beets and pickled cucumbers.
