My students told me it was "Pancake" week (Maslenitsa) here in Moscow. I had no idea! One of the perks of tutoring English is I am learning more and more about Russian culture! You won’t find me wearing fishnets and fur hats though…
Maslenitsa wasn’t celebrated for 85 years in Russia. However, since 2002, it is back in full force and it is again becoming a mainstay of Moscow's holiday calendar.
Maslenitsa signals the end of winter and heralds the coming of spring. It is also the pre-Lenten celebration before the upcoming Lenten fast. Maslenitsa is the week before lent and you can find Russian pancakes being served all over the city!
Blini are Russian pancakes, and they are a very important part of the Maslenitsa celebration. It is said that these pancakes symbolize the sun-warm, round, and golden. They send a message to winter that it’s time to say good-bye! Blini are given to friends and family all through the week and are topped with caviar, mushrooms, jam, sour cream, and of course, lots of butter.
All in all, Maslenitsa is a good excuse to go out and have a good time, spend time with family & friends, eat until you burst, and do something you wouldn't do any other time of the year.
Come on, I think you'd rock a pair of fishnets! :)
ReplyDeleteSo, are they better than egg pancakes? ;)
ReplyDeleteSco--I think egg pancakes are still better! (perhaps not when you are in college and add schnaps--haha!)
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