Klassnaya popka!

For the life of me, I could never remember how to say “hello” in Russian but I managed to master “klassnaya popka,” which means “nice bum.”

I did pick up more useful things too from visiting friends in Moscow. They introduced us to some fantastic wine from Georgia. We brought a couple of bottles home but those are long gone. Despite several calls to specialty wine stores and scouring the Internets, I couldn’t find Georgian wine in Canada.

Then last week on a quick stop in our nearest liquor store, I overheard the cashier saying, “Yes, Georgia. No, not the state, the country.” Oh does it pay to be nosy. It turns out a Calgary company now imports Georgian wine to Alberta.

I found the saperavi I had been searching for. It’s a standard table wine but it’s a very nice dry red that seems to match well with pretty much anything. At $18, it’s definitely staying on my list of standbys.

We also picked up a bottle of khvanchkara because the store clerk insisted it was his “favourite.” It’s a semi-sweet red that tastes very much like port. We opened it to drink with dinner rather than as a dessert wine, so at $30, it was a bit disappointing.

The liquor store gave away clay pitchers with each Georgian wine so that was a fun bonus. Traditionally, Georgians make wine in clay amphoras and bury them in the ground to ferment covered with oak lids.

For retailers in Alberta, click here. So far, I haven’t been able to find anywhere else in Canada that sells Georgian wine. Leave a comment if you find out otherwise. Thanks!

 

MOSCOW: Kartoshka and Kvass

After you’ve raced to try the borscht and perogies (yawn), stop by a kartoshka stand. The cute stalls sell baked potatoes with your choice of toppings. And we’re not talking sad simulated bacon bits and sour cream.

Start with the basic potato with butter and cheese (24 rubles). Then pick from hot or cold toppings (8 rubles each) that include tuna, corn with mayonnaise or marinated mushrooms. The final treat is served in foil on a plastic tray.

I can’t remember if the stall we visited was a franchise, but Kroshka-Kartoshka has capitalized on this simple offering and grown into 80 cafes in mega-malls and trade centres.

For the full experience, eat standing up at one of the tables street-side, and wash it down with kvass.

A traditional homemade drink that can be mildly alcoholic, kvass is made of fermented grains like rye or barley and sometimes flavoured with sugar or fruit like strawberries.

Russians consider it a refreshing drink in the summer. These days, the dark brown beverage is sold in plastic bottles alongside pop and beer at any market.

Kvass is quite distinct. Kind of like a tangy weak beer. But not really.

If you get thirsty for anything else, drop by any metro station in Moscow. The beverage booths will have more than what you seek. Especially beer. (Sorry no Canadian import though.)