Food Glorious Food•Вкусная еда
First berries of the season from Krasnodar in southern Russia (6.3.2012)
I'd bought some yesterday at the weekend market and they were so good we went back together today to get some more. The head of the market spotted me shooting & came over asking me why, what for, etc. After explaining it was a just a hobby he not only allowed me to shoot, but presented us with a gift of strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, cukes & tomatoes. Rustem said, "See, you complain a lot about Russia, but look at the advantages you have being a cute, funny foreigner". Not so sure about cute or funny, but once in a blue moon these small acts of kindness & generosity make Russia special.
strawberriesberriesKrasnodar strawberriesклубникаягодыrusurusu photography
From Project RuSu 365
![Making pelmeni. (5.25.2012)<br />
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Originally from Siberia, pelmeni's the Russian equivalent of ravioli - a little meat-filled dumpling that's boiled & served with butter & sour cream. It's widely eaten throughout the country & sold frozen in the supermarkets. Some, like this woman, still make it from scratch.<br />
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This shot somewhat epitomizes [to me] how our perceptions are deeply influenced by our cultural reference points. Rustem sees this as a typical village woman making a tasty Russian delicacy. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of pelmeni - something about the meat & spices combination doesn't appeal to me. That aside, when I look at this, all I can think of is yuck, as my eyes are drawn to those short, dirty fingernails engaged in food prep and, to a lesser extent, their disparity with the imitation pearls.<br />
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Thanks for you comments yesterday.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Food/i-c5K8GTt/1/0201f59f/Ti/P1090167F-6%28FRAMED%29-2_edited-3-Ti.jpg)
