Russian literature is not only about grand ideas, eternal questions, and philosophical reflections. It also contains the “everyday history”—the traditions, daily life, and food that largely defined the heroes’ way of life. Cuisine, in particular, becomes the setting where characters are revealed, the atmosphere is established, and sometimes, the key scenes of the works unfold.

At the meeting, we will discuss how national culinary traditions are reflected in the classics: from the simple peasant table to refined noble dinners. We will note that in Pushkin’s work, feasts often become a symbol of merriment and friendship, in Gogol’s, a true poetic anthem to popular generosity, and in Tolstoy’s, meals are an important part of the psychological and social portrait of the characters.

“Selyanka, sterlet ukha, roast beef, and novels…”—this is how Griboyedov, in Woe from Wit, describes Famusov’s table, where food acts not only as an element of daily life but also as a reflection of the host’s rank and status.

And in Gogol’s Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka, food transforms into a metaphor for life itself:

“Oh, pies, pies! My soul! What pies Khivrya had!”

We invite everyone who wants to see Russian literature from an unusual perspective—through aromatic and delicious pages, where cuisine becomes part of the cultural code and helps us better understand the heroes and the era.

Event Language: Russian.