How do you feel about food? Я люблю поесть! (I love to eat!) most people will say.  Whether you love it or hate it, we deal with food and talk about food every single day. That reminds me, I have to throw together PLOV (rice-based national dish of Uzbekistan) for tonight (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plov) ....be right back. (Natalia making noise in her kitchen) First, let me give you a list of some popular food items in Russian: Хлеб - bread Соль - salt Сахар - sugar Яйца - eggs Икра - caviar Масло - butter Молоко - milk Кефир - kefir (a sour-tasting drink made from cow's milk fermented with certain bacteria.) Сок - juice Овощи - vegetables Фрукты - fruit Сыр - cheese Мясо - meat Рыба - fish Колбаса - sausage Шоколад - chocolate Торт - cake Вода - water Пиво - beer Шампанское - champaign Водка - vodka Чай - tea Кофе - coffee Just to name a few. Now, some dishes in Russian: Салат - salad Плов - plov (Uzbek-style Rice Pilaf) Суп - soup Горячее - main course Беф-строганов - Beef Stroganoff Солянка - Russian Spicy Meat Soup Борщ - Ukranian Beet Soup Винегрет - Russian “Pink” Salad Vinaigrette Пельмени - Beef dumplings Грибы Фаршированные - Stuffed Mushrooms Баклажанная икра - Chopped eggplant simmered with tomatoes, carrots, pepper and onion. Селедка под шубой - Chilled slices of vinegar-marinated herring, served with sliced onions, turnip salad, boiled potatoes with a touch of butter and fresh dill. Блины - Crepes Шашлык - Kebab Голубцы - Cabbage leaves stuffed with meat+rice mixture Фаршированный Перец - Stuffed Greeen Peppers -------------------------------------------------------------------- Below is the dialog from today's lesson. Let's try to make an order at one of the Russian restaurants. It's lunch time and you are a client, клиент (speaking in masculine gender in this dialog) at one of the nicer Russian resaturants. By now I am sure you will be able to greet your server (официант) properly in Russian. You would say 'Добрый день', 'Здравствуйте', but never 'Привет' or 'Здорово'....Leave the latter for your friends and family. Your официант would probably ask you if you'd want a starter. Официант: Что вы хотите на закуску? Server: What would you like for a starter? Клиент: Порцию фаршированных грибов, пожалуйста. Client: A serving of stuffed mushrooms, please. Официант: Отлично. Что закажeте из горячего? Server: Great. What would you like for your main course? Клиент: Я возьму борщ со сметаной. А винегрет у вас есть? Client: I'll take some borsch with sourcream. Do you have vinaigrette on the menu? Официант: Конечно есть. У нас отличный винегрет! Server: Of course we do. We serve one great-tasting vinaigarette! Клиент: Тогда возьму тарелочку и винегрета. Client: Then I'll take a plate of vinaigrette as well. Официант: Так, а на второе что будем? Позвольте порекомендовать Вам голубцы. Server: OK. What would you have for your second course? May I recommend Golubtzi to you? Клиент: Голубцы так голубцы. Давненько я их не едал. Client: Golubtzi it will be. Haven't eaten them in a long time. Официант: Очень хорошо. Что будете пить? У нас есть чай, кофе, пиво, шампанское, водка. Server: Very well. What are we going to dr