A woman looks at meat products at the Christmas market in central Saint Petersburg. New Year's Day is the biggest holiday of the year in Russia, followed by Orthodox Christmas celebrated on Jan 7. [Photo/Agencies]

Russian New Year traditions

Did you think the mad rush of holiday cooking and feasting was finally over? Many Russians are just getting into the swing of it. On New Year's Eve in Russia, people eat and drink through the night, occasionally taking a break to visit neighbors. The holiday is routinely extended by observing Orthodox Christmas, which falls on Jan 7 in the Julian calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church, then Old New Year on Jan 14. Orthodox New Year celebrations include dinner dances and traditional buffets among Orthodox Christian communities.

What's to eat? There are pelmenyi, of course－little, juicy Siberian meat dumplings served with rich Russian sour cream. It's perfectly authentic to buy them frozen－that, after all, is how Siberians store them through the winter.

There's herring, too, with the fish pickled or prepared as selyodka pod shuba－"in a fur coat". In this case, the "fur" is beet salad with a coating of mayonnaise.

Salad choices include Olivier salad, a potato salad enhanced with chicken or meat and mayonnaise, and salad vinagret, a beet-and-potato salad dressed with olive oil. Each salad must include canned peas.

Pickles are the traditional accompaniment to vodka, be they pickled forest mushrooms, cucumbers, or tomatoes from the dacha (or the jar in the Russian store). Dark bread is a must with them.

Sliced salami and cheese are standard New Year's fare, and of course, so is caviar. Some philistines substitute the spread known as "eggplant caviar" to save a few dollars, but it's New Year, so why not splurge a little?

If you are joining a Russian New Year feast, take it easy on all of the above: They're just starters, to be followed by a hot course of stuffed cabbage, chicken with mashed potatoes and other meat dishes.

Dessert will include fresh fruit, tortes－and, of course, Russian chocolate, which is readily available in China.