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The history of any state is unique. The history of our country is doubly unique. “Russia cannot be understood with the mind” – it is difficult to argue with this statement of the classic.
And even if for most of the last century our vast homeland had a different name, at the same time there were things in it that most foreigners still have no idea about.
We present 10 Soviet things that are not known abroad.
10 Kvass
The history of this amazing drink extends far beyond the Soviet period. And even when revolutionary ideas urged to drive away all the remnants of the “dark” past, kvass still remained the most popular drink in Russian society.
After all, kvass is something so primordially ours (almost like felt boots or a balalaika) that for foreigners to understand, with their primitive view of gastronomy, all the charm of this drink is as difficult as to comprehend all the secrets of the mysterious Russian soul.
By the way, such a dish native to most of our compatriots as kvass okroshka perplexes foreigners, and sometimes even provokes an intestinal upset in them.
9. Birch juice
It’s no secret that birches grow not only in Russia. However, only our distant ancestors came up with the idea to extract delicious juice from this graceful tree.
Perhaps it’s all about our genetics, which allows only our people to feel the subtle sweetish taste that everyone has known since childhood.
8. String bag
It’s hard to imagine anything more Soviet than this strange but very useful item. This bag owes its name to the legendary monologue of the great satirist Arkady Raikin, and its popularity – ease of use and compactness.
7. Cup holders
In those distant times, when glass was considered not the cheapest material, coasters were both armor and protection for fragile products.
When glass was no longer considered a scarce raw material, coasters sunk into oblivion and the memory of them was erased from most of humanity. It happened everywhere except in the most beautiful country in the world.
This country was not only the most wonderful and great, but also the largest, so its inhabitants had to travel long trains. And a long road without fragrant tea and the company of a charming conductor seems tiring. And how can one do without this miracle item on the train, which not only protects the glass from cracks, but also the hands of passengers from burns with boiling water.
6. Trust turnstiles
This is where the basic principles of national psychology were embodied. Only in our country, turnstiles function like carnivorous plants. They lurk among the iron boxes, thereby creating in an unsuspecting person the illusion of absolute freedom and serenity.
However, with every attempt to illegally get inside, their jaws will close on the intruder’s body just in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe most sensitive organs. Yes, looking for easy and comfortable ways is not our method. In the end, overcoming obstacles, we temper our national character …
5. Buckwheat
Despite the fact that the root “buckwheat” suggests that this most popular cereal in our country has something related to Greece, buckwheat is a native Russian product.
Ancient sources confirming the fact that even then some representatives of mankind ate buckwheat were found only in the territory of modern Altai.
Therefore, most likely it was from there that the cereal spread throughout Asia, although at first it was not so popular. Only the Japanese and Chinese have partially preserved the memory of buckwheat and sometimes use it in their diet.
Nutritionists say that this is due to the fact that you need to get used to buckwheat from a very young age, otherwise an adult, having tried buckwheat groats cooked according to all the rules for the first time, will feel non-specific bitterness and a synthetic aftertaste. Therefore, except for our fellow citizens, no one eats buckwheat.
In fairness, it should be said that buckwheat is sold in some European countries and in the USA in “natural” food stores. However, there it has a completely unusual look for the Russian eye: not fried, green and crushed.
4. Banya broom
For most foreigners, a bath broom is an instrument of torture, but we manage to get incomparable pleasure with the help of this simple product. Steaming a broom reminds us of a whole ritual and has many of its subtleties.
But making a good broom is not so easy. They say that with the help of certain brooms you can treat a variety of ailments and these arguments are not unfounded.
Yes, there are baths not only in Russia. But only our country can boast of the obligatory presence of brooms in them.
3. Activated carbon
This drug has an absorbent effect, that is, it is able to attach and remove toxic compounds from the body.
It’s no secret that in Russia and on the territory of the former USSR, activated charcoal is considered to be something like vitamins – they treat everything: a hangover, poisoning, obesity, and even an intestinal infection. However, few people understand that uncontrolled use of this drug can lead to very sad consequences.
2. Brine
Marinades in the stores of near and far abroad countries – more than enough. But you won’t find our cucumber pickle during the day with fire. So, we can assume that the brine is our national treasure.
It is strange that the export of this miraculous drug has not yet been set up. After all, in this world, contrary to prevailing stereotypes, not only Russians can drink alcohol uncontrollably.
1. Footcloths
Despite the fact that we live in an age of incredible technological breakthroughs, including in the military industry, such a simple item as footcloths until recently remained an indispensable element of soldiers’ equipment.
After all, synthetics are very harmful to the health of the legs, which have to run 20 kilometers in tarpaulin boots in an hour. And socks made of natural fabrics must be sewn by each fighter according to individual measurements, otherwise they will shrink, and bloody calluses will appear on the legs.