Posted on 12/06/2014 9:46:57 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
'Buckwheat panic' Grips Russians As Economic Sanctions Bite
World | Agence France-Presse | Updated: December 07, 2014 10:31 IST
Moscow: With its warm, fluffy brown grains, buckwheat is the ultimate comfort food for Russians and as sanctions hit home, it is flying off the shelves in a shopping frenzy dubbed the "buckwheat panic".
Hard-hit by falling oil prices and Western economic sanctions imposed over the Kremlin's role in the Ukrainian crisis, Russia is seeing a catastrophic depreciation of the ruble and steep inflation.
But while Russians grumble about the rising price of chicken, cheese or sausage, it was only when rumours spread of buckwheat supplies running low that shoppers dashed out to fill their trolleys.
Buckwheat "is not just a food, it is a national idea," Russia's leading business daily, Vedomosti, wrote recently in an editorial.
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While in the West buckwheat is more seen as a trendy food for the health conscious, in Russia it is a traditional staple, predating potatoes.
The cereal, which originates from India and Nepal, was first introduced to the Russians in the 13th century by the Mongol invaders. It was cultivated by Byzantine monks, leading to its name in Russian of "grechka," which sounds like Greek
(Excerpt) Read more at ndtv.com ...
Can you say “presidential veto,” boys and girls?
Breaking ! Buckwheat has been shot!!!
And Texxon is there.
THat’s Hussein Obama.
If only Congress had the common sense guts to do that!
Let the Russkies cut their gas supply then. 50 percent of their government income depends on it.
A part of me agrees with you, but Russia is one BEAR you don't want to trap in a corner.
Especially with Putin in charge.
This is one of those FR headlines that makes me start laughing before I even open the link because I just know what’s coming.
in Russia it is a traditional staple, predating potatoes.
...
But can they make alcohol out of it?
It would be nice if the Russian’s showed some signs of being tired of this nit-wit.
Thanks TigerLikesRooster.
One of those social gatherings that look depressing in hindsight but didn’t seem so bad at the time. Vodka no doubt has something to do with it.
I'm always looking for a new comfort food. Pancakes?
Buckwheat has the most nutrition value of all grains.
It is cooked just like any other grain and traditionally butter is added when it is ready.
In Russia and Ukraine it is mostly used as a side dish for meat or fish meals, the way rice used elsewhere.
It’s great for pancakes.
True, buckwheat pancakes are nice too.
Russians mostly go for practical stuff every time, food included. Compared to many nations in the West, Russians are ‘primal’.
A lot like most the Chinese and/or South East Asians.
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