Kak vstretish Novyi God -- tak yego i provedyosh (The way you meet the New Year is the way you will live it), goes a common Russian saying. If it is true, then most Russians can expect, as usual, to spend 1998 completely stuffed. New Year's Day in Russia is about nothing so much as eating. If you find yourself this year sitting down to a traditional Russian New Year's spread, a few language tips may prevent you from being reduced to pointing and nodding.
Luckily, virtually every table in Russia will be groaning under the weight of the same dishes this night. The highlight of any Russian feast is the zakuski (appetizers), rather than the main course. In fact, once the salads have been cleared away, the festivities are pretty much over.
The mainstay of any Russian feast is the salat Oliv'ye (better known in restaurants as salat stolichnyi, or "capital salad"). No celebration is complete without this white salad made of potatoes, pickles, chicken or bologna, peas and mayonnaise. Without salat Oliv'ye, most Russians will feel hungry no matter how much other food is served.
Many hosts are justifiably proud of their selyodka pod shuboi ("herring under an overcoat"), which is herring covered with a thick layer of onions, potatoes, beets and mayonnaise. Another favorite is studen', which is cold beef served under a layer of transparent jelly and eaten with horseradish. It tastes better than it looks. Among these dishes, don't overlook the griby (mushrooms), which may be either marinovannye (marinated) or solyonye (salted). Be sure to ask your hosts if they gathered the mushrooms themselves.
Although no one will admit it, your hosts went to a lot of trouble to put this spread together and they will certainly be pleased if you express your appreciation. Eto ochen' vkusno (This is very tasty), of course, is the basic formulation, but New Year's is a time for improvisation. Try something like Vashi pirozhki prosto tayut vo rtu (Your pastries simply melt in my mouth) or Eto prosto bozhestvennyi salat (This salad is simply divine). And what cook wouldn't want to hear a guest exclaim, Ya nikogda ne yel nichego vkusneye (I've never eaten anything this good before)?
Of course, in Russia as elsewhere, the best compliment is asking for more. Peredaite, pozhaluista, studen' (Please pass the studen') is the basic way of asking for something that is far away from you. Or you can try Yeshchyo pirozhok, pozhaluista (Another pastry, please) or Yeshchyo nemnogo salata (A little more salad).
Eventually, though, all things come to an end. There comes a time when you just have to push away from the table and say, with a satisfied smile, Net, spasibo, yesli ya yeshchyo chto-nibud' s'em, ya prosto lopnu (No, thank you, if I have another bite, I'll pop).
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