Russia - home to vodka, Russian dolls, cold weather, and unique foods. Having learned about and tried Russian food for myself, it's safe to say that Russians do super weird things with their food.
1. Having huge portions and then having your babushka (grandma) become disappointed in you if you don't eat all of the food that she has made.
Chances are, your babushka, also known as your grandma, made food for you straight outta love. Not finishing every last bit of food that she made, is deemed to be disrespectful and a sign that you don't love her. So, eat up!
2. Adding sour cream to everything.
I'm not sure why sour cream is involved with most dishes, but it's one of those traditions that I'm unwilling to question. Although, there is a Russian tradition that I've heard from my Russian professor that you're also able to use sour cream to help cure all sunburns.
3. Making potatoes a staple in every single dish.
Potatoes are relatively versatile, and happen to be the foundation for most Russian dishes. It wouldn't be uncommon to see potatoes, in some form, served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Without potatoes, most Russian dishes wouldn't be in existence.
4. Topping almost all dishes off with caviar.
Caviar is essentially baby fish eggs. While they are usually tasteless, they're almost on every single Russian dish known to mankind. They do look nice as a topping, yet they're relatively small, which makes it hard to notice their existence.
5. Not being able to decide whether they want to have pancakes or crepes, so they settle for the hybrid of blini instead.
Blini is essentially a combination of a thicker crepe, and a thinner pancake. It's kind of like the texture of a crepe would be too thin to be acceptable, but the texture of a pancake would be too much to deal with. This dish is a breakfast staple in most Russian households.
6. Only making their version of dumplings, known as pelmeni, in a group and in excess.
Pelmeni - they're warm, tiny dumplings that pair well with an array of sauces/creams (sour cream being no exception). For some weird reason, Russians find that making them alone just doesn't feel right.
7. Ensuring that no empty bottle of alcohol is left on the table.
Not putting all empty alcohol bottles on the floor is deemed to be a Russian superstition. Within Russian culture, superstitions are taken very seriously and literally. When drinking in a Russian household, once you're done with a bottle, please - just put it on the floor and move on with your life.
While most cultures have their own take on food and drinks, it's safe to say that few other cultures do such unique things with them. This list is just a few of the interesting, and strange things Russians do with their food and drink.