On Sunday Nov 3, about twenty Russian Department students and faculty gathered for a Russian breakfast at the home of Department chair, Elena Duzs. For those who wanted to keep it Russian, there was a choice of no less than four types of porridge, or “kasha”: buckwheat porridge (gretcha), millet porridge (pshennaya kasha), semolina (manka), and fine semolina (yachnevayya). For those who were not porridge afficianados, there was the more Continental or American choice of omelet, fresh strawberries, bacon and home-baked croissants. As the porridge levels got lower, the conversation buzzed louder, with lively debates as to why and how Russian and American food habits differ gradually merging into the ongoing significance of the Russian revolution for world history today. Five hours later the last breakfasters left, still not having solved the problems of the global economy or the balance between consumerism and the ecology – but ready to commemorate the anniversary of the Russian Revolution the following Tuesday.
