Russian Food & Terra Formas Asimov – part 2

Russian food in Russia!

Back in 2015, I had one of the greatest experience in my life at Paris’ Japan Expo.

Meeting with the readers who love my works so much and feeling their love is always a pleasure for me.

I felt so much love from them there that I decided to spend as little time as possible traveling if not for work purpose.

I chose to focus on my work for the readers, so I canceled the trip I to Moscow in Russia I had planned.

Of course if I went there, it would be a great chance… I could find more details on Russian streets for <Terra Formars Asimov>.

If the story was based on modern times, then I would’ve went there myself. But Terra Formars’ story is based on a future 600 years away and I’m not the one in charge of the story.

Hence, I decided to send the team to take pictures for BGs instead. This way I can focus on the quality of the artwork so maybe it was a good choice.

No, I may have the chance to tell you this more in-depth another time but for manga works, I made the right choice.

So I informed my editor that I wouldn’t go to Russia, but he rejected it.

The publisher wanted me the go there and see what it’s like with my own eyes. Well, I no longer had a choice to make.

At first, I was so excited to try the cuisine of Mainland Russia!!!

Unfortunately, there was an issue in my schedule so I had to solve that by myself and in the end, I decided not to go to Russia. For mangaka, there is nothing more important than meeting deadlines.

So while I was working in my studio, the publisher send the team (my editor, my wife and the photographer) to Russia instead to visit there.

The followings are pictures of Russian food they took (and eat) in Russia. According to their report, everything was really delicious and excellent.

Ahhh. So Russians are eating delicious food everyday, eh.

This is “Pirozhki (пирожки)” that my team tried at Moscow’s Airport.

Pirozhki (пирожки) with vegetables fillings.

Pirozhki (пирожки) with mushrooms fillings.

Both were delicious (as they told me).

I think Pirozhki is a very nice and rich Russian dish.

Russian grocery store.

I asked them before they left for Russia to take some pictures of Russian grocery stores and supermarkets. I wanted to see what they looked like.

For me, grocery stores and food market places are even more fun and joyful places than Disneyland.

Even if I’m just looking at pictures, it felt so exciting.

It seems to be like they selling various Pelmeni (пельме́ни). I wonder how they taste like.

Although I’d like to try famous and delicious restaurants in that area, I’d also like to try local supermarket and street food as well.

That is the way to better understand the local culinary culture and the people’s lives.

Yaki-Udon that my wife ate alone at night.

Black bread in Russia

If you want to taste Russia, then you must eat black bread. I believe it to be the soul of Russia.

Санкт Петербург

Restaurant in Saint Petersburg (Санкт Петербург).

Looks wonderful.

Stick shaped Black bread.

I can see the many ways to eat black bread like here by slicing it in sticks.

other kind of breads

There are many other kind of bread as well. One of my friend living in Canada, who had an experience with Russian food before, told me that it wasn’t bread. It truth, it’s some kind of crackers but he didn’t knew what they were called. Anyone, plz let me know the name of these crackers.

I’m so happy to see these food. Their view makes me so happy.

I was poor when I was a child, so those rich and full views makes me happy!!!

So Goooooooood!!!

Lots and tasty are always the best!

Borscht (борщ)

I believe this warm soup is Russia’s traditional food.

It was in summer so they recommended the cold borscht soup for customers.

But it’s not such a cold soup for Japanese.

Look like a soup made with mushrooms.

Herring dish

The food looking like cake is actually a fish dish. They said it’s a herring dish.

Must be Salo (сало), I guess.

I’m really curious of the flavors of those Pelmeni from the mainland.

Sunflower seeds

My wife bough some sunflower seed for me.

I opened and ate some, I think it’s really nice.

I can eat these all day long, just like squirrels.

If no one stops me I’ll keep eating these, until winter is coming.

Caviar… sama!!!

It would have been better to buy some and bring it to me, but it was so expensive, so I had to be satisfied with looking at it from pictures.

I needed the details from Caviar pictures for the first chapter of <Terra Formars Asimov>.

It appeared in an important scene.

In fact, I tried to buy a can of Caviar through Amazon Japan but it was so expensive. Enough for my eyeballs to jump to Neptune.

Caviar scene in Terra Formars Asimov, chapter one.

The followings are Japanese food in Moscow.

Gyoza dumpling.

It looks bit different from the Japanese’s.

Salmon sushi rolls.

They told me they weren’t that nice but the maki rolls look delicious.

These are pictures of dishes from Russian Restaurants.

Cold Borscht

Beef Stroganoff!! I tasted it at Sarafan in Tokyo too.

Wow, it looks so good.

These are the bread, sausages and Pirozhki from other restaurants.

It is like a Pirozhki with cabbage.

It’s hard to show you all the pictures they brought me back. I’ll keep it as short as I can for now.

My team took lots of wonderful pictures about Russian food and landscapes for me.

The photographer and my wife took 7,500 pictures over 6 days of travel.

Including other photos from Shueisha, I received 10 000 photos of Russian landscape and food for <Terra Formars Asimov>.

Actually, there weren’t enough pictures but <Terra Formars Asimov> doesn’t have many Russian landscapes nor food in the series. So I think I’m fine with it.

While they were in Russia, I was working hard in my studio (alone).

While my team enjoyed these delicious Russian food, I ate the food I love most.

Especially,

Instant curry

Another instant curry

And also instant cream soup but otaku style…