Russia and Mexico: a dialogue of cultures at a distance

A series of online events dedicated to the cultural peculiarities of Russia and Mexico, organized by Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics in cooperation with the University of Colima (Mexico), has come to an end.

At the first event, which took place on May 20, the participants got acquainted with the cultural diplomacy of Russia and Mexico. Anna Bordanova, Associate Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Translation Studies at UMTE, organized an exciting interactive where she actively involved students from both countries in a discussion on cultural issues, paying special attention to Russian customs, traditions, art and literature. Thanks to the lecture by Jose Manuel de la Mora, professor of the University of Colima, the participants of the meeting learned a lot of new and informative things about the culture of Mexico.

The second event, held on May 28, was devoted to an equally interesting topic - gastronomy and gastronomic tourism. Mexican colleagues held a master class on cooking the national Mexican dish “Chiles en nogada”, while telling students about its history and symbolism. Thus, the participants learned that this dish is traditionally prepared to celebrate Independence Day. Thanks to the successful combination of ingredients, it presents all the colors of the Mexican flag – white, green and red, so “Chilis en nogada” is considered not only one of the most popular, but also “patriotic” dishes of Mexico. “Chilis en nogada” is stuffed green chili peppers filled with a mixture of minced meat, apples, pears, peaches, raisins and spices, served with a sauce of goat cheese and ground walnuts, and then decorated with herbs and pomegranate seeds. The season of its preparation begins in mid-July and lasts until September, just before the Independence Day celebrations.

Victoria Orlovskaya, Associate Professor of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality of UMTE, shared with the participants the peculiarities of Russian cuisine and the history of its formation. Students from Mexico learned what kholodets, kvass and okroshka are, what a traditional Russian oven was used for, and how potatoes are related to Emperor Peter the Great. In addition, Victoria Orlovskaya prepared a unique gastronomic map in English, showing the great variety of national dishes of separate regions of Russia, especially for the event.

For reference: University of Colima (Universidad de Colima) is a public university founded in 1940 and located in the western part of Mexico, in the state of Colima, near the Pacific Coast. Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics and University of Colima have been actively cooperating since February 2023.