ancasta race yachts

• Yacht Broker Directory

Ancasta Ancasta Raceboats

About our office in Southampton United Kingdom

The largest yacht brokerage in Europe selling new and used power and sail boats. 23 offices, 40 brokers and 45,000 active buyers gives Ancasta an enviable position in the brokerage market. Ancasta boasts a team of fully trained and highly skilled brokers able to negotiate and conduct business on your behalf. Deals can be managed in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Russian; the team has already concluded deals with over 30 nationalities. Ancasta also employs an in-house lawyer and many of the offices can draw upon dedicated technicians and boatyards who are able to prepare your boat for sale or help the new owner in their first days of ownership

Please mention TheYachtMarket.com when contacting the seller.

Contact broker

Email ancasta ancasta raceboats.

Please enter your name

Please enter your email address

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a message for the seller

Site protected by Google reCAPTCHA Privacy Policy and Terms of Service  apply

Broker's offices

Ancasta alcudia, ancasta ancasta multihulls, ancasta antibes, ancasta barcelona, ancasta beneteau yachts, ancasta brighton, ancasta cala d'or, ancasta chichester, ancasta cowes, ancasta dartmouth, ancasta falmouth, ancasta international boat sales, ancasta la napoule, ancasta la rochelle, ancasta london, ancasta lymington, ancasta mylor, ancasta palma, ancasta plymouth, ancasta poole and portland, ancasta port hamble, ancasta port napoleon, ancasta port solent, ancasta swanwick, sanlorenzo uk, sign up to our newsletter.

By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy

Change units of measure

This feature requires cookies to be enabled on your browser.

Show price in:

Show lengths, beam and draft in:

Show displacement or weight in:

Show capacity or volume in:

Show speed in:

Show distance in:

Alex Higby to Head Up Ancasta Race Boats New US Office

Although the competitive yacht racing scene is on hold, Ancasta Race Boats has not sat by twiddling their thumbs. They’ve decided to open a new US office and have appointed the high-experienced Alex Higby to lead it.

This year has caused havoc across almost every industry, and one in particular that has experienced a particularly tough time is the boating industry. Like most high-end industries, boat and yacht sales rely on consumer confidence and this has been lacking across all sectors.

Ancasta Race Boats is one of the UK’s leading companies in the field of performance yachts and has some big plans for the future. To ensure it is best-placed to deal with the wave of new business expected to return once the pandemic is under control. They’ve decided to open a new US office and have appointed Alex Higby to head it.

Modern technology means the world is now more connected than ever. Many businesses over the past six months have embraced this and discovered that not everyone needs to be in the same place to achieve an end-goal.

The new Ancasta Race Boats office is located in one of the most iconic racing venues in the world – San Francisco, USA joining the company’s existing 17 offices across Europe.

Alex Higby is far from a stranger to the world of high-performance yach racing and brings more than a decade of high-profile experience to the company, including America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, as well as extensive yacht brokerage experience.

“Alex will be an asset to the company and connect our large European and Australasian client database with the USA,” says Sam Pearson, who leads the European operation.

“With the complex and niche nature of our business, outreach and product knowledge is everything, and this new addition will only open more doors for our clients.”

Yacht racing will soon be back on the calendar, and with a globally-connected team of brokers, Ancasta Race Boats is ready to help owners on their next yacht racing journey.

For further information on Ancasta Race Boats and Alex Higby, visit https://ancasta.com/raceboats/.

Read more yachting and boating-related articles in our dedicated section here .

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Places Order for Eight Candela P-12 Electric Hydrofoils

Wajer Yachts Unveils its Wajer 44 S at Ibiza’s Marina Botafoc

Make Your Bluewater Cruising Dreams a Reality Onboard the Contest 49CS

Editorial Team

The independent luxury magazine showcasing the finest and most luxurious things in life. Luxurious Magazine travels the world visiting the best resorts, hotel and restaurants to see whether they warrant the 'Luxurious Magazine' seal of approval. We also feature the latest news, finest products and services, luxury events and talk to leading personalities and celebrities.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Ancasta Yachts

For over 35 years Ancasta International Boat Sales has been one of the leading brokerage houses in the industry. With over 20 offices spread across Europe, and an online presence that is second to none, the reach and experience is why Ancasta is renowned for delivering results. Dealers for Sanlorenzo, Bluegame, Beneteau, Lagoon, Prestige, CNB, McConaghy and Protector Boats and with shared ownership and investment purchasing options – the Ancasta Group and its After Sales Service capability is what ensures owners and buyers receive the experience they deserve.

• AMERICA'S CUP
• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

Ancasta to present stellar lineup at the British Motor Yacht Show 2024

Related Articles

Upcoming Events

672 Wine Club

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Benchmark Wines
• Brian Fox Art
• Chase United
• Disneyland Resort
• Gateway Bronco
• Royal Salute
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

Want to See America’s Cup Racing Up Close? These 9 Yacht Charters Let You Watch From the Water

Options range from 200-foot-plus superyachts with side trips to ibiza to intimate sailing vessels catered by michelin-starred chefs. let the races begin., jemima sissons, jemima sissons's most recent stories.

• Beloved Italian Perfumer Santa Maria Novella Just Dropped Its First Eau de Parfum in 800 Years
• How This French Ski Parka Became a Downtown Darling of the Finance Set
• New Luxury Cruise Liners Will Be Powered by Giant Solid Sails
• Share This Article

Next week, when the 37 th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup kicks off in Barcelona with its opening ceremony, the contest that began in 1851 with a race around the Isle of Wight between the fastest British and American sloops (the yacht America won handily) will come back to Europe for the first time in 14 years.

The move to the Catalan capital from the 2021 event in New Zealand will make it more accessible to sailing fans in Europe, and even North Americans who want to view the fast, technical AC75 foiling boats in person. Barcelona has been preparing itself for a surge of spectators for the “return” of the Cup, which was held twice in Valencia, Spain, in the aughts.

The America’s Cup may be billed as “the race with no second place,” but it takes three months of racing and four events for one of five Challenger teams to win the Louis Vuitton Cup, and that winner will race Defender Emirates Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup final. The racing runs from August through October, and this year includes a first-time all-women’s America’s Cup as well as an event for the world’s best youth sailors.

Having Barcelona as a venue was a smart move, partly for the gorgeous beaches fronting the race course on the Med. But there is also the city’s magnificent architecture and sense of history as well as vibrant arts, culture and, of course, no shortage of Michelin-starred restaurants.

There are many five-star hotels in the area, but the smartest and most thrilling way to see racing is by water. The vessel options are wide-ranging—from weeklong superyacht charters to luxury suites on a cruise ships to day trips on sailboats with Michelin-starred cuisine. Many can be combined with on-land stays and even cruises to other parts of Spain as part of the itineraries.

One important note: Four zones adjoining the race course allow spectator boats. Before chartering a vessel, be sure to find out which zone the boat will operate in, because that impacts how close you are to the racing.

Here are 9 options to suit the most avid Cup aficionados or those visiting Barcelona who want to sip champagne and watch the AC75 foiling boats battle it out.

Superyacht ‘Resilience’

Edmiston is offering charters aboard the 212-foot Resilience during the America’s Cup. The ISA-built superyacht, designed by Enrico Gobbi, features a mosaic-tiled pool, circular fire pit and a BBQ for a ringside lunch. Post-race pampering comes via the steam room, sundeck jacuzzi and gym, and there’s even a self-playing Edelweiss piano and projector for evening entertainment. The vessel sleeps 12 across seven cabins. From September 16, weekly charters start at about $645,000 (€600,000).

Explora Journeys

The soon-to-be-launched Explora II looks very much like its sistership, the Explora I : onyx finishes, self-playing Steinways, on-deck Technogym bikes, a spa with a Himalayan salt room, Dunhill cigar den and a wine cellar boasting decades-old Chateau Latour. With 461 luxury suites, how was the Explora II chosen to become an America’s Cup viewing platform? The idea came from the top down. 

“I love sailing and believe the Med is the most beautiful sea on earth,” Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, told Robb Report during a visit aboard Explora I in Barcelona. “We thought if only our customers could also experience [the America’s Cup], we can call it the ocean state of mind.” 

Explora II launches in mid-September, with itineraries planned to coincide with the different Cup events. On October 6, the vessel will be in port for the Louis Vuitton Cup Final and Puig Women’s Races. Guests can take a walk to the official race village and experience its excitement before watching the races from their suites. A 10-night journey starts from $5,210 per guest.

The Almanac Sailing Experience

Barcelona’s Almanac hotel has a romantic-gastronomic experience that offers guests front-row seats on a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45 sailboat with a capacity for 10 guests. Besides the racing, the package includes two nights at the hotel. The boat comes with the hotel’s branded slippers and Jimmy Boyd bespoke amenities. Enjoy a selection of customized Cava Bellinis from the pop-up bar. Chefs from the hotels’ restaurant will also serve up shrimp salad and fennel ceviche paired with organic Spanish wines. The boat can be chartered every Saturday from August 31 to October 26. The Louis Vuitton Cup round-robin starts on August 29 and lasts through Sept. 8. There’s also the Puig Women’s Race (first all-female America’s Cup in its 171-year history) and, of course, the America’s Cup finals in October. Prices start at $2,940 per couple. 

Superyacht ‘C’

For a majestic week-long cruise that incorporates America’s Cup summer races and possible side itineraries in Costa Dorada, Sitges and Formentera, Camper & Nicholsons’ expansive 177-ft C is the flashy option, defined by Minotti furniture, lacquered panels and a hamman. It also sleeps 12 in six cabins that feature a master and two VIP suites. Its chase boat also offers a great opportunity for side trips. Weekly charters from Sept. 18-October 31 run from about $513,000 or €400,000.

Sailing Yacht ‘Imagine’

UK adventure specialists Pelorus offer a private seat on an elegant sailing boat seeped in America’s Cup history. Built in New Zealand by Alloy Yachts, Imagine is a 110-footer that served as an official viewing platform for the America’s Cup in Auckland, but it has also completed three global circumnavigations. Beyond its sailing chops, it’s a beautiful vessel, with a blonde, teak-lined deck, large salon and dining area, and three cabins for sleeping seven guests. It will be available from October 12 for the America’s Cup final. Pelorus is also offering to bookend the week with trips to Majorca and Ibiza. About $101,000 (£79,121)

Superyacht ‘Diane’

Also available from Edmiston, the 141-ft Diane can accommodate 10 guests in five staterooms for the week. The interior is all about soft hues, featuring cream leather and white marble, boasting a bar and plenty of outdoor seating for watching the races. For the non-race legs, guests can take to the water via the large beach club, complete with seabobs and wakeboards. It has a Balearics license, making a hop to Ibiza or Majorca a possibility. Weekly charter rates from September 23 run about $150,000 per week (€140,000)

Black Tomato Cup Package

Incorporating a city-stay, Black Tomato’s America’s Cup getaway includes a day’s private day charter to view the race, plus five nights at the Mandarin Oriental as well as visiting the regatta course and different bases of the America’s Cup teams for an insider’s look at the operations and technology. As a dayboat, its Bali Yacht Saxador 400 GTO can accommodate 11 guests. It sets sail from Port Olympic, giving guests a sweeping view of the city on one side and the regatta course on the other. The boat has access to the blue area (for preferred charter boats) on the front line. From $12,750 per person, based on two people.

Superyacht ‘Quasar’

Camper & Nicholsons recently introduced the 153-foot Quasar to the charter market and what a great way to end the Med season than by viewing the America’s Cup. It has six cabins (including two master suites) that can accommodate 12 guests, along excellent outdoor seating, an upper salon that joins the aft deck area for viewing the races or dining al-fresco. The beach club has a large selection of water toys. Visits to scenic Med ports around Barcelona are also possible on the week’s charter, which start at about $232,000 (€210,000).  

Superyacht ‘Kiawah’

For front row seats on day charters in the blue zone (the third-closest area to the races), official charter partner ac37 Sailcharters offers different types of vessels and packages. The 110-foot Kiawah features a cocktail lunch on board, a specialized lecture from an expert sailor, and an AV system to follow the race in real time. From August 22 through October 11, daily rates are about $34,000 (€30,800) and during the America’s Cup finals October 12-27, rates move to about $41,000 (€37,400).

Read More On:

• America's Cup
• Louis Vuitton

More Marine

This Revamped 161-Foot Trinity Superyacht Could Be Yours for $16 Million

Rescuers Find Remaining Missing Aboard the Sunken ‘Bayesian’ Superyacht 

Tech Mogul Mike Lynch and 5 Others Are Missing After a Yacht Sinks in Italy

A Fleet of Candela’s Electric Foiling Yachts Is Rolling Out to the Red Sea in 2025

Meet the Wine Club That Thinks Differently.

Receive editor-curated reds from boutique California producers four times a year.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

‘La Dea II’ Superyacht in Photos

12 Must-See Yacht Debuts at This Year’s Cannes Fest

More from our brands, what was kamala harris trying to relay with her chloé designer suit at the dnc, diamond sports group reaches deals with nba, nhl, kamala harris’ speech boosts dnc to 26.2 million viewers on final night, christie’s first sale at new asia headquarters led by $35 m. monet, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.

so that musical…

Hello everybody… guess where I am right now? Yes, I’m home already, and Yes, that means I didn’t actually post anything for the last two weeks of my program. But don’t worry, the posts will still come. I have lots more to talk about, including:

• the musical I was in (that’s what this post is for)
• my trip to St. Petersburg
• wrapping up classes
• saying goodbye to literally everyone

…just be prepared to wait a little between posts.

So, the musical. As you may remember, I was talked into participating in a musical by my friend Ksenia, the director of USTU’s vocal studio. I say “talked into,” because I actually wasn’t as enthusiastic about saying “yes” to this project as I usually am. Because I am not an actress, and I am certainly no good substitute for Stevie Wonder.

Oh yes, that’s right, the musical was based on original translations of Stevie Wonder songs into Russian.

Rehearsals started in February, as Ksenia arranged vocals. 90% of rehearsals at this time were the background vocalists learning weird harmonies and trying to sing them tightly and together.

Then, at some point, we introduced acting to the mix. That went… interestingly.

As we drew near to the time of the show, everything got crazy. We realized just how unprepared we were, the director started to actually despair that Gerar and I would  ever act like the besotten young couple we were supposed to be, and the musical director started to wonder if she shouldn’t have spent more time teaching us to sway our hips convincingly while singing backup. But, in the end, of course, everything went off just fine…

Fine enough, in fact, that the rector (who had been unavailable for the university’s  first ever musical … something about a basketball tournament in St. Petersburg…) requested a repeat. And because he’s the rector, we complied.

I was gone in St. Petersburg for the whole week between the two performances, meaning I missed the rehearsals in between, but stress? What’s that? I was super chill about the second performance, and I enjoyed it a lot more than the first. This is partly because the temperature in the hall was about 70 degrees F as opposed to the 85 it had been during the first run (and if you’ve ever performed in a fleece Snuggie under stage lights in an 85 degree room, you know exactly how uncomfortable the first performance was).

I’ve attached here a few pictures of me from the second performance, but if you want to browse more, check this link .

We ended up getting good press, and overall, I’d say a success for the American in the far north, and an even bigger success for my costars who had actual classes/exams going on the whole time.

And, most importantly, I came out of it with a few more friends and a lot more memories.

things I wish I’d known: may

May is over, and I have set a new record for bad blogging habits! I have a lot of posts in mind, including that one I’ve been promising about the musical I’m in, so hopefully you’ll be seeing those trickle out in the days to come. However, I will warn you: I have 10 days left in Ukhta, and I don’t plan on spending any time in front of the computer that I could be spending elsewhere.

So without further ado, this month, I wish I’d known…

• that May does not exist. Everything you plan to do in May may not actually happen. You will get to the end of the month and not remember it at all.
• that there are exactly three weeks when it is pleasant to be outside, because about that long after the snow melts/mud evaporates, the mosquitoes come out. Take advantage of these three weeks.
• how dastardly bloodthirsty Russian mosquitoes are. My. Goodness. Douse yourself in bugspray before you leave the house.
• that Russian pharmacists don’t know what hydrocortisone is, so bring your own, for those places you didn’t douse in bugspray.
• that your musical isn’t over until the rector says it’s over. (i.e. you think you only have one performance, but don’t count on it — remember about Russians and planning things in advance?)
• that fill-in-the-blank questions with multiple choice on the final exam doesn’t mean your students will be any less stressed or any more successful. Therefore have only short answers and oral testing…?
• that you may not actually want to leave town in May, so plan your travel for those weird fall/winter months when you had no work and no friends and no sunlight.
• that it’s 100% possible to sleep through white nights if your curtains are decent. All curtains in Ukhta are decent. Never fear.
• that a watch is super necessary up here, because telling time by daylight literally doesn’t work at all.
• that everything ends really quickly. Do laundry in advance.

things I wish I’d known: april

This month went even faster than last month… is that possible? But I can’t deny the passage of time, because somehow all the snow is melted, and the ground is starting to warm up, and there’s  grass in some places, and  dandelions in others (never thought I’d be so happy to see dandelions), and also the sky doesn’t get all the way dark till ~11pm, and also it starts getting light again at ~1am (what is this place). Every day feels a little bit warmer, a little bit longer, a little bit closer to the end, a little bit further away from the beginning.

All that drama aside, here’s what I learned this month, that I wish I’d known earlier:

• that it  does get warm in Ukhta, and I  should  bring clothing appropriate to sunny and 60s.
• that there  are nice grassy fields in Ukhta, and I  should bring clothing appropriate to frolicking/grass-sitting.
• that reading an email is not the same thing as replying to it, no matter how it seems at the time (apologies to everyone who has been victim of this).
• how absurdly hot it is in Russian trains, especially on the top bunk in platzkart. Get the bottom bunk.
• that some schools do still carry on the hiring process into May, so not having applications finished in February is not a reason to stress out.
• that the ice here turns to mud when it melts, which then turns into sand when it dries, creating a South-Africa-like effect of dust blowing everywhere.
• that I won’t want to travel the last month of my grant, so I should get all that out of the way in the first semester, before I put down roots here.
• how seriously Russians take the idea of walking around barefoot/in socks as a potential cause of illness (even if this walking takes place exclusively indoors). This is a fact that can be used to comic effect, unless I am in fact sick, in which case they will tell me it’s  because  I walked barefoot, even though it’s probably because I was sharing hot recycled air with fifty people and zero circulation on a train for 11 hours.
• that potatoes can, in fact, go (very) bad in the space of 10 days, even in a dark cool cupboard… and this is, in fact, the source of that fish smell I keep smelling.
• that it’s really embarrassing when my friends are playing keep-it-up and I’m incapable of keeping-it-up, so I should probably take gym class more seriously (this is a “wish I’d known 15 years ago” thing, sorry if it’s not too relevant to any of you).

on the rails again

This week, Vickie and I went to Ukhta State Technical University’s “filial” (partner university? satellite campus?) in Usinsk. This is pronounced Oo-sin-sk (only two syllables, but separated for easier reading). Usinsk is… tiny. Like, we walked from the center to the edge in about 20 minutes. We drove around the entire city (all four streets) in about 30 minutes. But it’s also quite cute, and there’s a nice forest. There’s also a nice 600-student, single-building university, which is the actual reason we went: to teach! (It’s almost like that’s our job or something.)

But first, I want to talk about the  going … the train.

Last time Vickie and I took the train, you’ll remember , it was a 32-hour ride from Moscow to Ukhta, about 96 hours after entering the country. We had a nice (only mildly traumatic, and maximally sedated) experience in  kupe (4-person private cabin).

This time, we had a nice (still only mildly traumatic, although less sedated) experience in  platzkart (open, barracks-style car). We took the fast train there (10 hours) and the slow train back (12 hours).

The Good: Lots of time to sleep, no creepy guys in our immediate vicinity, no drunk people anywhere we could tell. …And, on the way back, our neighbor from the dormitory was just a few bunks down from us! The Bad: SO HOT. I can’t even describe it. Okay fine, it was only 80 degrees F, but there was literally no movement of air, and a whole lot of people… especially on the top bunk, breathing isn’t really a thing that happens. Also, we had one cabin-mate whose snore resembled the revv of a chainsaw. So the “lots of time to sleep” didn’t exactly translate into “sleep.” The Amusing: “Katie, the bathroom is so great!! It has  toilet paper. ” –Standards.

Once in the city, we got settled into our apartment-hotel. I have no pictures, sorry, but I can give you the Good, Bad, and Amusing of it…

The Good: Beds! Hot shower! Functional kitchen! The Bad: Have you ever seen  The Irony of Fate ? …yeah. The first night we spent about 30 minutes trying to find the right place, then about 15 trying to get the key to work in the door when we’d found it. Turns out we were still in the wrong building. I at that point was mildly feverish with a headache and sore throat, and Vickie also had a migraine, and we were carrying ~7kg of groceries, and basically we were a sight to be seen. The Amusing: Trying to leave a note for our roommates telling them they could help themselves to our pasta… while slightly delirious and with no good sense of Russian whatsoever.

We had classes with the university students…

The Good: My class on Wednesday had only eight students, so we could play games, and they could all have a chance to talk! The Bad: Only two of the eight  wanted to talk. Too bad for the others, because I didn’t take a 10-hour ride in a fiery furnace just to watch people stare silently at me for two hours. The Amusing:  At the English Club meeting on Tuesday, Vickie and I started (as usual) in English. This was met with much and vocal protest, and pleas to answer their questions in Russian. We, receiving affirmation from the authorities there, did so. We heard later that the students had complained that they “expected us to speak English with them, but we only spoke Russian the whole time!” Okay.

We also got to see some of the  dostoprimechatel’nosti  (tourist sights) of the town.

The Good: Nice weather,  flowers , an interesting tour guide (hi Olga!) The Bad: I was sick the whole time and carrying an enormous backpack for part of it, so I was kind of grumpy. The Amusing: Can we just talk about the mosquito monument?

Among the other  dostoprimechatel’nosti , we got to see the forest in Usinsk. The idea was, I think, to take a nice, brisk walk… which turned into more of a run/quick tramp for us. But we lived. And the forest is beautiful.

The Good: Beautiful nature, beautiful dog. The Bad: Vickie falling into the snow, my feet freezing. The Amusing: Yeah, that hole in the ice? Olga literally went swimming in it, then we walked for another 45 minutes.

All in all, good trip. But now I need to go take some NyQuil and catch up on sleep. (…And consider packing ice and an oxygen tank next time I take a Russian train.)

russian food, part three

This post isn’t actually about Russian food. It is, rather, about the food Katie eats in Russia.

Anticipatory apology to my parents/anyone who feels invested in my wellbeing. You may want to skip this post.

My day begins with breakfast, a maximum of 6 minutes after I roll out of bed in the morning. Yes, my metabolism is overactive.

Breakfast consists of a combination of cornflakes/granola and yogurt/milk. The four options afforded by this graph are way too overwhelming, so I usually have only one product of each category in my room at a time. Right now, though, I have cornflakes AND granola. This means I actually have to think in the mornings.

If my milk-product-of-the-week has gone bad unexpectedly (which happens, since the yogurt I buy has a 5-day lifespan, and the milk is only drinkable for 3 days before it becomes… well… edible), I eat bread with cheese or an apple instead.

At some point between breakfast and lunch, I eat an apple, a mandarin, or salted peanuts.

For lunch, I sometimes eat at the school cafeteria, but more often I eat open-faced sandwiches and veggies. Some examples from the past week:

I don’t require a lot of variety in my diet, but what I do comes in the choice of bread (brown or white?) and vegetable (pepper or tomato? or fruit?? wow). I can also choose my cheese/meat, but I tend to only buy one package of meat and one of cheese at a time, for minimum food waste.

Then, between lunch and dinner, I eat another apple or a pirozhok, usually while walking from one class to another. When it’s cold out, this results in blue hands, but it’s worth it for a full stomach.

For dinner, it often happens that I am fed by well-meaning Russian friends (“Do you eat, ever? Here, have this 5-egg omelet”). This is awesome, even if sometimes it results in overstuffing. These meals do not always include the quantity of vegetable matter I myself would choose, but they fill me up and make me feel like a real human. For all the other days, there’s “rabbit food.” This is a dish that consists of lentils, barley, onion, and garlic, which I make every so often and can last me up to one week in the fridge, or two in the freezer. For fun, I add cut-up veggies, cheese, spices, and/or olive oil.

My rabbit food elicits various reactions that all carry the same tone of judgment… “That can’t taste good.” “Is that your dinner?” “Are you on a diet??” The answers: “Good enough.” “Yes, it is.” “ No, I’m not .” The reasoning behind this dish is simple. I eat in order to not be hungry, and to give my body the nutrients it needs. This meal fills me up, and it covers most of the major food groups (protein, carb, dairy, veggie, fat). Plus I only have to prepare it once a week. AND it travels nicely. Win-win-win-win. Highly recommend.

Then, before bed, I usually end up eating bread with butter, olive oil, or peanut butter, or a few slices of cheese.

So this is my average pattern. However, sometimes I feel inspired (read: have guests) and make actual food (this happens about once every 7-10 days). “Actual food” still usually comes in the form of a single dish, because I can’t quite get my head around planning separate parts to a meal. This could mean fried rice, potatoes with some onion-apple-pork stirfry splotched on top, or any of the following…

I AM a real person! I CAN cook! Sort of.

What I have been doing a lot of recently is baking. Russians love American baked goods… I mean, how would you feel if you encountered brownies for the first time at 56? Or even 23? I’ve gained myself a reputation as a baker, which is hilarious, since I hate making things precisely by recipes (as may be inferred by my choices of savory cooking pictured above). Anyone, especially my sister, could tell you that I have no special gift for pastry. Actually, that’s not entirely true: my special gift is that I am an accomplished googler with an advanced command of the English language. In Russia, that makes all the difference. Here, enjoy pictures…

Not pictured but also popular: pumpkin pie (x4), apple pie (x2), pumpkin chocolate chip bread, brownies (x3 with Snickers, x3 without), chocolate chip cookies (x2), snickerdoodles, honey-egg bread. I need to start remembering to photograph these things.

The takeaway: Mom, I’m getting through just fine, but I’m already excited about the cheeseburger and salad we’re going to have when I get home. T-58 days.

russian food, part two

I love talking about food, therefore we’re going to continue this series a while longer.

This time, I want to talk about Russian food culture. I don’t mean “cultural foods”… I mean the culture  around  foods. Let me begin by describing two typical family meals, one with my family in America, one with my tutor’s family here in Ukhta.

The first scene opens with Mom in the kitchen laying pieces of meat on some sort of plate, Katie putting silverware and napkins on the table, Kristen grabbing the salad dressing (not mayonnaise), and Dad walking to the table from his office. In a minute, the middle of the table is occupied by a large glass bowl of salad (60% romaine lettuce, 10% tomatoes, 10% raw mushrooms, 10% cucumbers, 10% fresh-grated cheddar, 0% mayonnaise ), a platter of italian-marinated grilled chicken breasts, and a basket of bread. Each plate has already been served a helping of rice, because a rice pot on the table is just uncomfortable. Each plate also has standing above it a glass full of cran-apple juice (Dad and Katie) or water (Mom and Kristen). We all sit down together, pray, and begin passing the food around. We discuss our day, the things we did, the people we saw. We eat, really slowly, pausing also to drink at various points in time. When we’ve finished, one of the servants (i.e. Kristen or Katie) takes the dishes to the sink, where they will be washed later. If Dad takes the dishes to the sink, he probably washes them right away. In an hour or two, people begin trickling back to the kitchen to dish themselves a bowl of ice cream, which might be eaten upstairs while working on the computer, downstairs while watching TV, or in the kitchen while staring at a wall. The lights dim, the curtain falls.

The second scene opens with Katie entering a Russian apartment for the fiftieth time this calendar year, taking off her boots, greeting the cat, and beginning to regret wearing a sweater (because it’s 90 degrees in this apartment). Natasha, her tutor, is maybe finishing something in the kitchen, while Natasha’s mom is sitting at the computer playing Solitaire or Mahjong. Katie goes to the kitchen and asks if she can help, at which point she is given a bowl and told to give herself as much soup as she wants. Katie ladles some soup into the bowl and goes to the living room, where a little table has been set with paper-towel-placemats and silverware, along with a bowl of salad (60% cabbage, 10% bell pepper, 10% onion, 10% cucumber, 10% tomatoes, 0% mayonnaise, because they know Katie by now). Natasha comes soon, bringing her own soup. She offers Katie mayonnaise or (because she loves Katie) sour cream for the soup. She asks her mom if she wants anything, to which her mom says (for the fiftieth time this calendar year), “No I don’t want to, I just ate.” Natasha and Katie eat soup, during which time they talk and Natasha’s mom chides her for talking and not letting Katie eat. Then Natasha disappears into the kitchen and reappears with two plates of mashed potatoes and cutlets . After these have been eaten, Natasha takes the plates to the kitchen and reappears with cups, two kettles, and a tiny teapot. The tiny teapot is full of zavarka , which basically translates to “incredibly strong tea.” The kettles have, respectively,  kipiatok (boiled water) and  kholodnyy kipiatok (cold boiled water), for the watering down of the zavarka . Tea is consumed with chocolate, store-bought cupcakes that sometimes taste heavenly and other times taste like cardboard, or buttered bread with cheese . After tea, the cups and teapot are left on the table, because in an hour or two we’ll probably have second tea. Exit Stage Left. etc.

So, you’ll notice one thing right away: Russian mealtimes are very structured. One does not eat the hot food (usually called the  vtoroe , or “second”) before the soup, or tea before the  vtoroe . Meanwhile in America, all of the food is on the table at the same time, and you eat as you like. Maybe you want to finish your salad before you start your chicken. Maybe you want to eat one bite of each thing in a circle around your plate. Up to you.

The last difference I’ll note in mealtimes is the expectation here that you would not eat and talk at the same time. That’s probably very mannerly, in fact, now that I think about it. Guess Americans are rude after all.

Another difference in food culture here is that you  do not eat while you walk, unless it’s ice cream. That’s literally the only time it’s okay. For a perpetual eat-and-walk-er, this poses a problem. Not because I’m going to stop my strolls through the park with big crispy apple in hand, but I sometimes get embarrassed feel like I have to hide the apple behind my back when someone approaches me from the front. It’s part of a more leisurely culture, I think, where taking a 3pm tea break is not only normal, it’s expected, and it will probably be extravagant by American Starbucks-to-go standards. Yes, eating on the go can be a purely voluntary activity, especially when the weather is nice and you want to stand outside in the sun, but you don’t smoke, so you need something else to do. But many times I’ve eaten on the go, it’s been because I’m running from one class to another and have barely enough time to get there, let alone eat lunch. Or because I have roughly the metabolism of a butterfly.

The last difference I’ll note is in the conception of portions/types of food necessary to health. Here, I’d say 40% of your diet is easily potatoes. The other 60% is divided between bread + dairy + eggs + fruits + vegetables + meat. Beans and nuts don’t make much of an appearance, and honestly neither do many vegetables. Maybe I’m too much of a southerner to understand how potatoes with cabbage and onion constitute a veggie dish, but… I need crunchy things with bright colors! This is why I carry an apple with me everywhere, to the confusion of my friends. I think the American diet easily comprises a lot more raw vegetable matter, and a lot less starch/dairy than the Russian diet. And yet, somehow, Russians go to America and gain weight, and Americans go to Russia and lose weight. This doesn’t make any sense until you realize that humans are actually phototrophs. This is not a well-known scientific fact, but I’m working on some research right now.

Coming soon: what Katie actually eats!

Share this story

Lost Password?

Don't have an account? Register

Privacy Overview