I was taken back by what I saw at the market today. Sure, continuing commerce is obviously a necessary part of “market life,” but seeing the massive hunk of meat was a bit surprising. I guess I’m more used to seeing it all chopped up.
A single man, obviously under strain, was carrying an entire side of beef (the torso of half a cow) through the middle of a crowded open air market – heading for the МЯСО (meat) shop.

I don’t know why I was so surprised, but just seeing half of a cow propped up on this guy’s shoulder, and watching it bob up and down ever so slightly in tune with the man’s strained gait, was, well … awesome. The market-goers parted like the Red Sea as the side o’ beef approached its final resting place.

Sorry, no pic of the side of beef… but trust me, it was awesome.

Of course, the meat market counters are very raw to begin with – but to see a cow split in half, and part the crowded marketplace [like that] was a reminder that I am not in America. It just wouldn’t happen like that. Even funnier, other people didn’t seem to pay any attention, other than getting out of the way.

I think the main difference is that in the USA there would be a delivery truck pulling up to the rear of the market at daybreak, and using a dolly or a forklift, or at least one or two additional helping pairs of hands, the hunk-o’-meat would be transferred directly to the butcher’s freezer.

Thought I’d share that with you.

————————————————————————–

As an afterthought, I decided to give you some idea of what the meat markets look like here. These are the places where almost everyone buys their meat. Sure, sure… you can go to the supermarket and get it — and increasing numbers of people are doing so. However, the meat is not nearly as fresh (as you can imagine), and the prices are generally a bit higher. But hey, anything that is remotely “Western,” culturally speaking, is (more or less) a success here. Thus, Western-style pre-packaging and shelf display with individual price-tags is making headway into the cultural landscape.
Anyway, I guess I find a bit of fascination with seeing the meat out in the open air. I don’t know why, but I do. No, no, no, no NO. NOT in a perverse way, you freak. I think it comes from having taught anatomy for 7 years as a grad student. Once in a while I take pictures. Here are some examples (though I try to be sly, sometimes I just break out the camera and don’t give a damn). The vendors (frequently heavy-set ladies in their 40′s-50′s) just look at me kinda like I’m an alien.

* Enjoy *
Obviously the picture below was taken last winter, around the holidays (actually many of them w. Yes, those are holiday decorations on the walls/ceiling. Who needs a freezer when it’s 0° outside/inside. The funny thing is that the same tables have meat on them in the height of the summer, when it’s ~40° outside/inside. :-)    Mmmmmm, can’t you smell it?   To be fair, only the beef and pork are allowed to stay at this temperature — the chicken is [almost] always refrigerated.  Fish is hit or miss — sometimes frozen, sometimes just a headless body sitting out baking in the sun, with an old lady asking almost nothing for it.

typical meat market scene

So this woman sells chicken. Note the bare hands. Yep, all day long she grabs birds or bird parts from her fridge. Also, note that the chicken gets put on the bare metal. I bet she wipes it clean at least once a day, probably more.

hand held chicken

Then, mmmmmm…. the fish.  I have really learned to love fish since being here. Great stuff, and all kinds. Yes, I’m even loving the sardines (albeit every sardine must be followed by a shot of vodka). Seriously, though, the smoked fish is outstanding!

fish

Then we have rabbit. Yes, I know it’s a rabbit because they left the fur on. “Why,” you ask? Because if they didn’t leave the little furry foot it would look almost exactly like a cat. I’m sure that’s been done countless times. On the left are ducks and hens.

rabbit

Probably needless to say, one of the Ukrainian favorites is sausage (колбаса). Yes, there are lots of excellent sausages. I try to find the ones with lower fat, but it ain’t easy.

sausage one

more sausage…  Some we just buy for the cats (as mentioned in the Kitty post).

second sausage pic

Oh, and сало (lard). Mmmmm… I must admit, this is pretty tasty. They prepare it in lots of ways. They love it as CHUNKS in their eggs. This, I cannot stand for. Makes me want to vomit. However, if the сало is minced with a bit of garlic, and then spread on some black bread — DAMN!   good stuff.

mmmmm, fat

Often you can see the сало rolled up on tables (below). Also, there are a few rumps for sale :-)

rump meat pic

Finally, you have pig parts. In the center (below) is the greater omentum (a piece of belly fat that hangs off of the stomach). On the right in the back, note the butcher block with a hatchet. And just to the left of that, the pig head with the ear removed. I think the ear is just to the right of the snout. Oh, and the feet, those are at the bottom right.

parts is parts

What, you wanted a closer look at the head?

just the head pic

here’s one that was already skinned… What exactly they do with them, I’m not sure. OK, I just asked my wife: I think they make head cheese from it (DUH!). It’s a German dish, as you may know. Basically they boil it on very low heat for many hours. Then they pick off all the meat, skin, tongue, ears (if they are still there), etc… and semi-finely chop it all up. No brains though. Stick the meat/gelatin into an intestine and refrigerate it. Remove, slice, add mustard on a slice of bread – Heaven! (I’m told). — ooooh… there’s some head cheese a few pictures above, in the second sausage picture.

skinned head pic
***
***____________________________________________________________***

Now, Enjoy your Breakfast, and get to work!

  • Filed under: ** The Ukraine Experience ** (ALL POSTS), Animals, Commerce and Markets, Food and Drink, Markets