Most Russians love to eat! And especially they like to share their meals with friends. That's why Russians often receive guests at home on different occasions and share the table with them. Of course, Russians also go to restaurants to have parties, but not that often as Americans or some europeans do. And takeaway meals are not so widely spread in our country, mostly in Moscow. So, the majority of Russians prefer to cook by themselves. And I must say Russian women (that's who actually cook in our families) are rather skillful and accomplished at cooking. We rarely eat fast food or junk food. And very seldom - frozen meals. Housewives usually make the first course for lunch(on weekdays, if the family has lunch at home, and always at the week-end), meat or fish course (raw products), spagetti, rice and potatoes. Also salads. Unfortunately, moscovites (and those who work in Moscow - mostly all the small towns near the capital) do not have lunch at home, because it takes a long way to get home from your office. So, very often dinner is the main meal for many people. For dinner we always have a meat or fish course and a vegetable salad from cabbages and carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes, reddish and greens, of course. As for our family, we prefer only oil dressing, but other Russians put mayoness as well. And we do love tea! Fresh green (in our family) or grey tea with pastries! It's a kind of tradition, lovely and pleasing ceremony!