Donetsk pensioners shared the secrets of survival: cutlets from hearts

The DPR was not recognized for a long 8 years and existed in front-line conditions that forced people to save money in big and small ways. We talked to some residents of Donetsk, and they revealed their secrets of survival and economy, which, perhaps, will be useful for other Russians as well.

Donetsk does not understand why there is a rush around food in Moscow from time to time: either buckwheat, or sugar, or garlic… Even in the DPR, which went through fire and water, by and large, there was no food shortage. Nevertheless, local residents advise to make stocks, but small, within reasonable limits.

About stew and canned fish are not particularly distributed, it is clear that they are not superfluous. Although from canned fish in Donetsk, only sprats and mackerel in oil are held in high esteem.

But flour and cereals deteriorate quickly, various insects start up in them. If someone has already spoiled, say, buckwheat or rice in a closet today, they are not advised to throw it into the trash right now.

– In the spring, loosen your beds in the country and fill in the spoiled cereals. There will be good fertilizer, at least you will get such benefit from it. I have only 5 kilograms of flour from strategic reserves, I paid 124 rubles for them. And two kilograms of sugar for 80 rubles.

My interlocutor, Natalya Sergeevna, is a pensioner and receives a pension of 9,000 rubles a month from the republic. Like the rest of her friends, she hopes that pensions will also be raised in the DPR with joining Russia. Although by local standards, her family can be considered quite wealthy. A retired husband and a working son who brings his mother a salary of 20 thousand. Since 2014, food prices in Donetsk, although living standards have fallen markedly there, have been almost the same as in Moscow.

Meat is expensive, it is not on the dinner table every day.

“But you can do without it,” the pensioner shares her experience. – . For example, sometimes I make cabbage rolls without meat: rice, cabbage and carrots. I cook gravy for them – vegetable oil, carrots, tomato paste and garlic. Cheap and delicious. Stuffed peppers with vegetables are often on the dinner table…

Housewives have other household tricks in their arsenal. Penny tea is mixed with a slightly more expensive variety – and already a full-fledged family tea party. Chicken hearts are twisted in a meat grinder and make “real” cutlets. Homemade pee on both cheeks.

Meat, which is not everyday, is treated creatively here. Pork or beef on the bone is cheaper than the pulp. The bone is cut and boiled, it turns out the broth – for borscht or soup. And the meat is rolled into minced meat: please, cutlets or dumplings for you.

But you can’t save up any money for meat, they advise you to switch to poultry. Carcasses of domestic (farm) roosters are often sold in the markets. Their meat is watery, for soup. But cheap – 180 rubles from the market, that is, real, natural. And domestic chickens cost 280 rubles a kilogram.

But from chickens you can cook whatever your heart desires. The drumsticks make excellent meatballs, chops, and even gravy. Here’s your second course. And buckwheat for a side dish, which in Russia should be cheap, because this year it is overproduced.

As for the market. They explain to me that the people of Donetsk, as a rule, buy goods there – it turns out 30 percent cheaper than in a store.

Once upon a time it was like that in Moscow, remember the “dashing 90s”. Thanks to the markets, we survived. Everything was cheap and natural. Today in the capital markets everything is exactly the opposite. And farmers explain the high cost of their products for the same reasons: they say, everything is homemade and natural.

According to the interlocutor, a supply of potatoes and vegetables for the winter is necessary. During the years of the economic blockade, many Donetsk residents have become family friends: common worries and even grief bring them closer. Those who have a basement or a garage accept vegetables from 3-4 neighbors for storage. Bags or nets do not need to be dragged from the loggia to the apartment every time when it gets cold. For a family of three, 80-90 kilograms of potatoes is quite enough. By the way, it costs 35 rubles per kilogram in Donetsk, and 18-22 rubles in Moscow. 4-5 heads of cabbage are enough for the winter, well, more carrots, onions and beets.

Vegetables are more expensive here than in Russia: carrots cost 50 rubles per kilogram (we have 15), onions cost 35 rubles against 20 rubles in Moscow. Although in the coming days, the “borscht set” will begin to rise in price in Russia as well.

– We save in big and small, – a Donetsk housewife sighs. – Recently I made aspic, they ate it for four days. It cost 500 rubles. I bought soup chicken, it is cheap, 120 rubles, beef knuckles, they are less than 100 rubles, but they are needed so that the jelly grabs well, freezes …

If you eat normally, a family of three needs at least 25,000 rubles a month. We fit into 20 thousand. I buy offal – wings, ventricles, necks. We have not paid rent, housing and communal services for 8 years, we hope that Russia will write off these debts to us …

Well, Natalya Sergeevna ended our conversation quite optimistically.

– The winter is not so terrible as it seems, – the Donetsk pensioner considers.