A trip to the local St Petersburg farmer’s market offers fresh produce from all over the former Soviet Union: melons from Kazakhstan, tomatoes from Georgia, farmhouse honey (more than 20 kinds!), pickles (including marinated and salted cucumbers, tomatoes and even garlic) sour cream, ham and gherkins, not to mention imports such as kiwi fruit. Most vendors offer the chance to taste a sliver before buying – you can obtain breakfast by visiting a score of stalls. Outside the market are “babushkas” (pensioners) who sell herbs, mushrooms or berries, and flowers that they have grown at their dacha (summer cottage) or gathered in the forest. The St Petersburg farmer’s market is a great place to have a small taste of Russian food and fill your appetite.