Day 112: Kholodets That Wouldn't Set
On the 31st of December in a flat in Tver, two men married to two sisters open the fridge to check on the kholodets they made for the New Year table.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title.
- Read the dialogue and its translation. The audio for this lesson is coming soon.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Russian audio, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day
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A
Ну что, застыл? Открывай, я уже и горчицу развёл.
Well then, has it set? Open it, I've already mixed the mustard.
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B
Застыл... Смотри сам: не холодец, а позорище. Обычный мясной суп, только холодный.
Set... See for yourself: it's not kholodets, it's a disgrace. Ordinary meat soup, only cold.
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A
Как же так вышло-то? Мы же шесть часов над ним колдовали, всё по рецепту, как Пётр Семёнович учил.
How on earth did that happen? We worked our magic on it for six hours, all by the recipe, the way Pyotr Semyonovich taught us.
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B
Мясо ты выбирал, я только бульон процеживал. Может, магазин виноват?
You chose the meat, I only strained the broth. Maybe it's the shop's fault?
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C
Здорово, зятья! А что это вы с такими лицами над кастрюлей стоите?
Hello there, sons-in-law! Why are you standing over that pot with such long faces?
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A
Пётр Семёнович, беда: холодец не застыл. Всё делали, как вы учили, а он жидкий, как компот.
Pyotr Semyonovich, disaster: the kholodets hasn't set. We did everything the way you taught us, and it's as runny as fruit punch.
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C
Дайте гляну... Ну ясно: одна говядина, ни одной ножки. Если б вы свиные ножки положили, он бы и на батарее застыл.
Let me have a look... Well, that's clear: all beef, not a single trotter. If you'd put in pig's trotters, it would have set even on a radiator.
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B
Ножки... Так и знал, что дело в мясе! Пётр Семёнович, а спасти его ещё можно?
Trotters... I knew it was the meat! Pyotr Semyonovich, can it still be saved?
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C
Можно, ещё не вечер. Бегом за желатином: разведём в процеженном бульоне, и к полуночи застынет, а жёнам ни слова.
It can, it's not over yet. Run and get some gelatine: we'll dissolve it in the strained broth, and it'll set by midnight, and not a word to your wives.
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