“The Napoleonic Wars gave the French the word bistro as a reminder of the rude, conquering Russian officers who demanded quick service in French cafes. Bystro means quick in Russian. Russian, in turn, got sheramiz avat, meaning to beg. Hardly any Russian today knows it, but this word comes from the French phrase cher ami. The starving, freezing French soldiers, retreating in disarray after the defeat at Borodino, would knock at the doors of Russian farmhouses and implore the farmers for food, crying: cher ami!” – Cameron Sawyer
Hugh’s Quote of the Day:
