Orthodoxy has had a strong influence on Russian cuisine, helping to determine just what products were used and continue to be used when preparing food. According to the church calendar, there are between 192 and 216 fasting days every year, meaning that Orthodox Christians often prepare fish, vegetable, mushroom and berry-based dishes. Moscow’s Danilov Monastery has worked to preserve and produce Russian culinary traditions for many centuries. There chefs work to prepare delicious, healthy meals whose recipes grow to gain popularity far beyond the monastery grounds. One such dish is lentil soup, which has been part of the Russian menu for a long time. According to the Old Testament, Esau went so far as to sell his brother Jacob for the right to try this tasty dish. Tune in to RTG TV to find out the tried and true recipe for this biblical meal and learn how to make it yourself!