Yep, they’re mired in controversy and we’ve got next to no interest in speed skating or curling but, perhaps, if we're lucky, the start of the Winter Olympics this weekend might bring back a little bit of the same feel-good goodness that came along with London 2012. God, that was just lovely, wasn’t it?
The whole thing kicks off on Friday at 3:30pm (better book that afternoon off work now TBH) with the Opening Ceremony (the bit where all the athletes walk out in their funky uniforms and wave hello to the people at home). It goes on until the 23rd, making the following few weekends the perfect time to have a Winter Olympics party. Think vintage skiwear, glittery nails, a huge pot of borscht (which is actually delicious – who knew?) and, of course, the staple drink – the White Russian.
Here’s your cut-out-and-keep party guide to throwing the party.
The Costume
If it’s vintage skiwear you’re after, you can do no better than trawling eBay. Lurid colours, shell suit material… There are jackets to be found that can only be surpassed in tackiness by Mexico’s official uniform. (As a side note – have you seen Russia’s? Want!)
If you don’t fancy spending money on something you’re (realistically) only going to wear once, a more sensible buy is this ASOS skater dress.
Shameless Objectification Bingo
To be played during the Opening Ceremony. Give yourself a drink for each foxy chap you spot.
The Food
A big pot of something is probably best for feeding the (hopefully not) 5,000 attendees. Go with this borscht – the famous Russian dish made mainly with beetroot (honestly it really is yummy – promise. Unless you hate beetroots obvs). We like Galina Belogubova’s version with chicken. Serve with dark rye bread and lots of salty butter. Yum.
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Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 packed cups thinly sliced green cabbage
3 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into ½in pieces
2 medium beetroots, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 bay leaf
1tbsp tomato paste
Salt
12 grape tomatoes, halved
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into ½in pieces
1 425g can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
Instructions
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Heat oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, for about 10 minutes. Add cabbage, potatoes, beetroot, carrots, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt to taste, and 2 qts water; stir well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.
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Add tomatoes, chicken, beans, and half of the dill to the soup and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is just cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with remaining dill.
The Drink
Obviously, it’s got to be the White Russian. We're particularly taken with this totally brilliant recipe. If you’re not mad on cream, replace it with cola and have a Black Russian.
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Ingredients
2 parts Grey Goose vodka
1 part coffee liqueur
1 part cream
Instructions
The secret to a brilliant White Russian lies in the vodka. Buy what you can afford, but it's worth spending that little bit extra - we recommend Grey Goose. Combine the ingredients in glass filled with ice, then stir gently.
The Nails
The most important thing, obvs. This glitter nail varnish means you’ll be sporting the colours of GB, Russia, Norway *and *France all at the same time so you can't lose!
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
Pictures: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.