Why did Russian painter Ilya Repin eat hay

At the beginning of the 20th century, hay soup was one of the most discussed dishes in the Russian imperial capital.

Guests at the country home of painter Ilya Repin (1844-1930) that was located a short distance north of St. Petersburg remembered with bewilderment the odd menu for lunch and dinner. The author of famous paintings such as Barge Haulers on the Volga and Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan served his