The arrival of spring is felt distinctly when young potato appears on the counters. It is so good when boiled to perfect crumbly condition, seasoned with butter and garnished with dill. But these young potatoes are most delicious when combined with rye bread and squash caviar. This simple, traditional blend of flavors is reminiscent of [...]
Maslenitsa is Russian Mardi Gras that lasts a whole week. Sometimes called Butter Week, Cheesefare Week, or Pancake Week, Maslenitsa is a time to eat blini, play games, and have snowball fights. Celebrated a week before the Orthodox Lent (also called Great Lent), Maslenitsa is rooted in ancient Slavic traditions of sun worshipping. In the [...]
Around the world Christmas season is long over, but in Russia Christmas Day was celebrated yesterday. So why do Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th? And what are some Russian Christmas food traditions? The reasoning is actually pretty straightforward. The predominant religion in Russia is still Russian Orthodoxy which still follows the old [...]
Hearty and nutritious, split pea soup has become a staple in many cuisines around the world. With its origins in ancient Greece and Rome, hot pea soup found its way to cold climates and took root in Scandinavian and Germanic countries before making its way to Russia. The low cost and “one pot” preparation made [...]
Few dishes are as popular and recognizable in Russian cuisine as salad Olivier. Known in many parts around the world simply as Russian salad, Olivier can be found on many menus in Eastern and Southern Europe. Made with simple ingredients that are available year round, it’s a staple on most Holiday tables — particularly during [...]
Looking for an all-natural drink that's also low in sugar? Try this homemade recipe for summer fruit kompot. What is Fruit Kompot? Kompot is a sweet fruit drink made with seasonal fruits or berries. Unlike fruit juice, kompot is prepared by simmering or boiling the fruits and adding a bit of sweetener like sugar, honey, maple or agave syrup. [...]
Summer is a wonderful time to try fresh garden variety root vegetables including beets, carrots, radishes and many more. Beets in particular are rich in vitamins and are a valuable source of natural fiber. Dating back to the era of ancient Rome, beets have become indispensable in Russian cuisine. From borscht to “seledka pod shuboi”, beets [...]
Summer is Dacha season in Russia. Grilling, foraging and chilling is the name of the game for most Muscovites who trade in the muggy heat of the big city for the cool breeze of the Russian countryside. As the temperatures climb in the highly polluted and populated cities, so does the desire to get away [...]
It’s Sunday morning and we were in the mood for a light and delicious, authentically Russian blini brunch. Having just come back from a honeymoon in Venice, it was time to give ourselves a break from the super sweet breakfast rolls and treat ourselves to something healthier. We had some fresh berries and just a bit [...]
Summer is right around the corner and that means lots of fresh fruits and berries. It's also the perfect time to start thinking about creative ways to preserve the left-over fruit. Varenye (or varenie) is a traditional Eastern European whole-fruit preserve. In Russia and across Ukraine, varenye is made by cooking down berries, fruits, nuts [...]
Today is the last day of Maslenitsa — an old Slavic festival that precedes the period of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church’s traditions. Also known as Pancake Week, Maslenitsa lasts an entire week and gets its name from ‘maslo’ the Russian word for butter which literally signifies that only dairy products are eaten. A cheerful [...]
Kasha is a staple dish in Russian cuisine. Joining the worldwide reputation of borscht, caviar and blini, Russian kasha is one of oldest authentic Russian foods. Simple and seemingly unremarkable, pumpkin kasha stands at the crux of ancient Russian culinary arts and cultural. For centuries, kasha was the central dish at ceremonial feasts, wedding receptions [...]
