Russian Pot Stew Correctly selected crockery is the key to delicious and healthy food! It all depends on the method of preparation and, of course, the food. Since time immemorial, in Rus’ hot meal was cooked either in cast iron pots or in clay pots, which were the basic kitchen utensils. Clay or iron pots [...]
Split pea soup is one of the many autumn-winter comfort dishes in Russia. Pea soup is cooked with rich broth with smoked meat and is served with garlic and croutons. This soup as many other dishes of Russian cuisine has a tendency to become even more delicious in the course of several days after cooking. [...]
Autumn is that special time of the year when it feels just right to spend evenings with your family. That is why one of the most popular autumn rituals in Russian families is tea drinking. For many people homeliness and coziness is closely associated with Russian samovar, strong, flavorful tea and fresh luscious pastries. Nowadays [...]
In Russia the name “Golubtsi” is referred not only to ground meat and rice rolled into cabbage leaves, but also to bell peppers stuffed with the same filling. These two variants are very similar in a way they are cooked because cabbage rolls and stuffed pepper are both stewed in a rich tomato and sour cream [...]
Solyanka is a dish that combines a great variety of ingredients. It is a bright vegetable stew and rich broth with mushrooms, fish and meat. Long time ago solyanka was cooked from cabbage, meat and cucumbers. The distinctive feature of solyanka was a characteristic sour taste which was reached by adding vinegar or brine. And [...]
On hot summer days we prefer light, refreshing appetizers, drinks and, of course, salads. Salads as we know them now appeared in Russian cuisine only in the middle of the 19th century. Marinated and pickled vegetables were accompanied by fresh vegetable appetizers with a dressing. Before that, only meat dishes were served with a dressing. Since Soviet times to present days [...]
Summer brings a lot of changes to one’s life no matter whether you spend this time in a stuffy office or in countryside. Summer also colors your diet with new flavors. So, it is important not to waste a moment and try all seasonal dishes. Summer food is lighter as it includes many vegetables and [...]
The recipe of Beef Stroganoff originated in Russian cuisine in 18th century. At that time recipes similar to Beef Stroganoff such as Beef Klops and Chopped Beef evolved. There are two versions of the recipe’s origin. According to the first version Alexander Stroganoff owned “an open table” in Odessa, which every educated and well-dressed “walk-in” [...]
With the coming of spring the season of cold soups begins. Perhaps, every country has its own recipe of cold soup which in summer heat serves more as a tonic than food: Tarator in Bulgaria, gazpacho in Spain, soup from sour cherry in Hungary, Ukrainian beet soup. In Russia the most popular cold soup is [...]
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 [...]
