Tuesday, June 3, 2008

"prosim k stolu" - Russia Day I





Clockwise from top left: Borscht, Blini and Caviar I, Blilni and Caviar II, Slavic Chocolate Pie, and Kasha

"prosim k stolu" - Russian for "Please to the table"

Long tradition of hospitality and comaraderie.

Common foods: bulgur, yogurt, grilled meats, river and lake fish, sheeps cheeses, sumak, pomegranates, fenugreek, beets, cabbage, potatoes, pork, sausages

Influences:
  • Profound French influence from late 17th to early/mid 18th century
  • In Caucasus: Chinese and Indian
  • Scandinavian in Baltic states
  • Commonalities with Polish, Hungarian, and Romainian cooking
  • Large populations of Jews and gypsies

Zakuska - "little bites" - Russian hors d'oeuvres

Culturally isolated from Western Europe till 17th century (Peter the Great)

Marie-Antoine Careme worked in St. Petersburg: time of Charlotte Russe, Beef Stroganoff, Beef Shish Kebob, Salmon Coulibiac, Chicken Kiev, Chicken Crouquettes Pozharsky

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