Russian cuisine

[Priscilla]

There is so much to Russian cuisine (Helena, I wish you'd weigh in here!).

Two good books are Anne Volokh's Art of Russian Cuisine and Darra Goldstein's Taste of Russia. Also, Please to the Table by Anya Von Bremzen and John Welchman.

A lot of refinement, and a lot of soul. Good stuff.

[Vanessa]

Please To The Table is especially inspiring. Thank you Priscilla for reminding me

v

[Jon Tseng]

And what about Siberia?

I met a lady from Siberia today!

Not much on the food front - much of it seemed pretty Russian (I believe pierogi were mentioned)

On thing they do have is a fish - sounds a bit like "omble" (but obviously isn't) from Lake Baikal which is very traditional

J

PS on the pierogi front went to Na Zarodwie near Holborn for vodka and Pierogi. Zubrowka and apple (yum) and Krupnik and lemonade (ick - like popsicles). On the pierogi front both boil and deep fried (do the latter as bar food) - potato, cabbage, meat (best). The boiled ones had a lovely scattered of deep fried little cubes of pork fat. Mmmm

[Oreganought]

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Sauerkraut Soup

Stroganoff

Chicken Kiev

Chicken Cutlets in Paprika Sauce

Lots of stuff "Romanoff" like potatoes, strawberries...etc.

Paschka

And...  and... and... 

Where's Helena??

I think I heard or read somewhere that Chicken Kiev originated in a restaurant in NYC to make the Russian immigrants feel more at home.

[ivan]

I think I heard or read somewhere that Chicken Kiev originated in a restaurant in NYC to make the Russian immigrants feel more at home.

Hey, that reminds me: no one commented on my excruciatingly esoteric Dean Reed joke.

Actually, on second thought, Chicken Kiev and Dean Reed have nothing in common. I was just showing off about how I know about this guy Dean Reed who nobody in the world no longer cares about.

Poor Dean.

[Jaymes]

...and homemade jams (i.e. varenie) which are utterly different from anything we know in the 'west' - wild fruit suspended in sugar syrup, barely cooked, full of the flavour of the berry.

This sounds wonderful. Does anyone know if it is something we could prepare in our kitchens?

Helena???? Have you ever made these?

[Adam Balic]

I think that Demi Sec and other sweet champagne were produced for the Russian market. Roederer Cristal was made specifically for this market. Czars to rap, who would have guessed?

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Chinkali--lamb dumplings

Cheboriki--more dumplings

Lobio Beans--white beans with cilantro

Beet Pkaly--cooked and grated beets, cilantro, mayo, balsamic, caramelize onions, and toasted walnuts

Pickled Herring

Vareniki--dumplings like pirogies, some times filled will sweetened cream cheese and blintz filling

Gifilte Fish

Dill marinated mushrooms

Kulebyaka (Coulbiac is a French term for a Russian dish)

Edited May 31, 2003 by Chef/Writer Spencer (log)

[KNorthrup]

I can't believe no one seemed to mention salad Olivier, which can be addictive. Ditto mushroom salad, which is almost more like a pate. Fortunately, Portland (OR) has a significant Russian population, so we have a few restaurants and groceries. But if the original question was what Russian food has actually caught on in mainstream US, the answer is very little. I love the stuff. Maybe being born in New Archangel, the capital of Russian American, had a subliminal effect. And cookbook-wise, I'm another fan of Please to The Table.

[Jaymes]

Maybe being born in New Archangel, the capital of Russian American, had a subliminal effect.

"...born in New Archangel..."

New Archangel? Where is New Archangel? Are you talking about Sitka, perhaps? Were you born in Sitka, my very favorite town in all SE?

[beans]

Sitka? New Archangel??????

Where I grew up and once called home from that little now yellow house with a picket fence at the end of the road at the turnaround across from Totem Park????

My Sitka?????? I kept thinking of St. Michael's throughout this thread!

I have Sitka recipes of Nawtet, Pirok, Rosky, Kulich, Boalotchkee, Paskha, Pirozhki and "Russian" tea.

Edited June 1, 2003 by beans (log)

[KNorthrup]

Oh dear.

My mother was deep within Totem Park when she went into labour with my little brother. Lousy time for an invigorating walk.

Yes, that New Archangel.

[beans]

I remember the parish of St. Michael's did have a cookbook for sale last I was there. May pick it up the next time I'm in town to add to all of my other uniquely Alaskan cookbook collection.

Sitka is a small town, and yet, small world too.

My first official kitchen position would have been for Shee Atika's restaurant if I let their current kitchen manager continue to bend my ear, but I opted to remain at the P bar and cook hotdogs and distribute spiritous liquids.

Gee, it is peak "nearly deads and newly weds" season right now. *sniff*