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Home , Rassolnik, Red caviar, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russian cuisine

DISCOVER THE TASTE OF BY JOINING US ON A CULINARY JOURNEY!

2016

years of friendship How His Majesty King Rama V was welcomed in Russia. PAGE 02–04 and The Kremlin’s Iron Lady Central Bank head Elvira Nabiullina All you need to know on the future of the ruble. about these delicacies. PAGE 16–28 PAGE 6 cafe-pushkin.ru/en

One of the agships of Russian in , this restaurant, which is housed in a Baroque mansion with interiors reminiscent of 19th century noble estates, is always in popular demand. It’s not only the main gastronomic attraction of the Russian capital but a must-visit place for tourists.  e owner Andrey Dellos continues to look for new recipes and regularly adds exciting items to the menu.

Address: Tverskaya Boulevard, 26 bld A

Address: Tverskaya Boulevard, 26 bld 3

Address: 1905 Goda Street, bld 2a

 e restaurant is deservedly called the most luxurious in Moscow.  e feature of Shinok restaurant is the lo -style interior with a slice of It is located in a building created in the neoclassical aesthetics rural nature in the form of a glass atrium inhabited by rabbits, cows, with 18th century style interiors and ceremonial halls that remind peacocks and other animals. But the restaurant’s star attraction is the the visitor of a European Palace. incredible southern from Elena Nikiforova. turandot-palace.ru/en shinok.ru/en A PROJECT OF

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

ank you for reading Taste of Russia, a publication that aims to augment the cu- linary connection between Russia and ailand. is special issue is published in partnership with ai Sturgeon Farm Co and Caviar House of Bangkok. We are delighted that sturgeon farming and caviar production are now ourishing in ailand, allowing ais to get acquaint- ed with renowned Russian delicacies. Russia and ailand established diplomat- ailand and Russia have together under- On behalf of ai Sturgeon Farm Co. Ltd, ic relations in 1897 when His Majesty King taken a long journey that is full of major I would like to extend my best wishes to Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam visited achievements. Our landscapes and cul- the ai and Russian communities on Russia. e friendship between King Rama tures are very dierent, as Russia always is this great occasion. Our company set up V and Russia’s Tsar Nicholas II set the associated with snow, caviar and taiga for- operations just ve years ago, and in the foundation for warm diplomatic and peo- ests, while ailand is known for its sandy middle of 2016 we successfully launched ple-to-people ties between the countries. beaches, sunny sky and smiling faces. a sturgeon-breeding farm complex in Hua e latest developments in diplomatic re- Connecting the North and South, our Hin, which focuses on black caviar and lations pave the wave for our countries to Kings, Rama V and Nicholas II wished ne sturgeon meat production. come even closer. for a good friendship and partnership that Our target is to make caviar and sturgeon is publication will acquaint you with would benet both societies. more popular among ai people. For this, the rich history of Russian cuisine. For e 120th anniversary of the historical along with e Nation, Russia Beyond e you to get a taste of Russia, we present visit of His Majesty King Chulalonghkorn Headlines and Hotel Muse we would like somes simple recipes. You will learn about to Russia will be marked with celebra- to introduce all of you to the most famous the preferences of Russian monarchs tions in 2017. On behalf of Caviar House and delicious dishes of Russian cuisine and leaders. Last but not least, we give you of Bangkok, I would like to extend my best based on sturgeon meat and black caviar. a glimpse to the world of caviar and stur- wishes to all ais and on this re- Very soon our farm will oer its rst prod- geon. markable anniversary. I also wish that our ucts and I hope that this glimpse into Rus- We hope this issue will play a small part in friendship will become even more fruitful sian culinary history and traditions will bringing thepeople of our countries clos- in the years to come.. attract you and make these traditional er together through the world of cuisine, Caviar House of Bangkok imports the wid- recipes more common in the Kingdom of something that Russians and ais share a est range of ne caviar to ailand, from ailand. common passion for. classic black caviar to Golden beluga, Best regards, which is extremely delicious and precious. Sincerely yours, Maria Azhnina We are introducing a few ne caviar dishes Alexey Tyuin and hoping that caviar will be widely con- Executive Editor sumed in ai households. Managing Director, Thai Sturgeon Farm

Warmest regards, Noppadon Khamsai Managing Director, Caviar House of Bangkok

THIS SPECIAL TASTE OF RUSSIA ISSUE IS PRODUCED BY RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS DEVISION OF ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA (RUSSIA). WEBSITE: WWW.RBTH.COM E-MAIL: [email protected] PH.: +7 495 775-31-14 FAX: +7 495 988-92-13. ADDRESS 24 PRAVDY STR., BLDG. 4, FLOOR 7. MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 125 993. EUGENE ABOV PUBLISHER RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES, MARIA AZHNINA EXECUTIVE EDITOR, GLEB FEDOROV EDITOR, AJAY KAMALAKARAN ASSOCIATE EDITOR, ANDREY SHI- MARSKY ART DIRECTOR, NIKOLAY SHIYANOV DESIGNER, ALEXANDR KISLOV DESIGNER, MILLA DOMOGATSKAYA HEAD OF PRE-PRINT DEPARTMENT, IRINA PAVLOVA LAYOUT DESIGNER, ANDREY ZAITSEV HEAD OF PHOTO DEPARTMENT, JULIA GOLIKOVA COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, IRINA VINOKUROVA REPRESENTATIVE IN THAILAND, ELENA POTAPOVA PROJECT MAN- AGER, KSENIA LAZAREVA MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PAVEL NEGOITSA GENERAL DIRECTOR, VLADISLAV FRONIN CHIEF EDITOR, ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA IMAGES GETTY IMAGES, LEGION-MEDIA, VOSTOCK-PHOTO,, PRESS PHOTO, IGOR DAVYDOV © COPYRIGHT 2016 – ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Taste of Russia 2

02-04 05 06-07 08-09 10-11 12-15 ROYAL VISIT TSAR’S CHICKEN HISTORY OF MONARCHS’ MENU THE KREMLIN DIET RECIPES When King Rama V Nicholas II enjoyed RUSSIAN CUISINE Through the ages, Soviet leaders Try your hand at was welcomed to a very simple From humble Russian emperors brought their , St. Petersburg chicken preparation origins, Russian had a varied set of dietary preferences , rolls cooking absorbed tastes aboard when in and salad several influences power

King Chulalongkorn was accorded special honours, and his 1897 visit to Russia stirred great interest among the residents of the Imperial capital. A special Russo- French dinner was prepared for the Thai King.

How Thailand’s Rama V was received in St. Petersburg

S H C Natalia Padorina, RBTH A R MON n 1897 King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam visited Russia and laid the foundation for the Idevelopment of Russia- ailand ties. He was ac- corded special honours, and his visit stirred great interest among local residents.  e king spent his  rst days in Russia at the Peterhof Palace, the sum- mer residence of the Russian emperors. On the second day a gala dinner was organized at the Grand Peterhof Palace during which the king was introduced to ministers, chief commanders and the most important o cials of the court. Gala dinners for high-pro le guests in Russia were considered very important. Such dinners had to be exquisite. Chefs were required to preserve the national character of the food, and at the same time take into consideration the culinary passions of the high-pro le guests. It was not easy to ensure complete compliance. 3

16 17-24 25 26-27 28 STURGEON STURGEON RECIPES BLACK CAVIAR RED CAVIAR RECIPE Everything you need From pies to jelly, Russia’s original More widespread with caviar to know about the soup and the bar- black gold is one of than its black cousin, ancient species of beque grill the country’s main red caviar comes in fi sh delicacies many varieties

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam during his visit to Russia, 1897. Source: Wikipedia Taste of Russia 4

uring the visit of the King of Siam, dishes with traditional in Russia. Another Frenchman, headwaiter Pierre Coubat Russian meat, poultry and sh were served in a French was responsible for the other part. In 1887-94 he was the owner style. Among the delicacies were mutton with Venaison of the Café de Paris in St. Petersburg. e café was replaced in Dsauce, pheasants with hazelnut a la Clamart, duck liver in Per- 1894 by the historical Coubat restaurant. Later the establishment igord trues, sturgeon in l’Ermitage and fried poulard (a would become a famous meeting place for ballet lovers. In 1904 a young chicken fattened for the table). added an el- dinner for American dancer Isadora Duncan was held in the res- ement of exotica and royal Montreuil peaches and sorbet were taurant, and in 1911 it was the venue for the celebrations to mark a wonderful conclusion to the gala the 20th anniversary of Mathilda dinner. In the Peterhof Palace’s Chi- Kschessinskaya’s ballet career. Al- nese room there were also appetiz- though during Nicholas II’s reign all ers, including fresh caviar. In total the dinner consisted of ten court headwaiters were French, all On July 7, 2007, the very same dishes, while usual dinners consisted the chefs were Russian. dishes were prepared for Queen During the dinner Nicholas II de- of about six. According to historians, Sirikit. e 1897 and 2007 printed clared, “I am happy to welcome Your menus are absolutely identical, with Nicholas II was very modest in his Majesty and am pleased to be able to the exception of the dates. eating habits, preferring simple dishes once again thank you for the many In total the dinner consisted of signs of attention that you showed ten dishes, while usual dinners such as and chicken. me during my stay in Siam. I cher- consisted of about six. According ish the fondest memories of the kind to historians, Nicholas II was very and friendly reception that Your modest in his eating habits, prefer- Majesty organized. I drink to the ring simple dishes such as stew and chicken. On various festive health of His Majesty King of Siam.” occasions he would also eat meat pastries, salted sh and crabs. Chulalongkorn replied, “I am very pleased that I was able to Gastronomically, the Russian court was in uenced by French come here and give Your Majesty my respectful greeting in per- traditions. In the beginning of the 19th century, even the gala din- son. Your visit to Siam is still fresh in our . Our people re- ner ceremonies were borrowed from France. But the main dier- member those few days with great pleasure and we consider you ence between the Russian format and the French equivalent was a true and mighty friend. I am very moved by the warm reception that in Russia the courses were not brought out together but were that Your Majesty has organized for me and for which I thank you brought to the table one aer another. Next to the guest’s plate was from the bottom of my . I drink to the health of His Imperial a card indicating the next dish. Such a system of serving dishes Majesty the Emperor of Russia.” became known as “service a la Russe.” During the evening, music played by the court orchestra in the e preparation of the gala dinner in honour of Rama V’s visit park dried in through open windows. Aer the dinner, when to Russia was delegated to French citizen and headwaiter Henry the sun had slightly set, lights were turned on in the park and Lucienne Ponce, who at that time was in charge of the imperial the guest of honour was entertained with a reworks display. e . He was responsible for most of King Chulalongkorn’s ai King’s paved the way for greater ties between the countries. 5

Shchi and porridge are our food Nicholas II was also a devoted sportsman, who paid close atten- tion to his health. He preferred light dishes that were easily di- gestible.  e emperor used to quote legendary Russian General Alexander Suvorov, who said: “Schshi da — pischsha nasha” ( and porridge are our food). Both and fre- quently appeared on his the emperor’s menu. Another aspect of Nicholas’s diet that was especially unusual for Russia is that it contained practically no . He instead ate stu ed pies.  e imperial menu was also organized in a particular way: If the  rst dish was poultry-based, the pies were stu ed with poultry as well. , the traditional Russian  sh soup, was accom- panied by rasstegais, an open-faced pie usually  lled with  sh. Nicholas II also preferred his food on the bland side. His cooks Nicholas II’s simple sustenance used only salt, pepper and occasionally . He relied on fresh natural ingredients and the outstanding skills of the imperial chefs Maria Azhnina, RBTH to create avourful dishes. Exceptions to this rule were made only on extraordinary occasions. For example, during the visit of Rama V, King of Siam (later  ailand), to St. Petersburg in 1897, some mperor Nicholas II, the last Russian monarch, who ruled favoured by the  ai guests were used. from 1894 until 1917, had fairly simple tastes. He preferred A er his abdication, Nicholas could no longer rely on high quality Esimple and healthy food to complex dishes — especially ingredients or skilled chefs. He subsisted primarily on pearl when it came to dessert. Candy, pies and cakes would rarely be porridge, mashed potatoes, and with mushrooms. on the imperial menu. Nicholas preferred English-style cookies or even dry toast. “Nikolashka” chaser Any discussion of Nicholas II’s food preferences must also include the story of the “Nikolashka” chaser, named a er the monarch.  e chaser was extremely popular among the o cers of Nicholas’s guard, and the recipe is traditionally attributed to the emperor himself- a thinly sliced lemon is powdered with ground co ee mixed with sugar. It was the perfect  nish to a shot of cognac.

Roast chicken  is dish, like those Nicholas II preferred, is very simple to pre- pare, yet nutritious and tasty. It is a wonderful choice for family dinners.  e recipe can be used for any part of the chicken, in- cluding wings and drumsticks as well as breasts and thighs.  is recipe is for cooking the chicken on the stove, but it can also be prepared by putting the dish in the oven at a temperature of 175 celsius (350 farenheit) for 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients Preparation:

• 500 g chicken meat 1. Peel onion and carrot, chop both. Peel potatoes, cut into large pieces. Bring the water to a boil. • 6 potatoes Rinse chicken, and cut into pieces if you prefer. • 1 carrot 2. Pour the oil into a large skillet with a thick • 1 onion bottom and sides. Heat the oil, then add the • 2 tbsp chicken, onion and carrot. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices. Cook 5 minutes, • 2-3 tbsp oil until the meat is brown. • 2-3 cups of water • Garlic, salt, pepper to 3. Add the flour, stir thoroughly, cook for 5 more minutes. taste. • Spices to taste 4. Add potatoes, stir into the meat. Pour boiling water over the combination. Cover the dish and simmer until the potatoes are ready. Taste of Russia 6

Soups from and , black caviar and mare’s milk – What is it that Russians actually eat and where can one try authentic dishes?

 e earliest mentions of Russia’s national cuisine If forced to describe a Russian brick stove in date back to the 10th century, in the writings of modern technical terms, then it’s sadly ine cient Arabic historian, astronomer and geographer – not more than 30 percent of the fuel is con- Ahmad Ibn-Rustah.  e Eastern Slavs, accord- verted to usable heat.  e chimney-space inside ing to Ibn-Rustah, subsisted entirely on mare’s is large enough that a grown adult can clamber in milk. and even have a wash there if needed. At the height of the Cold War, a well-known To get the temperature in this cavernous stove European food magazine suggested that the Rus- up to bread-baking heat, at least a dozen sizeable sian cold soup was made from a blend logs are needed – most of a smallish tree. How- of beer and vodka, while Russian borsch was ha- ever, once the stove is heated it can bake a num- bitually brought to the table in fetid condition. ber of dishes that need long cooking, and bake  e Iron Curtain collapsed to show the world enough bread and pies to feed a big family. a di erent picture of pseudo-Russian food –  e dishes were le to cool in the stove, which mountains of black caviar, without which nary a might retain its heat for up to 12 hours a er- Russian-style was ever munched. wards – and this way of cooking helped create a Russian chefs who went to Europe or Amer- distinctive kind of national cuisine. ica made no attempt to show authentic Russian Indispensable pickles dishes -- but instead whipped up the food for- Shchi & porridge eigners expected from the scanty knowledge of Pickled are  ese are the dishes that bene t most from an that distant country they’d gained while watch- essential in Russian extended stewing – extended cooking for several ing Omar Sharif as Doctor Zhivago. cuisine. They are the most hours at temperatures from 200°C to 80°C. popular vodka side- dish and an inevitable Such dishes have been the beloved fare of Rus- The Stove ingredient of (a sians for centuries – amongst the popular favour- Russia’s  erce climate makes agriculture unviable soup made from pickles) ites with Russian families both then and now be- for a large portion of the year. However, Russia and (a simple ing di erent kinds of shchi – cabbage soups, and has never been short of woodlands. Deciduous vegetarian salad), and all sorts of di erent porridges. woods in the warmer areas, and evergreen taiga more! A typical hearty lunch in a peasant family coniferous forests provided su cient  rewood would traditionally have included one tureen of to keep up a roaring glow in that most universal long-stewed cabbage soup, and another of boiled, item of Russian kitchen appliances – the Russian crumbly porridge – of either , wheat, stove. or . 7

rbth.com/russian_kitchen

Salted pickles Of , we can’t leave out mention of the many Russian and mushrooms are tradition- di erent kinds of cold soups, such as okroshka and ally salted with the help of natural lactic acid fer- botvinie, which are made using kvas – the famous mentation, and are usually called kvashennie– a non-alcoholic beer fermented from brown bread. major branch of Russian cuisine.  e brine from pickled cucumbers and cab- bage once played the same role in Russian cook- ing that soya does in the countries of Southeast Asia.  ere are also special so-called pickle that are made from these pickles, as well as cab- bage soups, including , rassolnik and kalya soups.  e medieval German traveler and author, Adam Olearius, who travelled across Moscovia, mentioned dishes such as roast mutton in cu- cumber pickle as an e ective pick-me-up a er excessive boozing.

Fish & black caviar No list of Russia’s favourite foods would be com- plete without mentioning river  sh of every kind, which have always been in plentiful supply. Domostroy, or Good Husbandry – a 17th cen- tury manual of household management – men- Baked sun (solar tions more than a dozen di erent ways to salt  sh bakery) including air-dried, salt-barreled, layered. And well, yes, there’s the famous Russian black The most famous Russian caviar too – the caviar which nowadays we’ve al- pastries were round as most lost. Yet just some four years ago there were solar symbols: bliny (thin Russian ) and Where to try authentic Russian fare outlying Russian provinces who were using dried, vatrushkas ( ring crushed and powdered caviar as a substitute for willed with and Russia is a multi-ethnic country, and ethnic our during an outbreak of famine – because it cottage cheese). Russian cuisine has sat happily alongside the was the cheapest substitute. of other ethnic groups for centuries. Pies made with  sh  llings are really only Many dishes which are thought of as being known in Russia – coulibiac,  sh pasties, and Russian today have crept into the Russian rep- rasstegai, open-top brioches. ertoire of dishes from neighbours, including Finno-Ugric , a dish similar to . Pies and pancakes In just the same way, the cooking of other Pies, and other pastry goods are the calling card peoples who live in Russia has been augmented of the Russian kitchen. No number could be put at the expense of authentic Russian dishes. upon the variety of stu ngs, the assortment of Vatrushkas Regrettably it’s actually quite difficult to track pastry , or the panoply of pies themselves. down authentic Russian cuisine on restaurant Open pies, sealed-top pies, crimped, curd-cheese menus. tartlets, sweet pies or sour pies, dessert pies or What you often get instead is an imitation – savoury pies. very possibly a tasty imitation, but still quite a  e Shrovetide (Maslennitsa) holiday – Rus- long way from being the real thing. sia’s own carnival festivities that precede the There are, however, a few worthy exceptions Lenten Fast – is inextricably linked with o ering of note. For example, in the historic centre of pancakes to guests. Pirozki St. Petersburg, you can find authentic Russian Yet Russians cook pancakes at other times of dishes on the menu of Russkaya Rumochnaya № the year too. Christmas is followed by a festive 1 (Russian Vodka-Bar № 1). season, also known as Oatcake Days – since they However, the situation is getting better. Res- cook special oat pancakes made from oat our. taurants in the Russian provinces are installing Other holiday dishes are prepared just once a traditional Russian stoves again, with young year, and served on that holiday alone – such as chefs more interested in serving authentic dish- the sponge cake, and the pascha, es than dazzling the clients with the richness of a decorated mound of sweetened curd-cheese the food. made for Easter Day. Aladii Farmers are beginning to grow nearly forgot-  ere are sweet pastries called Spring Larks, ten crops like spelt and turnips – and if prepared and rye ladders made for the Feast of St. John Of by skilled hands, these traditional Russian in-  e Blessed Ladder, or the roast deer served gredients can be found in well-known Moscow on Christmas Eve near Arkhangelsk. locations such as the LavkaLavka Cafe. Taste of Russia 8

Alexéi Denísov, special to RBTH When it comes to sweets, she preferred the famous Kolomna Tyrant Ivan the Terrible was radical both in his poli- pastila, a classical Russian dessert made of whipped puree that is later dried following a special recipe. When entertained by tics and his cuisine. Reformer never ate her favourite, Count Potemkin, who had a dozen foreign cooks sh. Enlightened Empress Catherine the Great treated working for him, the empress was particularly impressed by her guests to pheasants. RBTH explores these and other “bombs a la Sardanapal” prepared by a French chef.  e dish con- curious facts in Russia’s gastronomic history. sisted of cutlets made of minced game meat. However, during o cial meals the empress was not as modest as in her private life. In his book ‘Repast History of the Russian State’, ittle is known about meals that were served to Ivan Professor Pavel Romanov describes one such banquet consisting the Terrible, one of the most eccentric Russian tsars. of over a hundred dishes. According to Austrian envoy Sigismund von Her-  e empress and her guests were served a dozen soups, pou- berstein, the author of ‘Notes on Muscovite A airs’, larde and quail with tru es, pheasants with pistachio nuts, bass the tsar was an incredibly hospitable host. with ham, teal with , tortoise meat and lamb roast. Some of “Lunch would last three or four hours,” von Herber- the dishes were clearly inspired by French in uences. stein wrote about meals at the tsar’s palace. “During my  rst mis- sion to Russia, we even ate till a er midnight…  e tsar o en Those strange Russians treats his guests to food and drink…” To an unprepared foreigner, Russian tsars’ menus o en seemed A more detailed description of a royal can be found in a puzzling. One historical anecdote tells the story of how a Russian historical novel by Aleksei Tolstoy called ‘Prince Serebrenni.’ “Once tsar sent a Western European counterpart of his a pound of black the swans were eaten, servants, in pairs, le the chamber and re- caviar and the European monarch, out of ignorance, instructed turned with three hundred fried peacocks,” Tolstoy wrote. “ e his cooks to boil it  rst. An English ambassador to the court of peacocks were followed by kulebyakas, chicken pies, meat and Alexander I once found himself in a similar situation. cheese pies, all possible varieties of , pastries and …”  e tsar liked discussing gastronomical topics with him and  e next change of dishes was even more impressive: “ e ta- once, as a follow-up to a discussion they were having, presented bles were laid  rst with meat jellies, followed by cranes with spicy the ambassador with botvinya (a complex soup based on , herbs, marinated roosters with , bone-free chicken, and and beet greens with boiled  sh). duck with cucumbers.  en there came di erent soups and three  e ambassador, thinking that “those strange Russians” have varieties of ukhas.” sent him a soup that has grown hopelessly cold, ordered it to be warmed up, unaware that this Russian specialty should be con- Culinary pragmatism sumed only cold.  e  rst Russian emperor, Peter the Great, was a man of modest tastes. One of his close associates, a mechanic and a sculptor, An- Under 50 minutes drey Nartov, recalled:“Peter the Great did not like any splendour, Alexander II, who abolished serfdom in Russia in 1861, was luxury or to be surrounded by many servants. … His food con- known on the culinary front as the tsar who introduced a strictly sisted of cabbage soup, , porridge, grilled [meat] with pick- observed duration of meal times at and lunch for mem- led cucumbers or lemons, corned beef, ham. He was particularly bers of his family. Each meal was supposed to take exactly 50 min- fond of Limburger cheese. Of , the tsar preferred anisette. utes. His usual drink was kvass. At dinner, he drank Hermitage wine  e task was made all the more challenging because the tsar (red wine from the northern Rhône), sometimes Hungarian wine from time to time changed the venue for these family meals, with (sweet, Tokaj). He never ate  sh…” some of them being so far from the that sta found it extremely di cult to get all the food on the table in time and hot. Taste of Enlightenment In the end, they came up with the idea of using large hot water Catherine the Great had the reputation of one of the best educat- bottles to keep the food warm.  e trick did not always work with ed women of her time and a proponent of the philosophy of Eu- delicate , whose original taste and smell was sometimes af- ropean Enlightenment. In her later years, she developed as simple fected. But punctuality was more important. a taste in food as Peter the Great had. According to historians, her Alexander II’s son, Emperor Alexander III, was much less of favourite dish was boiled beef with pickled cucumbers and sauce a pedant and remains in royal culinary history as the tsar who made of dried venison tongues. “started a new era for Russian winemaking”. 9

According to the head of sta at the Imperial Court Ministry, Aleksandr Mosolov, “under Alexander II, all served were foreign ones. Al- exander III started a new era for winemaking in Russia: he ordered serving foreign wines only when there were foreign monarchs or diplomats pre- sent at the meal. Otherwise, all served wines should be Rus- sian.” “ e host asked us if we drink ‘s prikuskoi’… It turned out that drinking tea ‘s prikuskoi’ means “ e host asked us if eating sweet pie, pastry or cake we drink tea ‘s pri- baked at home to go with tea. In kuskoi’… It turned it meant drinking tea with out that drinking curd tarts, jam, and biscuits.” tea ‘s prikuskoi’ means eating sweet pie, pastry or cake baked at home to go “Vprikusku” tea with tea. In Siberia it From the earliest times it was common in Russia to This drink has been cherished by Tuvans for cen- meant drinking tea drink tea through pieces of sugar (vprikusku). The turies. It is perfect for quenching thirst and it gives the vprikusku ritual involved chipping small pieces of consumer a lot of energy. These qualities were par- with curd tarts, jam, sugar from a bigger lump, then the drinkers would put ticularly important for the nomads, who used to guide and biscuits.” a small piece of sugar between their front teeth and their herds for miles and miles across the wilderness. sip hot tea through it, which is how the drink acquired In cold seasons when there was only cold water and its sweet taste. Igor Shein, a researcher of Siberian ice on the steppe and in the mountain rivers, this hot cuisine, says that one wouldn’t be able to do this us- tea would warm up the shepherds and prevent them ing a cube of refi ned sugar today because it has a from freezing. Today salty tea with milk is offered in Last menu different consistency. Tuvan roadside yurt-cafes and in cafes and restau-  e best chronicled in his- In the past Siberians used to drink vprikusku tea, rants serving Tuvan dishes in cities and towns. The but there was another local variation of this word: “s Tea Yurt (Chainaya Yurta) in Krasnoyarsk and Omsk tory are the culinary pref- prikuskoi” (meaning with something to eat). The nar- offers this national Tuvan tea and invites guests to erences of Russia’s last tsar rator in a book titled ‘The Memories of Siberian Life’ take part in a brewing ceremony where legends and Nicholas II. Here is, for ex- that was published in 1895 says, “The host asked us stories about this Siberian nomadi tea are narrated. if we drink tea ‘s prikuskoi’… It turned out that drink- ample, what Aleksandr Mo- ing tea ‘s prikuskoi’ means eating sweet pie, pastry or solov says in his book “At the cake baked at home to go with tea. In Siberia it meant H e r b a l Te a s Emperor’s Court”: “Lunch drinking tea with curd tarts, jam, and biscuits.” Herbal are loved in Siberia most of all. When Tea has always been a very important drink in your average Siberian is going to have a picnic, he or [at the Livadia summer pal- Russia for peasants, merchants and noblemen alike. ace in Crimea] began with a she will most likely take a thermos bottle not with a At the beginning of the 20th century, the governor of standard bag inside, but a drink made from soup with small vol-au-vents, the Tomsk region ordered the abolition of taxes on a mixture of wild herbs. If you drink a cup of such tea savoury pastries, and small discretionary goods including tea. In contemporary in the offi ce, you will feel like you have just been on Siberia sipping tea through a piece of sugar is most cheese toasts. Importantly, a walk through a forest in summer. Siberians add common for elderly people. But serving pastries is plenty of wild herbs to their tea. vol-au-vents were served to- still a necessary element of the tea drinking ritual and In the mornings, instead of a usual cup of gether with the soup rather you can easily see it for yourself when dropping by I drink black tea with several leaves of sagaan dali – than as a separate dish, as any Siberian home. a bushy rhododendron plant that grows high in the they are abroad.  e soup was Sayan Mountains, Tibet and the foothills of Buryatia, and has a toning and energizing effect. Tibetans used followed by  sh, a (game or Tea with milk and salt By comparison Siberian nomads, such as people to say that sagaan dali leaves were, “the herb that ex- chicken) casserole, vegetables, from Tuva, Khakassia and Altai, used to drink tea with tends life.” sweets, fruit… To drink, there milk and salt. Of course, this tea custom is not purely In order to calm down, relax and fall asleep, Si- berians brew thyme, melis, leaves of currant and were madeira, white and red Siberian, as since ancient times this kind of tea was popular in Mongolia and Tibet. This is why there are origanum. Herbal tea is drunk in Siberia with , wines for breakfast (or beer as many recipes for salty tea all over the world. lindenberries, cherry-tree pie and cedar seeds. If you an option) and di erent wines In Tuva tea is called “suttug shai.” The ritual here are lucky to be invited to a Siberian home, you will get served at lunch, as is the cus- involves placing pressed in cold water that a chance to taste a hardy, yet aromatic fi r-tree drink. The popularity of Siberian herbal teas is gradually tom everywhere else in the is brought to a boil. Then milk is added – camel or sheep’s milk is preferable as this is how their ances- spreading all across Russia, far beyond their place civilised world. And liqueurs tors used to brew it. After that, the tea is stirred – the of origin. with co ee…” Alas, a er the liquid is scooped up with a big spoon and poured 1917 revolution, French in- back from above and the tea is mixed in this way. When the drink starts to boil for the second time, salt uences on imperial cuisine and sometimes melted fat or sheep lard is added. became a thing of the past. As When ready this salty and milky tea is served in a tea did imperial cuisine itself, called a “piala.” Taste of Russia 10

Lenin’s culinary tastes were much humbler than rich culinary traditions. Fa- than ten varieties of vodka and his political ones, Stalin preferred brandy to vodka, mous Georgian wines, sweets brandy on hand, including made from , pick- the famous Kizlyar that Sta- Khrushchev liked a good steak, and for breakfast Gor- led cheese, spicy and savoury lin personally sent Churchill. bachev was served ve kinds of porridge. soups, chicken, beef and lamb  e ruler of the USSR himself dishes – all these diverse deli- drank moderately, and always cacies made the Georgian din- preferred Tsinandali and Teli- ing table a holiday feast. Stalin ani, white and red wines from didn’t forget about these meals during the years he worked as Lenin’s an underground revolutionary in foreign lands. contemporaries Later, when he was exiled noted that his only to Siberia, he sampled Rus- culinary passion was sian cuisine too, especially  sh-based dishes.  e Sibe- a mug of good beer. rian waterways produce highly sought-a er varieties of  sh in the Kakheti region of abundance, so even those in that were made by a di erent exile could a ord soup made method than European wines. from the prized Russian nelma Among , Stalin loved ba- (freshwater white sh). nanas best of all – the most ex- Many years later, members of otic fruit available in the Soviet the Communist elite permitted Union in those days. to eat with Stalin recalled how they were initially relcutant to Not by corn alone eat stroganina (a kind of Si- Nikita Khrushchev, who de- berian carpaccio) made from nounced the cult of Stalin, nelma, but then tried it. Need- didn’t care much for fruit, even less to say, during the years of exotic kinds. He wasn’t even Stalin’s rule, nelma was deliv- that crazy about eating corn, ered fresh to the Kremlin on a which he demanded be plant- special ight. ed on a quarter of all arable land in the USSR a er a trip to Vladimir Lenin was politically am Pokhlebkin in his article Top secret the United States during which savvy, but a complete amateur “What Did Lenin Eat?” Stalin had two requirements. he admired the achievements in the kitchen. In her memoirs, Lenin’s contemporaries noted First, the waiters didn’t wait of American agriculture. Corn his wife and comrade-in-arms that his only culinary passion on the guests, but brought the was grown primarily to feed Nadezhda Krupskaya almost was a mug of good beer.  e  rst and second courses, ap- livestock in the hope that the never described family meals great Bolshevik was born and petisers, and desserts to the country would soon see the as “lunch” or “dinner,” but usu- raised on the Volga where they table, then le . A airs of state end of its meat shortages. ally used the Russian pitaniye still brew Zhigulyovskoe beer, were discussed at the table Meat, it turns out, was Krush- that is more commonly associ- which is famous throughout and eavesdroppers were not chev’s weakness. ated with hospital food and di- Russia, and he spent many years welcome in the dining room. “We made a lot of di er- ets, or even kormezhka, which in exile in Germany, as well as Each of the high ranking ent dishes from meat,” recalls is usually used when speaking spells in Britain and Switzer- guests even had to step up and Khrushchev’s personal chef about pets. land, so he knew a good beer. serve himself the  rst course – Anna Dyshkant. “Meat with “Lenin not only didn’t no- either shchi (soup made from mushrooms, meat with prunes tice what he ate, but even A dictator’s table fresh cabbage or ) sweet and sour. He was very when he was asked directly Joseph Stalin didn’t stick to or kharcho (Caucasian spicy fond of tenderloin. We made whether he liked something, Lenin’s maxims when it came stew made from lamb, rice and it for him in a special way. We he just couldn’t give an intel- to food. In Georgia, where he tomatoes). poured oil in the pan, then ligible answer,” writes Rus- was born and where his tastes Stalin’s second idiosyncrasy soaked up some with a cloth so sian culinary historian Vily- were formed, they have very was that there had to be more that the pan was half-dry. We 11 /therussiankitchen History tenderised the meat and fried Soviet leaders loved to entertain special visitors., and each banquet was a it. It turned out like a very tasty reflection of the culinary tastes of the s t e a k .” incumbent resident of the Kremlin. Khrushchev loved pirogues just as much (similar to ra- violi, but with a vegetarian ll- ing). He preferred them with sauerkraut and onions, cot- tage cheese and , or potatoes and cherries. But Khrushchev’s favorite treat was a hunter’s kulesh – a very lling Cossack dish of millet Nikita Khrushchev ‘s favourite treat was and fat that is a cross be- a hunter’s kulesh, a very filling Cossack dish of millet and pork fat that is a cross tween a nourishing soup and between a nourishing soup and stew. stew. e hospitable host liked to brag about this dish in front of guests, according to Dysh- kant’s memoirs. Cakes for the Khrushchevs were ordered in the Kremlin, which had a spe- cial bakery for that purpose.

Luxury stagnation In the culinary history of Rus- sia’s elite, the Brezhnev era is known for the lobster soup that was revived by the Krem- lin chef. is was an old Rus- sian dish that was oen served en this sauce and the meat are added to the and brought before the revolution in upper to a boil. Black pepper, bay leaves and are added to taste, and class Russian homes, but then you have the favorite dish of the person who ushered in the era of was completely forgotten. stagnation in the . e soup is somewhat simi- lar to the famous Mediter- Hunter ranean , but has its own One of Brezhnev’s passions was hunting. “Every ursday aer Menus at the Kremlin underwent drastic particulars. It is fairly easy to change with each change in Soviet Politburo meetings he invited comrades to go hunting. Some- cook, you just need to crack 20 leadership. Mikhail Gorbachev had the times the meetings lasted only forty minutes,” recalled KGB Ma- live, large craysh. most modest tastes among all Soviet jor General Mikhail Dokuchaev in an interview with Komsomol- ey are gently boiled in leaders. skaya Pravda. “Each hunter was given a small case that held 250ml a light sh broth, the tender of brandy and sandwiches.” meat is removed from the A successful hunting trip was celebrated with a magnicent necks and claws, and the shells feast, at which wild game (mainly wild boar) was the main attrac- are fried. e fried shell is tion. Brezhnev’s favorite vodka was Zubrovka, which is Belarusian nely ground and sautéed in a Leonid Brezhnev was a passionate bitters made from plants grown in Belovezh Reserve. hunter and often took visiting heads of small amount of melted butter. state on a hunt in the forests. Perestroika of tastes Years later it was there, in Belovezh forest, where the fateful agree- ments were signed that established the Commonwealth of Inde- pendent States (CIS) and brought an end to the Soviet empire in 1991. is would eventually change the geopolitical structure of the whole world. But the signature of the author of perestroika and the only pres- ident in the history of Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev was not on that agreement. It was signed without his knowledge. It is note- worthy that Gorbachev, one of the most unpopular statesmen in modern Russia, ate perhaps more sensibly as president than all his predecessors. He ate a variety of foods, always in small portions. “He had a tendency to gain weight, so he oen restrained him- self,” said Kremlin chef Anatoly Galkin in an interview with Se- godnya.ua. “He would ask me to make him a salad. He didn’t want anything hot, and told me to eat the pastry myself. He loved white seedless grapes, and candied fruits, dates and nuts.” e Soviet president especially loved porridge, and a royal as- sortment was oered to him. Taste of Russia 12



An excellent source of ber that helps the body get rid Pearl barley, known in Russian as perlovka, is a favorite of Rus- of toxins, pearl barley porridge is a healthy treat for sians from all walks of life. It was on the menu at the coronation both young and old. Learn to make this dish that was banquet of Russian Emperor Nicholas II. Peter the Great loved a variant prepared with mushrooms, carrots and onions. Prima popular with emperors, leading ballerinas and even Ballerina Maya Plisetskaya attributed her strength and beauty to members of the Soviet top brass. perlovka. Over time, the dish was transformed from the porridge of the tsar to the food guaranteed to be available in every cafeteria. During the Soviet era, perlovka was on the menu in kindergartens and factorie alike. It’s no wonder that pearl barley is so popular. It is an excellent source of ber, which helps the body get rid of toxins. Consum- ing barley also helps decrease the risk of osteoporosis because it contains phosphorus and copper, necessary for bone and joint health. A portion of pearl barley also has nearly twice as much Vitamin C as an orange. Pearl barley is recommended for peo- ple with diabetes because its beta-glucan soluble ber slows down glucose absorption.

Ingredients Pearl barley porridge with mushrooms

• • • • • •

Preparation:

1. 4. 2. 5. 3. 6.

7. 13



“Shchi da kasha — pishcha nasha (shchi and kasha are ere are more than a thousand schi recipes. is soup can con- our food)” is a famous old Russian saying. We present tain a variety of ingredients such as mushrooms, spring cabbage, a simple recipe for schi, a splendid hot and thick soup sorrel, smoked pork ribs, and even salmon. Feel absolutely free to create your own version with everything inside your fridge. Just that is consumed all year round in Russia. don’t forget about the key ingredient – shredded cabbage.

Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • •

Preparation:

1. 4. 5. 2. 3. 6. Taste of Russia 14



Russian cabbage rolls are traditionally cooked using Cabbage rolls stued with various ingredients is a very popular minced meat, but a healthy vegetarian version can be dish in Russia. It is common not only in Russia, but also in the made with rice, mushrooms and vegetables. ethnic cuisines of the Balkans, as well in other parts of Europe (such as Finland and Sweden) and the Middle East. e cabbage rolls are called “golubtsi” in Russian, and the word sounds similar to the Russian word for pigeon—golub. Appar- ently, in the 17th century, when was gaining un- precedented popularity in Tsarist Russia, it was fashionable to eat pigeons that were prepared on a grill in the open air. Later on, in a similar fashion, the grill was used to prepare cabbage rolls called “fake pigeons”—and that’s where the name comes from. Traditionally, golubtsi are made with rice and minced-meat lling. Nowadays, people prepare a vegetarian version with rice, mushrooms and a vegetable lling. e process of making cabbage rolls is time-consuming and re- quires certain skills: But the result is worth the eort.

2. Ingredients Preparation: • 1. • • 3. • • • • • 4. • • • Sauce preparation: • 15



In early August hawkers and their succulent wares traditionally From our creative experiments, the most popular dish is this make their appearance in northern Russian cities, as they make simple, but delicious and very visually pleasing salad, which pairs their way up from the southern regions around Volgograd and As- watermelon with salty Russian brynza, an Eastern European ver- trakhan with their pink and green bounty. sion of brined sheep’s cheese, which is similar to feta. Seemingly overnight, every street corner boasts a cage or truck e two avours go beautifully together, and are brought to- with piles of bright green watermelons, and Russians eagerly in- gether perfectly with a little red onion and Serrano chili for heat augurate melon season. Some of the largest and most sought aer and bite and a tangy but sweet lime and pomegranate syrup. Mint watermelons originate in the Astrakhan Region, which is at the completes the ensemble for a quick and easy salad that looks as crossroads of and the Middle East. Restaurants in great as it tastes. Moscow and St. Petersburg serve raspberry and watermelon mar- e crucial step in this simple recipe is to allow the watermelon garitas, watermelon mojitos, a delicious watermelon and cucum- pieces to drain suciently — we recommend at least one hour, ber cobbler, and a seemingly endless combination of watermelon and better two. If you omit this step, the onion and Himalayan and vodka: in granita, in sorbet and in the time-honoured Russian pink salt will cause the watermelon to leach its excess liquid into tradition of injecting a watermelon with a syringe full of vodka the salad, which will make the salad both soupy and mushy. Drain- and allowing it to marinate overnight. ing will ensure that the watermelon is the right degree of crunchy.

Ingredients Watermelon & Brynza Salad with Mint

• • • • • • • • • • Preparation: • 1. 3. 4. 2. Taste of Russia 1616 RBTH, Caviar House of Bangkok and ai Sturgeon Farm wish to thank Her Majesty Doi Dum Project Initiative for providing the sturgeon used for cooking our recipes.

Sturgeon is a common name for a number of fi sh species, whose origins can be traced back to more than 200 million years.

A sturgeon has an extended, spindle-shaped body struc- ture.  e skin of the sh is covered with bony plates: so- called bugs, which are located along the body in ve rows. A sturgeon’s skeleton is almost totally cartilaginous. Its body contains a signi cant amount of fat located between the muscles. Inter-muscular layers of fat help improve the taste of . Besides excellent meat quality, there are many other ad- vantages o ered by sturgeons. Less than 14% of the body is inedible since the cartilage is used in other recipes. Boiled cartilage is added to soups, and the stu ng for pies is taken from the notochord (the cartilaginous skeletal rod). Another important advantage is that sturgeons lose less weight a er thermal treatment when compared to other sh species. Boiled, fried or baked sturgeon is justi ably considered tasty and nutritious.

Chef Nicolino Lalla, Italian Executive Chef at Hotel Muse Bangkok 17

Preparation

1. Wash the sturgeon in cold running water. 9. Turn off the heat, add semolina or couscous and mix again.

2. Scald with boiling water, and cut off the scutes (bony plates). We 10. emove lemon slices and stuff the sturgeon with the filling. leave the tail, head and skin as they are, so the dish looks more appealing when served. 11. Sew up fish belly with toothpicks.

3. Cut off the gills and notochord. 12. Cut potatoes into cubes, sprinkle with spices.

4. Wash the sturgeon once again and dry it with a paper towel. 13. Cover the baking sheet with foil, lay out potatoes and sturgeon, pour some vegetable oil and cover with foil. 5. i spices and salt and rub it on fish, especially on the belly and gill area. 14. Cook for 25-30 minutes in oven heated up to 180° degrees C, then remove the foil from top, fish should change colour and release 6. Slice one lemon, cover the whole fish with slices and leave it to some juice. soak, while preparing the filling. 15. Pour this juice on the fish and put it back into the oven for 10-1 7. Cut champignons and fry in vegetable oil. minutes (till ready).

8. Slice onion rings, grate carrot coarsely and stir-fry mixed together 16. et the fish cool down after cooking, then move it to the serving with champignons. dish and decorate. For decoration you can use pitted olives, sweet pepper, green salad leaves, parsley, dill and cherry-tomatoes.

Ingredients • 1 sturgeon, weight 2.5-3.5 kg • Ground coriander 1 tsp • Ground black pepper 1 tsp • Ground paprika 1 g • 2 Lemons

• Salt 2 tsp • Potato 1 kg • or the filling • Champignon Mushrooms 250 g

• 1 Onion Tsar-style • 1 Carrot sturgeon is best served cold. • Semolina or couscous 2 tsp • Vegetable oil Taste of Russia 18

Ingredients

For the fi lling:

• • • • • • • •

For the Dough: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Pie baking is a Russian tradition that started centuries ago. Pies used to be a treat for special occasions. Even the Russian word “” (pie) is etymologically related to the the word “pir” (feast). In Russia pie is a symbol of a warm and friendly homeambience.  is sh pie recipe was rst published in a 19th century bestselling by Elena Molo- hovets titled ‘Gi for young housewives.’ We just adapted a few details in a modern way. 19

Dough

1.

2.

3.

4. Sturgeons keep growing during their en- 5. tire lifetime. Sturgeons are the only fish that can live 6. both in salt and fresh water. Filling ­e largest Beluga (one of the most coveted 1. sturgeon species) ever captured in the 7. Volga River weighed 1.5 tonnes and was 2. more than 7 metres long. 8. Kaluga (a riverine species) is endemic to the Amur River in the . 3. ­e largest Kaluga ever captured was 11 metres long. 4. Beluga and Kaluga are the largest sturgeon 9. species. ­ey can live up to 300 years and reach maturity at the age of 22, when they produce caviar for the first time.

A sturgeon is the only fish that waits for certain external conditions to release caviar. In case the conditions are not Main dish conducive, caviar will dissolve inside the 1. ° fish’s body. 2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Taste of Russia 20

Preparation

1. Cut the sturgeon into 0-0 g pieces. 4. Add coarsely chopped onions and butter 2. Add salt and black pepper (this dish is meant to be rather spicy, so you can 5. i all, and pour enough water add more pepper) to cover all ingredients.

3. ay out into stewpan. 6. Cook covered for 1 minutes.

Ingredients

• Sturgeon fi llet 400 g • Butter 12 tablespoon • nion, middle sie bulbs, 4- • Salt, black pepper

You can also add several slices of lemon while cooking for better taste. Serve with boiled potatoes, salad leaves and rye bread. 21

Preparation

1. Wash the sturgeon under cold running water.

2. Scald with boiling water.

3. Cut off the scutes (bony plates) and gills.

4. Cut off the head, tail and skin and place in cooking pot.

Ingredients 5. Pour cold water and cook at high heat. • • • • • 6. Coarsely chop fennel, one • • • carrot, bulb onion, • • root and stick. • • • • 7. hen water is boiling, • • reduce the heat, skim and • • add chopped vegetables. • • • • 8. Cook for one hour on low • • heat, then pull out fi sh head and , tail and vegetables.

9. Put remaining parts of the fi sh into the broth and cook for 10 minutes.

10. emove skin and cartilage, strain the broth.

11. Chop a fresh carrot and white parts of leek into strips and stir fry with vegetable oil for minutes.

12. Chop suash into strips.

13. Add fried carrot with leek and chopped suash into the broth and cook for minutes.

14. Add salt, pepper and soya sauce (to taste).

Put pieces of sturgeon fi llet in a bowl with a slice of lemon, and pour hot soup. Taste of Russia 22 For the sauce 1. Boil potatoes till half cooked, chop into strips. White sauce is ready. 2. Grate cheese coarsely, melt butter. 1. Fry flour on a dry frying pan till it becomes 3. Cut sturgeon fillet into serving pieces, add salt golden. and pepper. 2. Then let it cool for a while, add butter, spices Preparation 4. Put the sturgeon into baking dish, greased and sour cream. with vegetable oil.

Baked sturgeon is ready to serve. is ready sturgeon Baked 3. Cook, stirring on low heat for about 5. Put potatoes together with fish, pour the white 5 minutes, strain. sauce, grated cheese and 1/2 of melted butter.

6. Put into oven, heated up to 10C. Bake till crisp.

7. Pour the rest of the melted butter on top and decorate with chopped greens.

Ingredients

• FOR THE WHITE SAUCE: • • • • • • • • • 23

Preparation For the sauce

1. Wash the whole sturgeonh 1. Melt butter in frying pan. under cold running water. 2. Add flour and stir. 2. Cut off scutes (bony plates), tail and gills. 3. Slowly add white wine.

3. Scald with boiling water, 4. Cook on low heat, till wine then wash in cold water. is almost evaporated. 4. emove skin and spinal cord Ingredients 5. Add warmed cream and and cut fi llet into 3 cm cubes. cook till mixture is boiling.

5. Prepare marinade, mixing 6. Add salt and pepper. lemon juice with spices and • wine. • • 6. eave the fi sh fi llet in this • marinade for maximum • Within 2 minutes 30 minutes. • the sauce is ready. • 7. hread the fi sh and slices of • You can add chopped parsley,to dill, taste. or garlic sweet pepper onto skewers ( • you can use other vegetables • e). • • 8. Cook the fi sh on a braier or • in the grill-oven, and don’t forget to turn skewers while To cook sturgeon you can use either a cooking. raier or a grilloven g of strgeon fi llet is enough to make 3-4 servings. Taste of Russia 24

Preparation

1. Wash the sturgeon under cold running water. 11. Strain the broth into a clean cooking pot. INGREDIENTS 2. Scald with boiling water, and cut off scutes • One whole sturgeon, weight 800g 12. Add the sturgeon fi llet, bay leaves, spices, (bony plates) and gills. • Water 1,2 l salt and cook on low heat for 15 minutes (till • 1 Celery root ready). 3. Cut off the head ,tail, skin and notochord and • 1 Parsley root fi llet the sturgeon. • 1 Carrot 13. Carefully lay the fi sh fi llet on a serving dish. • 1/2 Lemon 4. Cut fi llet into pieces and refrigerate until jelly- • 1 Onion 14. Strain the fi sh broth once again, add gela- like. • Granulated 40 g tin and cook stirring till it is almost at boiling • 2 Bay leaves point. 5. Pour half glass of warm water on gelatin. • Salt and black pepper • For decoration: 15. Turn off the heat and let it stay for a while. 6. Put sturgeon head, tail, notochord and skin in • Black (sturgeon) caviar 100 g a cooking pot and pour cold water. • 7 Quail eggs 16. Cut eggs into halves • Pasery leaves 7. Add onion, carrot, pasery root, celery root 17. Slice lemon half-rings and tear parsley leaves.

8. Cook in high heat until it is boiling. 18. Decorate the dish with sturgeon and pour the broth carefully. Refrigerate. 9. Reduce the temperature and cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes.

10. Boil and peel eggs.

Decorate with black caviar before serving. Lemon juice, green olives and horserad- ish sauce are perfect accompaniments for jellied sturgeon. 25

1.5 tonnes The largest documented beluga in Russian history was caught in the Volga in the Astrakhan region in 1827. It weighed 1.5 tonnes.

A unique and balanced composition makes black caviar very healthy. Besides high protein content, it has vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as micronutrients such as iodine, zinc, potassium, sodium and magnesium. Black caviar helps improve the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract. Each little egg contains the right nutrients for the healthy development and functioning of the body.

Scientifi c studies have shown that people who regularly eat black caviar live for four to nine years longer than those who don’t. Since it slows down aging, black caviar also helps people maintain stronger bodies.

Black caviar can also help reduce the harmful effects of alcohol thanks to its acetylcholine content, which increases human tolerance to alcohol. Eating this 190 kg delicacy during a party can help you stay fresh and energetic. On May 3, 1926, a female beluga weighing more than 1 Sea. BLACK CAVIAR CAN BE SERVED IN MANY ELEGANT Nearly 190 kg of black caviar was removed. WAYS AND IS SUITABLE FOR BOTH OFFICIAL RECEPTIONS AND FESTIVE FAMILY DINNERS. be $113,503. Taste of Russia 26

Dmitry Sukhodolsky, special to RBTH 27

While black caviar may have the higher price tag, red caviar is still a cherished delicacy.

onsumption of red caviar, a famous Russian deli- ingly dierent from char. Sometimes when this sh comes from cacy, began around the same time as potatoes in the the Pacic Ocean to spawn in the rivers of the Kamchatka Pen- 18th century. insula and Sakhalin Island the water is hardly visible due to the With the nal annexation of the Far Eastern re- huge numbers. gions to the , Catherine the Great’s In some places, the natives still go shing with a bucket or subjects gladly took a fancy to a new appetizer from there, which simply pull out the sh with their hands. It is clear that in these Cstarted being supplied to the European part of the country by tens regions, red caviar is not quite the delicacy that it becomes aer of thousands of tons. travelling thousands of kilometres to the west. Various species of salmon have always been common in res- ervoirs in the north of the European part of the country, and, of The right way to prepare this delicacy course, red caviar was well known and regularly consumed. How- e technology of caviar production is rather simple. Fish eggs ever, the extent of its consumption was much lower than that of are released from membranes. In factories special sieves are used, the famous Russian black caviar, without which no reception was while amateur shermen use a simple fork., Once extracted the held in those days – from parties within the family circle to large caviar is covered with unrened salt or specially brewed brine. banquets. Nutritionists highly recommend this dish. You can take cap- sules with polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) for Different fish – different caviar months, for successful prevention of heart disease, or you can eat Coho salmon, also known as silver salmon or white sh and three small sandwiches with red caviar every day, which is much named for the bright silver colour of its scales, provides the most nicer. expensive caviar. It is considered as the best, and its colour is Now red caviar is as common as black caviar used to be in the bright red. Coho salmon is not bred in captivity, because the sh past. It is usually served on toasted dark bread, with fresh sweet die right aer spawning. butter, sprinkled with lemon juice and garnished with a sprig of Kryazhevaya lake char is a legendary sh. A man who has shed dill or half a black . for lake char is considered a master among shermen. Lake char Chicken or quail eggs are oen stued with red caviar. Icy live in deep Ladozhskoye and Onezhskoye Lakes in the European vodka is considered the traditional accompaniment to caviar, but north of Russia, it is a very timid sh and lives at depths of 70 to dry white wine such as Chablis and Champagne Brut is also quite 150 metres, never rising higher. appropriate. It seems funny, but the gastronomic qualities of Kryazhevaya When in Russia, buy caviar. It is not too expensive – a can trout are not high: its esh is a bit loose in comparison with other of 150 grams costs about $15. You only need to remember two salmon, and its caviar is pale yellow. things: always buy caviar from the current season, and that which Chum salmon – the greatest mass supplier of caviar – is strik- is produced in Kamchatka or Sakhalin, a guarantee of quality. Taste of Russia 28

Preparation

BASIC RUSSIAN PANCAKES 4. Before adding , make sure that oil is hot ARE EASY TO COOK: enough, but not smoking. For the best result you should keep the heat set to medium, while 1. Mix milk, egg, sunflower oil, sugar, salt in cooking. blender. 5. Wait to flip pancakes till edges and centre 2. Gradually add flour into the mixture become dry. to avoid wisps. 6. Lay out pancakes on a greased plate, rubbing 3. Heat up the frying pan, add oil. butter on pancakes too.

Pancakes taste great with red and black caviar.

Serve while warm.

Ingredients FOR 7-8 PANCAKES

• Milk 200 ml • 1 Egg • Salt 1/4 tsp • Butter 20 g • Sunflower oil 1 tbsp • Sugar 1 tbsp • Flour 4-5 tbsp • Vegetable oil for frying