With this article on your trip to Russia you can have an idea on what to order first. Приятного аппетита!!!
Caviar. Yes when we say caviar, we often keep in mind Russia. It’s true Russian people are mad about caviar and eat it very often on the big occasions too, usually on bread, eating caviar with just a spoon always meant to be the sign of luxury in Russia. Also because of its usually high price and non-availability in Soviet times it’s not in the first five.
Famous Russian pickled cucumbers. It’s a must on all the Russian tables, goes fine with any dish.
Every Russian know them from the birth.
Fermented or sour cabbage is number three. It’s almost as popular as pickled cucumbers, and every old school Russian party has it. Kids are being told stories that eating this cabbage would let them grow tall and strong. Many Russians especially like drinking it’s juice on hangover, together with the pickled cucumbers brine.
Marinated herring and black bread, often goes with onions. Some Russians call it “one of the most tasty foods ever”. There are also songs in Russia where this appetizer is being mentioned, like “Russian vodka, black bread, sel´odka!”, sel´odka - is this marinated herring.
“Borsh”, the red beet and meats soup is far more complicated to prepare. It’s always topped with “SMETANA” - the sour cream.
Pickled mushrooms. They are another Russian homemade gourmet item. It usually has long history - first they are being hand picked by family members in the woods in fall, then precisely prepared to being pickled and then those delicious jars are opened only for the great parties or holidays.
Russian meat jelly or aspic. One of the most favorite cold meat dishes from Russia. It takes a lot of meat first boiled and then left in cold place to the jelly appear, then is served with some toppings or just in this way. Almost any Russian would tell you he ate it a lot in childhood when family gathered to celebrate some New Year party or something other.
Home made fish soup, called “UKHA” is another thing that Russians consider to be traditionally Russian. Usually the recipe is very easy - any fish, could be freshly caught from local river, then a few potatoes and some carrots and onion, salt and here you have another appetizer for drinking outside. Also black pepper is often being added.
"The Herring Under the Fur Coat", an interesting name, isn't it? This salad is famous everywhere in Russia, from The North to the South, people like to make it at home and order in cafes. It is made of salted herring, boiled potato, boiled beetroot, carrots, sometimes Russian people add also a boiled hard egg (but it is optional though it makes the salad more tender) and mayo. You can see in the picture that all the ingredients are put in layers that makes this salad not only a good appetizer but also a piece of art!
And the last but definitely not the least is Olivje salad. This one is a true most at any party )especially the most beloved Russian New Year Party=. Go ask any Russian about this strange, originally French word and he or she would for sure tell you he knows this stuff. This salad is made of boiled potatoes, a lot of mayo and wurst, also green peas participate. Russians joke that Olivje salad is often used as a table pillow, for those who get too much vodka and can't hold their head - they simply drop it down to Olivje plate. It was called so strange after a French cook who lived in St.Petersburg in the tsars' time and was cooking this dish initially (though the original recipe of this salad has almost nothing to do with modern variant, but still it is very tasty).
According to its meaning and importance for the Russian culture I can compare BLINI (pancakes) only with hamburgers for the American culture. People like to eat it them everywhere, at home, at school, at work, in the public places because , firstly, it is very tasty, secondly, you can eat like they are or with different feelings, sweet and not, and it can make a great and nutritional meal, and thirdly, the price is not high to make it. It is a staple. In the streets we can see a lot chains of cafes which make Blini, they are almost like Russian McDonald or Burger King.
The final Curious © phrase:
“He who does not mind his belly will hardly will hardly mind anything else”
(Samuel Johnson)
