Filled with inspiration and energy from spending two weeks at home, I decided I would love to prepare a feast of my favorite Russian home-cooking for some close friends.
A small dinner party was organized and I set out preparing the menu.
3 days of slave labor (and phone calls at midnight to my family asking for help) later, I had enough food to feed a small army (just like home!) and wasn’t hungry at all (really takes it out of you).
The fact that this kind of table is set for my siblings and me every time we are home and in multiple locations is mind-boggling.
I GREATLY appreciate my mother, father, grandmothers, grandfather, aunt, parents’ best friends, neighbors who are culturally close to Eastern Europe and just random people who spend/have spent time preparing food for my arrival… (and don’t just outright tell me off on the phone when I demand certain foods are made)
Without further delay, I present the menu served:
- Red caviar on traditional black bread
- Russian Havarti and “Doctorskaya Kalbasa” plate (type of sausage)
- Pelmeni with sour cream (hand rolled dough filled with different types of meats)
- Olivier Salad (type of Russian potato salad that includes egg, potato and bologna among other ingredients and too much mayo. This is my favorite food by far)
- Vinegret Salad (Potato, beets, carrot… http://www.ruscuisine.com/recipes/salads-and-dressings/n–603/)
- Chicken Cutlets (admittedly these were a bit overcooked)
- Chicken Liver Pate
- Herring
- Russian Waffle Cake
- Russian Chocolate Candy (The favorite candy of my childhood: “mishka and “belachka”)
- Vodka (“Russian Standard”)
- Wine (every kind)
We laughed at the sheer amount of food (“what were you thinking about quantity here?!?!”). We ate until we couldn’t move. We told stories (Customary). We planned future get-togethers and laughed until we cried.
Verdict?
Success.
Awesome.
31daysofawesome 