February 03, 2014

7 Russian Dishes for Olympic Viewing


7 Russian Dishes for Olympic Viewing

OK, so you are recovering from the Super Bowl and starting to look ahead to next weekend’s opening of the Sochi games. Which of course means a viewing party, which means food, which means Russian food!

Here’s our list of a seven ideal Russian culinary delights to accompany your Olympics viewing (for full recipes, we of course recommend our fine cookbook, A Taste of Russia, by Darra Goldstein):

 

Vodka. You knew we’d start there, right? It wouldn’t be a Russian feast without vodka, the “little water of life.” Pop down to the liquor store and get a bottle of Stoli (but wait, that’s not even made in Russia any more!), or better yet Russian Standard for the freezer. (For suggestions on the better vodkas, check out vodkaphiles.com, where thousands of visitors have rated hundreds of vodkas.) But if you really want to make an impression, throw together a home-infused vodka concoction, like limonovka or chesnochnaya. It just takes a day or two, so get one started now.

Stolichny Salad. This wonderful, creamy potato salad is a Russian zakuski table mainstay (and also known as Salad Olivier). Packed with the carbs beloved of all couch potatoes, it also has some protein mixed in there (in the form of chicken) to give your muscles something to be happy about. Throw together a few pounds of this and toss it in the fridge – it’s your go-to dish for all 17 days of the games.

Pelmeni. This Siberian treat is a small dumpling stuffed with a nicely herbed meat. Boiled then slathered in butter and sour cream, it is the perfect accompaniment for a cold winter day full of curling, downhill skiing and ice dancing. Best of all, you can make up a big batch of them ahead of time (or bribe someone more capable in the kitchen to do so on your behalf), freeze them, and have them at the ready for that hockey final.

​Shashlyk. This Russian favorite is doubly appropriate because it is a dish from the Caucasus, where the games are being held. Order up some lamb from your local butcher, marinate it overnight, then roll out the barbeque and serve up a few skewers full of this delectable meat dish for friends. Ideally, it should be served alongside slices of warm, cheese-filled bread known as khachapuri.

Pirozhki. These small pies, filled with savory meats, mushrooms, onions or cabbage are the perfect finger food. Bake them for dinner and you’ll not only warm up the house nicely, but you’ll fill it with the irresistible aromas of baking bread and tasty fillings.

Canapes of Salmon. Looking for something with a bit more upscale panache? Pick up some nice smoked salmon at the store (many stores actually even carry Russian Pacific Salmon) and serve up these bite-sized treats with vodka and some good dill pickles.

Poor Man’s Caviar. We like this far better than the fish egg stuff. Two varieties are common: one made with eggplant, another with chopped mushrooms. Both are delectable atop crackers or with some of that khachapuri. And probably alongside a shot of that chesnochnaya vodka you made...

Leave us a comment to tell us what sort of Olympic feast you are planning.


[Photo credits: Bernd Hutschenreuther (pelmeni); Alexander Sherstobitov (salmon); Vvoevale (stolichny salad); Arboreus (pirozhki); Russian Life (vodka); Wikimedia commons (shashlyk)]

Tags: foodolympics
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Frogs Who Begged...
November 01, 2010

Frogs Who Begged...

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955