He is called Father Frost or General Frost. He lives in Russia, and he could be very cruel, especially to those who do not show proper respect to him. He has defeated many invaders, from the khans, to Napoleon, to Nazi Germany. He likes to decorate fields and forests, covering them in pristine snow and…
Tag: Beets
Happy New Year to the Trees with More Pickled Veggies!
We are celebrating yet another New Year – the New Year of the Trees. In the old times, in ancient Israel, this day, 15th of the month Shevat, or Tu b’Shvat in Hebrew, was celebrated as the earliest day when trees started bearing fruit. Later on, during the Middle Ages, the great Kabbalist Rabbi Issac…
Mangold Pasta – Feel Like a Roman
I like browsing through recipes online, especially Russian and Ukrainian ones where I sometimes derive comfort from finding old favorites and often learn something new. That’s how one day I came across Mangold Salad. It looked interesting, so I googled it – in English. According to Wikipedia, it was simply Swiss chard. Back to the…
Vinaigrette – a Russian Winter Salad
He is called Father Frost or General Frost. He lives in Russia, and he could be very cruel, especially to those who do not show proper respect to him. He has defeated many invaders, from the khans, to Napoleon, to Nazi Germany. He likes to decorate fields and forests, covering them in pristine snow and…
It’s Good to Be the King and Love Salads!
King George I of England loved salads. He was not the only one; at the end of 17th – beginning of 18th century, Grand Sallads were “trending” among all Royal Houses of Europe. You might even say, they “went viral.” You know I couldn’t help but give you a taste of Mel Brooks’ genius! But…
Purple Cake for a Purple Friend
Although Roman Emperor Aurelian was a great military commander and “Restorer of the World” (Restitutor Orbis), he was far from generous with his wife. Having “restored” the world by conquering vast territories and defeating armies of those who foolishly refused to be conquered, he still begrudged Lady Ulpia a trifle – Tyrian purple silk shawl….
Only Good Words for Savory Cupcakes
In a wonderful Russian play of the 60’s about love, kindness, and caring, there was a line that bothered me: “Even a cat appreciates a good word.” I could never understand the word “even” in this phrase – why “even a cat”? What about dogs? Birds? People, after all? My grandmother, may she rest in…
Ukrainian Borsht for Sultana
Nobody seems to know where the word borscht came from. The best guess is that it is a combination of schti (Russian cabbage soup) and buryak (beetroot in Ukrainian). It is first mentioned in the legend about the two-month siege of the Ukrainian fortress Rohatyn by the Crimean offshoot of the Turkish army in the…
Vinaigrette – a Russian Winter Salad
He is called Father Frost or General Frost. He lives in Russia, and he could be very cruel, especially to those who do not show proper respect to him. He has defeated many invaders, from the khans, to Napoleon, to Nazi Germany. He likes to decorate fields and forests, covering them in pristine snow and…
Mangold Pasta – Feel Like a Roman
I like browsing through recipes online, especially Russian and Ukrainian ones where I sometimes derive comfort from finding old favorites and often learn something new. That’s how one day I came across Mangold Salad. It looked interesting, so I googled it – in English. According to Wikipedia, it was simply Swiss chard. Back to the…
Korean Beet Salad
This is probably the shortest post I’ve written so far. It’s like those before and after pictures – good for a contrast between the two of them, and there is nothing more to say. Here are Harry, Ron, and Hermione before, ready for all kinds of exciting adventures. Many adventures, harrowing escapes, and life lessons…
Tofu Fingers and Muli Stir Fry
Before you ask, yes, that’s a tiny Murano cat that found her way into the serving bowl – cats! You only turn your back on them for a moment, and who knows where they end up! During Stalin’s times, in the mid-30th in Soviet Russia, there was a patriotic female factory workers’ movement called mnogostanochnitza…
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