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Articles by Pavel and Olga Syutkin

Sacred Slavic Sausage Through the Ages

The happy-sad-happy-sad history of sausage production in Russia and the USSR.
6 Min read

The Curious History of Green Peas and Russia

Who remembers that pre-Revolutionary Russia was the top exporter of sugar snap peas to France?
6 Min read

The Triumph of Crimean Champagne

In 1900 French judges awarded the blue ribbon to champagne made in Crimea.
5 Min read

Bears, Borsht, Floating Pies and Other Wonders of Imperial Russian Cuisine

Note to self: If invited to try some "marvelous borsht" by the Russian leader, say no.
6 Min read

Eat Like an Ancient Boyar - Healthfully

Meals in ancient Russia were in many ways quite healthy.
5 Min read

Mac 'n' Meat Made for Marines

The World War II version of this classic Soviet dish was made with two foreign imports.
6 Min read

How to Ward Off Vampires and Foreigners: Garlic

Here's a garlicky, herby summer dish that won't scare away guests or vampires.
5 Min read

A Porridge So Rich It Held Diamonds

Try the richest, creamiest, sweetest, fruitiest- nuttiest porridge that ever was.
8 Min read

In Between Russia and Finland Fish Are King

This creamy soup is a snap to make. Perfect for a cold spring.
4 Min read

Celebrate Spring With Kitchen Kebabs

No backyard, no grill - no problem. You can make shashlyk (aka kebabs) in your kitchen oven. Really.
5 Min read

Samovars, Tea and Something Sweet

Samovars have been essential to the tea drinking rituals in Russia for centuries.
6 Min read

Carpe Diem: A Spicy Carp for Fish Friday

Spices are a way of adding flavor and nutrients to Lenten dishes.
5 Min read

Bake a Cake That is Out of This World

In honor of the first flight into space on April 12, 1961, here's an airy "Flight Cake" that is as delicious as it is light.
6 Min read

Russian Cheese is More Than Cheese

Production of hard cheeses began late in Russia, but caught up to Europe quickly.
5 Min read

Russia's Culinary Grains of Truth

Millet, buckwheat and pearl barley make delicious porridges that are good for your health and wallet.
5 Min read

Cracking the Myth of the Russian Monastery Kitchen

Meals served in monasteries may be good, but they aren't divine.
5 Min read

Three-Layer Pancakes From the Mari People

The Mari people in the Volga region of Russia make a towering pancake that is rich with flavor.
5 Min read

Free Women From Kitchen Slavery With Mimosas!

The Mimosa Salad was a Soviet-era triumph: simple ingredients and artful presentation,.
6 Min read

Goulash, Ragu, Stew and the Problem of Soviet Meat

There was a good reason why Soviet citizens loved goulash.
5 Min read

The Food of War and Isolation

What's wrong with borrowing dishes from other cuisines? Everyone does it!
6 Min read

Vatrushka: The Ancient Russian Pastry That Wasn't

Everyone Russian knows what a vatrushka is. Why can't you find the word in old cookbooks?
6 Min read

Celebrate St. Valentine's Day the Traditional Russian Way, With Gingerbread

This holiday is nothing new in Russia. It was celebrated long before the 1917 Revolution.
4 Min read

When Russians Dream, They Dream of Spinach

Russians have been mysteriously obsessed with spinach and its substitutes for more than a century.
5 Min read

Chicken and the Theory of Evolution

A simple recipe that has been a favorite of harried cooks for decades.
5 Min read

Celebrate Tatyana's Day With a Russian Student Recipe

Braised veal kidneys in Madeira wine is cheap, filling and delicious.
4 Min read

Quinoa: A New Grain That Russians Have Been Eating for Centuries

A variety of quinoa was used as a replacement for flour in lean years.
5 Min read

A Fairy Tale Soup Fit for a King and Queen

Fairy tales may not be true, but they are a great source of culinary information.
7 Min read

This Year Invite Caesar to Your New Year's Feast

A delicious but simple recipe for a festive royal bird.
5 Min read

Cures for the Morning After the Night Before

Best to prepare beforehand.
5 Min read

Sour Cabbage Soup Gets Its Jam On

An ancient Russian sweet called pastila makes a surprising guest appearance in sour cabbage soup. Delicious.
6 Min read

The Cuisine of Russian Emigration

What did first wave Russian emigres eat in France? Russian style sweet cheese pastries and... ratatouille.
5 Min read

The Strange Russian History of Beet Make-Up

When ancient Rus' "pivoted to the East" women painted their faces white and used beet juice as rouge.
5 Min read

The Indescribable Deliciousness of a Wine-Poached Pear

We have no idea what ancient dishes — even from the 19th century — tasted like. But we can dream.
5 Min read

The Tale of a Baker, a Singer, and a Blueberry Pie

In days of old, Moscow oligarchs were no less extravagant than today's.
6 Min read

Pozharsky Chicken Cutlets Put Torzhok on the Map

How minced meat patties went from a country inn in Torzhok to the emperor's table in St. Petersburg.
5 Min read

Mikhail Bulgakov and the Mystery of 'Julienne'

Foreigners to Russia have always been puzzled when offered a pot of "julienne" - julienned what? Read on.
5 Min read

The Great Russian War Against Halloween

While the authorities fight a losing battle against Halloween parties, cooks are celebrating pumpkins.
4 Min read

Russia, the Land That Never Knew the Earl of Sandwich

Russia's "sandwich" is a throw-back to the time of Peter the Great. But it is not without its own charms.
6 Min read

Russian Fast Food, Circa 1382

Kalach was the original grab-and-go fast food.
5 Min read

A Short History of Russian Salads

Salads came to Russian cuisine late but are now the stars of the table.
6 Min read

Shchi Made Simple: 10 Questions About Cabbage Soup

Straight talk about a Russian soup that everyone thinks they know... but don't!
6 Min read

The Sweet Heart of a Black Radish

"Bishop's Salad" was a Soviet-era invention - but that doesn't mean it isn't delicious.
5 Min read

How Tatar Pastries Became a Favorite Russian Street Food

Belyashi and chebureki are sold on the street in cold Russian cities, but they come from the warm south.
4 Min read

Lecho: Autumn's Bounty for Winter's Table

This dish of peppers and tomatoes is simple to make and simply delicious.
4 Min read

Sarasin Grain and Turkish Chicken

What's in a name? In the kitchen -- often nothing and everything.
6 Min read

Make Merry With Sweet Cherries

Here is a simple recipe for a sweet-sour garnish made with late summer's cherry bounty.
4 Min read

An Apple Pie to Celebrate August

In the weekend kitchen, apple season begins with an apple-almond pie.
5 Min read

Jam With Tea, Jam on Bread, Jam With Everything

You will want to put this jam on the table with tea, but it won't last long.
6 Min read

Get a Buzz On With a Barrel of Mead

Is it easy to turn honey into a delicious, sparkling alcoholic drink? Actually, yes.
5 Min read

Watermelon With Bread? It's Better With Cheese!

A sweet-salty piquant salad to cool down on the hottest days deliciously.
5 Min read

Black, Red and... Squash Caviar

"Caviars" made of squash, eggplant and other vegetables are not just poor-man's spreads.
4 Min read

Russia’s ‘Doomsday’ Grain Goes Fishing

Carp stuffed with buckwheat groats is an old recipe that is as delicious today as it was 200 years ago.
5 Min read

Enchanting Chanterelles

An easy, delicious recipe for a mushroom dish fit for an empress.
6 Min read

Russian Donuts by any Name are Delicious

Be they pyshki (St. Petersburg) or ponchiki (Moscow), Russian doughnuts (donuts) are delicious.
5 Min read

Dolma: Pride of the Summer Table

In the Caucasus these are called dolma; in Russia - stuffed vegetables. Everywhere - delicious.
5 Min read

Celebrate Summer with a Georgian Cherry Plum Stew

Chakapuli is made with lamb, cherry plums, and plenty of herbs and spices.
5 Min read

Feed the Lion: Leo Tolstoy's Favorite Almond Cake

Leo Tolstoy loved this simple almond cake.
5 Min read

Okroshka for all Seasons and Tastes

Get ready for the hot weather with a classic cooling, soothing soup.
7 Min read

Meat Pockets Filled With Mushrooms

A culinary tale of Bulgarians, Uzbeks, military history, a hero and a spectacular new dish.
6 Min read

The Trick With Trout? Hold the Sauce

A delicious way to prepare the delicious Gatchina trout.
6 Min read

Spring for Green Borshch

Nettle or sorrel soup? Try these refreshing soups that announce spring is truly here.
5 Min read

Borodinsky Steak: Meat and Bread in One

Borodinsky has been one of the most popular types of bread in Russia for many decades. When foreigners visit they are given a taste of Borodinsky to show...
6 Min read

Russian Rhubarb? Mais Oui!

Rhubarb has been eaten in Russia in many forms for centuries.
5 Min read

What Did Poet Joseph Brodsky Have in Common With Cookies?

The weird history of tsarist Jubilees during Soviet times and "lazy" cookies and poets.
5 Min read

Colored Easter Eggs: Life After the Party

A history of Easter eggs in Russia... and what to do with them after the holiday.
5 Min read

Kulich: The Glory of the Easter Table

The kulich has long been baked for Easter but it didn't always look the way it does today.
7 Min read

Dinner is Served Under the Spreading Cranberry Tree

On April Fool's Day we celebrate the jokes and hoaxes of Russian cuisine.
7 Min read

Ice-Cold Sushi From Russia's North

The nations of the far north knew what to do with fish: freeze it, skin it, and slice it into thin strips.
6 Min read

The Art of Vinaigrette

In French vinaigrette is a dressing; in Russian, it's a salad... dressed with vinaigrette.
6 Min read

Revenge is Sweet With Russian Eclairs

A Swiss family's confectionary shops once delighted Russians with a sweet tooth.
5 Min read

Porridge Fit For a Tsar

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so try this dish fit for the royal family.
5 Min read

A Blini Bash for the Last Day of Maslenitsa

Before the 1917 Revolution, the week before Lent was the biggest and best holiday of the year.
6 Min read

The Long Lost History of Russian Blinis

If you ask anyone to describe Russian cuisine, one of the first dishes that will come to mind will certainly be blinis. They are a truly iconic dish that...
6 Min read

When Rabbits Were Golden

"The rabbit is Stalin's bull." This ridiculous slogan of the early 1930s is almost forgotten today. But at the time it was emblazoned on the front pages...

How Ukrainian Borshch Conquered the Baltic Fleet

Today if you want to really outrage the Russian Foreign Ministry, just tell them that borshch is Ukrainian. Even soccer fans' notorious and obscene chant...

Pumpkin Surprise for a Bride, Groom or Guest

Pumpkin is a special case in Russian cuisine. On the one hand, it is not very common. On the other hand, Russian cuisine seems incomplete without it. Of...

Celebrate Old New Year’s Day With Buzhenina

Buzhenina is one of the most delicious and ubiquitous main courses at holiday feasts. You might find it on a royal table or in a traveler's backpack. It...

The Pie that Destroyed the Soviet Union

Where there's Christmas, there's Christmas Eve. Twelve days "from star to water," that is, from the appearance of the first star on Christmas Eve to baptism...

Chocolate Sausage and the End of the Rat King

Creamy, chocolatey logs made from cookies, cocoa, and butter were on the table in almost every Soviet family. Despite their foreign origins, they became...

Play With Fire for a Spectacular Holiday Drink

Zhzhyonka (жжёнка) may look like a series of typos and be hard for non-Russian speakers to pronounce. But zhzhyonka is a legend of pre-Revolutionary...

How the Goose Defeated the Swan: A Christmas Tale

There isn’t a single depiction of a holiday by a Russian artist without swans, ducks, and geese on the table. They are baked under a golden crust...

The Russian Salad That Never Goes Out of Fashion

This salad is known around the world, but its origins remain hidden in the culinary mists of time.

The History and Mystery of Beef Stroganoff

Did a Stroganov or his chef invent this dish? Which one? And does it matter?

The Art of Pâté

The Russian word “pashtet” (паштет) may not be Russian originally, but now it is firmly part of the language. But few people today...

In Russia Thursday is Fish Day

Thursday was a special day in the Soviet Union— Fish Day. All the cafeterias in the country only sold fish dishes that day. Until Friday dawned,...

Russian Ushnoye: Soup or Stew?

Ushnoye is yet another mysterious Russian dish that culinary experts are still arguing about. We decided to be detectives and investigate it through the...

The Curious Russian History of Lobsters and Crab Sticks

Lobsters, crabs, crawfish… what could be further from Russian cuisine? Actually, that’s not right, if only because all kinds of European seafood...

Who Doesn't Love Cabbage Rolls?

A joke in Russian goes like this: some people eat meat, some people eat cabbage, but on average people eat cabbage rolls. Today everyone in Russia knows...

Chocolate Potatoes for Dessert

One of the rites of culinary passage for foreigners in Russia is the first time they are introduced to a “chocolate potato,” one of the iconic...

The Paradox of Pelmeni

Pelmeni are a paradoxical dish. Although Siberian pelmeni most likely came from China originally — from famous New Year's dumplings called jiaozi...

Kurnik: A Wedding Dish for One Hen of a Bride

Today if you said a woman looked like chicken, she’d be deeply offended. But in the olden days in central Russia, a chicken was good omen at a wedding...

Where's the Cheese in Russian Cheese Pancakes?

Syrniki are thick curd cheese “pancakes” that everyone knows and loves. But where does the word "synik" come from? Most people think it comes...

How Russian Solyanka Was Born From Polish Bigos

Solyanka is one of Russian dishes that has a very convoluted and confusing history. Is it a soup or a main course of stewed cabbage? Is it spelled  ...

Apple Aspic: Down With Stereotypes!

Foreigners generally don't like Russian meat jellies and aspics. So try an apple aspic first!

Forshmak: A Russian-Jewish-German Dish

Here's a dish that is simple to make and delicious on dense dark bread.

From Kyiv With Dry Jam

One of the most delectable ways to preserve summer's bounty comes from Kyiv.

The Mysterious and Misunderstood Russian Telnoye

Here is an ancient dish made of minced fish that has evolved over the centuries but remains delicious.

Russian Revolutionary Rassolnik

How the 1917 Revolution changed a traditional Russian dish.

Karl Nesselrode: Foreign Minister and Pudding

Karl Nesselrode was Russia's longest serving foreign minister and a recipe developer. Who knew?

Which Came First: Vareniki or Pelmeni?

Vareniki are Ukrainian dumplings, and cherry-filled vareniki are summer's bliss.