The Traditional Cooking of Russia & Poland - Hardcover

Elena Makhonko; Ewa Michalik

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0857231421 ISBN 13: 9780857231420

Publisher: Hermes House, 2014

Synopsis

Explore the rich and varied delights of Eastern Europe in over 150 authentic recipes An insightful introduction describes the geography, history, festivals and culinary traditions of Russia and Poland, and the typical local ingredients such as wild mushrooms, beetroot, spices, pork, smetana, caviar, vodka and seasonal fruits Features a wide range of distinctive dishes, from delicious soups, tempting little appetizers, wonderful fish, meat and vegetable dishes to rich desserts, cakes and pastries Whether you want to create wholesome dishes based on those of the centuries-old rural communities or create the luxurious food of the imperial courts, the recipes in this book provide the inspiration and knowledge to create classic Polish and Russian fare All the favourite Russian and Polish specialities are included, such as Borscht, Bigos, Chicken Kiev, Pierogi and Pashka More than 740 stunning photographs illustrate every recipe step by step, and complete nutritional information is provided throughout Although the two countries of Russia and Poland are neighbours, and share certain Slavic similarities, the two national cuisines are very distinctive. Russian food has its roots in the peasant society of the past in ingredients such as cabbage, root vegetables and cereals, but through its borders it has also absorbed influences from Asia, Scandinavia, China and Europe, while its very varied geography allows for profound regional differences. Poland is much smaller and its climate and landscape less diverse, but its cuisine benefits from a land that is rich in natural resources. In this unique celebration of Russian and Polish food, a fascinating introduction provides an overview of national and regional differences, the festivals that mark the year, and the classic ingredients used. The stunning collection of over 150 recipes, gathered from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, offer a rich, varied and culturally diverse cuisine with such dishes as Zurek (a sour rye soup) and Borscht (beetroot soup), the world-famous Pierogi and Pelmeni (delicious little dumplings) as well as hearty classics such as Beef Strogonoff, HunterĘs Stew and the fabulous salmon pie, Koulibiac. Both Russians and Poles love their national sweet dishes, and here there are many tempting cakes, pastries and desserts to choose from, including the delectable Russian Pashka as well as Polish gateaux and pancakes. With beautiful photographs showing each recipe in step-by-step detail, this evocative and inspiring book captures the wonderful essence of Russian and Polish cooking, and enables the reader to create wonderfully authentic dishes in their own home.

About this title

About the Author:

Elena Makhonko was born in Leningrad/St Petersburg and learned to prepare Russian food from her grandmother who read cookery books to her, and her mother who was a skilled cook. Elena and her mother and grandmother still enjoy cooking together whenever they can. Elena moved to Sweden in the 1980s, and for her first 10 years there worked in the fashion industry before beginning a new career in Stockholm's biggest test kitchen. Elena has cooked food with celebrities including Roger Moore and Swedish president Goran Persson. Elena has more recently written for various food magazines and has also published several books about food. She cooks and styles food for photography and has also worked in Swedish television, and appears regularly on the popular program Good Evening. Ewa Michalik jointly owns and runs the Patio Restaurant, one of the oldest and most successful Polish restaurants in London, which has been extremely favourably reviewed by, among others, Waitrose Food Illustrated and The Independent. Having been a guest on a recent broadcast on BBC Radio 5's Sunday morning show, Ewa has also spoken about beetroot on BBC Radio 4's Veg Talk and prepared traditional dishes for various BBC programmes on eastern European cooking. Ewa attributes her love of food to her mother, with whom she spent many hours preparing meals in her childhood in Grybow in the Carpathian mountains. Today, Ewa still cooks many of the traditional recipes learned in her youth. Consistently disproving the cliche that Polish food is stodgy and dull by serving her many customers light, fresh and delicious classics, Ewa has done much to advance the popularity of Polish food in Britain.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hermes House
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0857231421
• ISBN 13: 9780857231420
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256