Some dishes in this collection, I have enjoyed in many Russian towns and cities. Each place had a little different taste to the same dish. This collection of recipes is great for creating a Russian meal in the USA. It may not match the same taste from an exact town or city in Russia. However you will get a real taste of Russian cooking. I recommend it.
A Taste of Russia is an exploration of Russian culture and tradition via the taste buds; an endeavor of greater depth and meaning than a mere collection of recipes. Each section of the book provides a morsel of history that culminates in a feast of Russia’s rich experience. The author relates the breadth and depth of Russianness touching on Slavic tribes, peasantry, nobility, deep religious roots, superstitions, traditions; and the culinary thread connecting time, place, and society. With authenticity and warmth, the author, Darra Goldstein, presents for the readers’ pleasure the home and hearth that nourishes the enduring Russian spirit. Nearly every recipe in the book either recalls the author’s memories of her grandmother’s cooking or refers to gastronomic images woven into the literary works of some of Russia’s great masters. Every page expresses a love of language, history, tradition, family, friends, and food in one fabulous book. A Taste of Russia would be a treasured gift for any Russophile, history buff, humanist, or foodie. I bought A Taste of Russia hoping to teach myself how to prepare an authentic dish for our end-of-semester Russian language class party. The book exceeded my expectations and I continue to enjoy my studies supplemented by my own attempts at authentic cuisine. Whether preparing an elegant feast fit for Russian nobility or a simple, comforting dacha-style fare, preparation is easy enough for a novice like me. The recipes are uncomplicated, and the ingredients are readily available anywhere even in the unfortunate absence of a nearby Russian deli.
Some dishes in this collection, I have enjoyed in many Russian towns and cities. Each place had a little different taste to the same dish. This collection of recipes is great for creating a Russian meal in the USA. It may not match the same taste from an exact town or city in Russia. However you will get a real taste of Russian cooking. I recommend it.
A Taste of Russia is an exploration of Russian culture and tradition via the taste buds; an endeavor of greater depth and meaning than a mere collection of recipes. Each section of the book provides a morsel of history that culminates in a feast of Russia’s rich experience. The author relates the breadth and depth of Russianness touching on Slavic tribes, peasantry, nobility, deep religious roots, superstitions, traditions; and the culinary thread connecting time, place, and society. With authenticity and warmth, the author, Darra Goldstein, presents for the readers’ pleasure the home and hearth that nourishes the enduring Russian spirit. Nearly every recipe in the book either recalls the author’s memories of her grandmother’s cooking or refers to gastronomic images woven into the literary works of some of Russia’s great masters. Every page expresses a love of language, history, tradition, family, friends, and food in one fabulous book. A Taste of Russia would be a treasured gift for any Russophile, history buff, humanist, or foodie. I bought A Taste of Russia hoping to teach myself how to prepare an authentic dish for our end-of-semester Russian language class party. The book exceeded my expectations and I continue to enjoy my studies supplemented by my own attempts at authentic cuisine. Whether preparing an elegant feast fit for Russian nobility or a simple, comforting dacha-style fare, preparation is easy enough for a novice like me. The recipes are uncomplicated, and the ingredients are readily available anywhere even in the unfortunate absence of a nearby Russian deli.
I have been crazy for all things Russian since I was a child. I have found that one of the easiest ways to immerse yourself in a culture is to cook using authentic recipes. I have read A Taste of Russia from start to finish many times, and I have prepared numerous meals from the book. Each bite transports me to Russia and into the arms of her people. Well written essays and the recipes are superb.
I like to cook and my wife is always busy with her nursing studies so this book has allowed me to surprise her on occasion. I always enjoy it better when she makes her own Russian favorites but since I am a novice chef, this book is great for me to help prepare some wonderful food that her and our two boys miss out on being in the US.
authentic Russian recipes. a must for every multi-cultural household.
I just bought this cook book and it is an awesome book. I have a very old Russian cook book I have from the 1970's. Not saying how old I really am. This cook book is simple to follow the directions. I just love it. For Thanksgiving I am using a salad recipe and it quick and easy and every Russian.The recipies bring me back home.It's a great book to have for your kitchen.
Having previously lived in Russia and now spending a couple of months each year in various cities and villages throughout Russia; I've sampled food from many locations. I wholeheartedly recommend this cook book. The recipes are easy to follow and are true to the native cuisine.
A Taste of Russia is the definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine, layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context. With over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies, A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer.
See the book's Recipe Index (PDF ~ 1 mb).
"Goldstein... manages to make Russian cuisine dance. It's hard to imagine anything that might have been left out of this delightfully comprehensive collection."
– Publishers Weekly
"The imaginative range of the selection would be enlightening in itself even without the multitudinous snippets from Chekhov, Gogol and Oblomov. First rate."
– Kirkus Reviews
"It is not suprising that Goldstein, a Williams College professor who later founded the food studies journal Gastronomica, is particularly literary in her books on Russian and Georgian food, placing zakuska (grand appetizer buffets) and dacha (summer house) picnics alike in the context of Russia's great writers. But cerebral as she can be, her prose is rooted in hands-on kitchen advice: 'There are a few basic rules to follow in laying a zakuska table, not the least of which concerns the shape of the table itself. It should be oval or round and placed away from the wall, so that all foods are accessible to all guests at all times.' "
– Slate Magazine
"This is simply the best and most complete book on Russian cooking in English."
– Suzanne Massie
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Darra Goldstein is Food Editor at Russian Life magazine and the author of four cookbooks: A Taste of Russia, The Georgian Feast (winner of the IACP Julia Child Award for cookbook of the year), The Winter Vegetarian, and Baking Boot Camp at the CIA. She is Founding Editor of the quarterly magazine Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, published by University of California Press. Goldstein is Willcox and Harriet Adsit Professor of Russian at Williams College and widely considered to be a leading authority on Russian cooking and culinary arts. Her website is here.
