Can Russian Women Cook? Is "Tasty Dishes" a Myth?

[Wild Orchid]

When living in Siberia we existed on kasha and tea, (no coffee), canned pickled cod fish livers, salted and sun dried octopus and squid, smoked salmon, pickled herrine marinated in smetana, bread (made, I swear, from sawdust) the occasional raindeer, if the camp hunter got lucky, provided a little fresh meat for stew.  We made fresh water by melting snow,,, and generally washed it all down with generous amounts of locally made vodka.  I remember becoming lightheaded and almost feinting at the sight and smell of a NY strip steak sizzling on the grill when I returned to Texas after two months in Siberia.

who are "we" and what does it have to do with RW/UW? My uncle is geologist and during some of his expeditions in Northern Urals he had to eat dogs and bears meat with some potatoes and nothing else, not by choice. He is a huge food lover and very fond of my aunties cooking.  I don't like steaks what so ever. I don't like the taste, I don't like the smell of them cooking. My husband and son love them and I buy always the best stakes and learned how to cook them. So please when I say I don't like them don't tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. I do.. just not fond of them like you are. I was surprised to find out that beef-Stroganoff for Russians is just an everyday  meal, but is served by Americans and Australians at the parties for guest like something special requiring an effort.

After being debriefed at the end of the mission I told the company man we needed to help the Russians find something to eat first, the oil and gas would still be there.   Trying to work in a semi-arctic environment on an average diet of 1,000 calories a day was not a smart plan.   Every man on the team lost a lot of weight.   The second trip in everyone had massive baggage over weight because of all the foods we were importing, a favorite being peanut butter. 

Most of Russian people that I know dislike peanut butter with passion but it is favorite for Americans. I think Vegemite is as disgusting as mermite or what ever English version of it is called. I don't eat hot-dogs, I don't like BBQ, I don't like roast beef rolls, i can go on and on about my dislike of western food but I do love Asian cuisine.

Roast turkey... that is another one that never could understand. Who would want to eat dry meat of that giant bird?  : Aren't there whole towns that go on diet in Texas? All that greasy food can be tasty, not for me...
 

[workedforme]

WO! I have to think you have never eaten a turkey that has been properly prepared. Turkey is very easy to overcook...then it is dry. If it is not overcooked it is very moist and tender!

I was amazed at the spice vendor we frequented in Novosibirsk. My wife would go to him and tell him what she was going to cook and he would make a concoction of many different spices. He was proud of his ability and was always spot on with the spice mix!

[Eduard]

Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability.  

One thing is talking about disliking food, another one posting insults like this. Beyond their capability???
I think an apology is in order...

Ed,

Don't be so sensitive, If JB had not posted it in such a way then there would not have been half the posts or comments it has attracted

let alone all the recipes that have been chucked in here. 

Maybe his Wife cooks better dishes from other regions or maybe JB does the cooking in the house, does it really matter.

sensationalism is the art of a journalist, same goes for these boards 

I am sensitive about it because he insulted the memories of my grandmothers, my mom, my wife, etc. etc.. Like I said, one thing is to say "I dislike Rus/Ukr food" and the other one is to say it  in the way that he did. Or can we say anything here just to provoke a "lively" discussion?

[fireeater]

Wild Orchid

Dishes like beef-Stroganoff  are part of everyday meals, at least in my family. Along with other types that would take as long to prepare as that one. It all depends on whether you are willing to, or have the time that day to put togther the ingredients for one. 

As for turkey, done correctly, it is better then chicken. But even chicken can be dry if one overcooks it, instead of ensuring it does not. As for hot dogs, does that include beef ones as well as pork ones. There are two types, unless you include chicken dogs as well. 

Now Asian food can be just as greasy, or just as dry a others, so I think any food comes down to personal tastes in what they perfer, over other foods. 


 

[mendeleyev]

I've written previously about cousin Natasha who decided to make me feel at home and baked a turkey at a holiday dinner, Christmas if memory serves me correctly.

First off, it was the scrawniest and thinnest looking bird to have passed for a turkey. Unfortunately she had asked about cooking times and I had, thinking of a standard turkey being 16 to 22 lbs, had told her around 4 hours. I  had also offered to cook it myself and teach her how to do it as I can produce a really tender and juicy turkey using a water/spices/juice/wine combination in the baking process learned from my mother.

We arrived at Natasha's home and the turkey had already been baked and it could have been used as a lethal weapon it was so hard. All night these relatives shook their heads and clucked about how Americans must be out of their minds to think such a disaster to be "tasty."

To this day its rare for me to find a Russia who knows how to prepare a turkey properly. It's just not a national dish as it is in the West.

Steak is another frequent Russian disaster. Beef runs a very distant fifth to fish, chicken, lamb and pork in regularity on Russian tables and most Russian prepared steaks I've ever eaten have been well done and bordering on the consistency of a rock.

However when it comes to national dishes, foods prepared on a regular basis, Russian and Ukrainian food is among the best in the world.

Just thinking about it is making me hungry this morning for some sour cream tomatoes and kurnik (chicken pie).


sour cream tomatoes


Kurnik (chicken pie)




Some of the most interesting "fast food" in the FSU can be found on the sidewalks set up for the day by old babushki. Many of these ladies are very experienced, and very good, chefs!

[sparky114]

Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability.  

One thing is talking about disliking food, another one posting insults like this. Beyond their capability???
I think an apology is in order...

Ed,

Don't be so sensitive, If JB had not posted it in such a way then there would not have been half the posts or comments it has attracted

let alone all the recipes that have been chucked in here. 

Maybe his Wife cooks better dishes from other regions or maybe JB does the cooking in the house, does it really matter.

sensationalism is the art of a journalist, same goes for these boards 

I am sensitive about it because he insulted the memories of my grandmothers, my mom, my wife, etc. etc.. Like I said, one thing is to say "I dislike Rus/Ukr food" and the other one is to say it  in the way that he did. Or can we say anything here just to provoke a "lively" discussion?

Ed,

Wow take a chill pill, calm down, take deep breath.

Then read what you just posted above, it would seem like you need a reality check not all people here are out to get you, or have a pop at your culture, or your family, they say it how they say it, there are many posts on this very forum that could of been worded better but it is given space here

This is a big community here, so please just because one person says something that might not of been completely politically correct, do you need to take it so personally?.

I enjoy reading your constructive examples of how you see the differences between the 2 polar worlds that you live in.

I hate to think how many times to we get bashed here for being British.

Just live and let live it is the best way for your nerves and mine

Mark

[mendeleyev]

I never enjoyed duck until eating it Russian style. True, its part of Russia's far Eastern influence of which Russia sits on 51% of the entire Asian continent. Until Russia I'd always found duck to be too "gamey" for my taste buds.

My MIL changed my thinking on duck however. For some delicious duck, try this recipe from RUA's culinary section:

Apple-Cinnamon Duck






Ingredients:
1 duck
2 tbs flour
6 sour green apples
1 tbs cinnamon
5 onions


Preparation:
Cut the duck into pieces, roll them in flour and saute in vegetable oil on high heat for a couple minutes on each side so that the pieces acquire a golden colour. The bits have to be slightly cooked only on the surface.

Cut the onions into big chunks, put them on the bottom of a cauldron – yes, a proper pig-iron thick walled cauldron, Harry Potter style – and put the fried pieces of duck on top. Pour some boiling-hot water in (barely enough to cover the lower layer of poultry), cover the cauldron with a lid and stew on a slow fire for 20 minutes. Add cinnamon and other spices – cook for 20 minutes more. Then chop apples into big bits (it’s enough to cut an apple into 8 parts), put them on top of the dish and put the cauldron into a preheated oven for 20 more minutes.

[Wild Orchid]

I'm not going to argue about turkey, you love it, go for it.. 

[Eduard]

It's a fact that what's a delicacy for one person might be disgusting to another. Even some of the common favorites here in the US like squid (Calimari) are a no go for many people. So when you look at foods that are from another country it is understandable that a percentage of people will not find it tasty. But it's really not the topic here! The OP alleged that: "Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability."

I for one completely disagree with this statement and find it offensive. I've been around RW and UW all my life and I can think only of one who's cooking I didn't like. The rest were great at prepairing a wide variety of delicious dishes - soups, salads, main course and desserts.
I'm a decent cook myself and occasionally prepair a meal for us. My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook
But she is a great cook, so is my MIL. They make everything from scratch and it tastes great!
I'm not "food prejudice" and enjoy a wide variety - Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, French and off course what I grew up on - Russian/Ukrainian. Basically as long as it's done right I'm sure I will enjoy it. Basically food preparation is art IMO and when done by an artist it will taste great, no matter what it is! Can RW/UW cook? You bet they can!
Maybe a poll is in order?

[chivo]

But it's really not the topic here! The OP alleged that: "Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability."

I for one completely disagree with this statement and find it offensive. I've been around RW and UW all my life and I can think only of one who's cooking I didn't like. The rest were great at prepairing a wide variety of delicious dishes - soups, salads, main course and desserts.
I'm a decent cook myself and occasionally prepair a meal for us. My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

No poll necessary Ed. RW/UW are great cooks, no question about it. I had to get use to some different tastes with similar foods like bread and fruits when I first arrived, but found the food to be more wholesome with less chemicals and perservatives.

I used to believe the sterotype that the Russian diet was full of fatty, tasteless entrees, but have changed my opinion over the years.

I sure JB meant no harm and in typical fashion he likes to stir the pot as mentioned.

My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

I have yet to met a RW who didn't appreciate a man who could cook. While some great RW cooks are here to be sure, not all RW like it. I also notice that many RM don't know how to cook, or at best, think it's women's work, even though that is changing a bit with the new generation of men here.

Nothing pleases my lady more (well OK I'm exaggerating a bit ) than for her to come over after a hard day at work, and have me cook her a nice meal. My reward comes later  .

chivo

[Eduard]

But it's really not the topic here! The OP alleged that: "Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability."

I for one completely disagree with this statement and find it offensive. I've been around RW and UW all my life and I can think only of one who's cooking I didn't like. The rest were great at prepairing a wide variety of delicious dishes - soups, salads, main course and desserts.
I'm a decent cook myself and occasionally prepair a meal for us. My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

I also notice that many RM don't know how to cook, or at best, think it's women's work, even though that is changing a bit with the new generation of men here.

I actually HAD to learn how to cook while married to a "midwestern corn fed" AW because her cooking was...well...not up to specks to put it mildly 

[workedforme]

But it's really not the topic here! The OP alleged that: "Most RW/UW are terrible cooks.  Anything more complicated than boiled potatoes or chopped salad is usually beyond their capability."

I for one completely disagree with this statement and find it offensive. I've been around RW and UW all my life and I can think only of one who's cooking I didn't like. The rest were great at prepairing a wide variety of delicious dishes - soups, salads, main course and desserts.
I'm a decent cook myself and occasionally prepair a meal for us. My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

My wife loves it and finds it very sexy when I cook

I also notice that many RM don't know how to cook, or at best, think it's women's work, even though that is changing a bit with the new generation of men here.

I actually HAD to learn how to cook while married to a "midwestern corn fed" AW because her cooking was...well...not up to specks to put it mildly 

LOL! When I married my ex wife the only things she could do in the kitchen other than cleaning was scramble eggs or make spaghetti!

[Markje]

My fiancee could not cook when she first met me.

After deciding she would be "serious" with me, she learnt it from mother and .... I never suspected until she told me!

She is the best cook by far, from all my previous ex's. She did abandon some of the russian cooking styles though, it takes too much time she says. So she mingled with the western way of doing it and out come some very tasty dishes! 

[Fo]

I just had a look at gotovim.ru. I was wondering is there a button I can hit to read it in English. You know how it is. If there is can somebody type it ( into any reply to this) in cyrillic so I can find it on site. Ta. You lot are making me hungry.

[NAB]

My wife is a good cook.  I enjoy most of what she makes, especially her borscht.  I'm not a big fan of the dough she makes for pelmeni or vareniki but that's a small thing.  One can always find another recipe.

Russian food does tend to be a bit bland, from my limited experience, but she allows me to add herbs and spices and sometimes even asks me to do it because she likes the way I do it better.

I've tried to get her on to spicy foods but I think it's a losing battle.

[2tallbill]

I just had a look at gotovim.ru. I was wondering is there a button I can hit to read it in English. You know how it is. If there is can somebody type it ( into any reply to this) in cyrillic so I can find it on site. Ta. You lot are making me hungry.

Fe, Fi, Fo
Maybe you already know this but you can go to
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ and type the web address into the
"Translate a web page"

Select Russia to English, press the translate button wait 20 seconds and
shazam you have the site in English. It's a machine translation but you can
navigate it easily enough.

Udachi !

Bill

[Fo]

Beeel-Bo.
Cheers
Fo

[froid]

It's finally after labour day!!  WHEEEE!  That means Mila will start making SOUPS again.  I am now addicted to Russian soups and even taught myself to make a few of them while I was waiting for Mila's immigration paperwork to be finished.  Of course she makes them WAY better than me.  

I have to tell her I want Stroganoff too.  Haven't had that yet.  

Mila is a great cook and I enjoy the things she makes most of the time.  As long as she is not trying to feed me meat jelly anyway.  

[mendeleyev]

Froid, its likely that she has a great recipe for Beef Stroganoff (Бефстроганоф), but if not, try this one from the RUA culinary library: http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=3495.75

[froid]

Damn...now I am hungry. 

She is home today so I sent her an email requesting Stroganoff for dinner.

[mirror]

 As long as she is not trying to feed me meat jelly anyway.  

What I saw it is Western men don't like meat jelly...can I ask you ,why?

I love it...mmm....ням,ням.

[siberia]

Mirror, you can add some Western women to that also. I embraced most of the food my Russian husband loves but not holodets.  I offered to make it for him but he was satisfied having it at some Russian friend's party and I have not ever made it. I just don't like the idea of meat jelly!

[Chris]

 As long as she is not trying to feed me meat jelly anyway.  

What I saw it is Western men don't like meat jelly...can I ask you ,why?

I love it...mmm....ням,ням.

Because jelly is supposed to have the taste of fruit not meat 

[mirror]

Because jelly is supposed to have the taste of fruit not meat 

Who said that jelly is supposed to be sweet?

Meat jelly with garlic, bay leaf,onions...and of course meat...mmmm. If it is 2 sorts of meat: chicken and beef then I can eat jelly with fork all together.

[mendeleyev]

Mirror, good ole meat jelly...the Ukrainian dish Холодец (Kholodets): Adopted by Russians and the Polish, meat jelly consists of chopped pieces of meat (pork/beef/chicken/fish/lamb/veal/goat) with some spices added (pepper, parsley, garlic, bay leaf) and sometimes minor amounts of vegetables (carrots, onions).

The meat is boiled in large pieces for long periods of time (5 to 8 hours), then chopped, boiled a few times again and finally chilled for 3–4 hours (hence the name) forming a jelly mass, though gelatine is not used because calves' feet, pigs' heads and other such offal is gelatinous enough on its own. It is served with horseradish, mustard, or ground garlic with smetana (sour cream).






Just one look, one taste, is enough to make most of us Westerners jump up from the table and run out into the blinding snow, never again to be found...