[Sca-cooks] Russian Cooking...Zakuskas

[Elaine Koogler]

OK...Looks like the forward didn't work, so here's the text of his message:

We think the Domostroi is OOP *in part*.  The main body of the 
text--specifically, chapters 1 through 64--we're happy with
as being within period.  The next three chapters (65, 66, and 67) were 
attached between 1600 and 1625 (Pouncy, p.40).
Significantly, these three were specifically about food.  A final 
chapter, #68 (about weddings), was added shortly later.

As Lady Aislinn mentions, progress in Russia was glacial at best.  I'm 
happy enough using the recipes and food from the
Domostroi (indeed, I'm slowly cobbling together some documentation on 
Mead from one of these chapters), provided I can
point to something *else* somewhere indicating use of the foodstuff 
during that timeframe.  Cooking techniques were slow
enough to change that I don't mind fudging 25 years.  I'm not sure where 
she's going in pointing out that the Middle Ages in
Russia didn't end until Peter the Great's reforms; rather than confuse 
the issue, I'll mention that no matter when the Middle Ages
ended in Russia, the timeframe covered by the SCA is (loosely) up to the 
17th Century.  I parse that as technically ending
December 31, 1600.  But that's just me.

<costume costume, blah blah blah...>

If the Swedish smorgasbord can be shown to be period, I'm *very* happy 
postulating that the Russians borrowed the
concept.  (In point of humor, the Russian term for a smorgasbord 
translates literally as "Swedish table.")  The zakuska
table itself, however, I haven't seen in any of my other research.  I've 
read accounts from European travelers to the
Courts of the Tsars, and nothing of the sort is ever even alluded to.  I 
*did* see reflections of another practice that is
mentioned in the Domostroi: The food is brought to the Master's table en 
masse, then distributed from there, with the
guests being sent "food from [the Master's] own dish."

As to the second message, listing the food items, etc.:  The actual *Old 
Russian* version of the Domostroi in fact gives
some fairly decent recipes, for those who can read them.  Part of the 
problem, in my opinion, is that Pouncy isn't a cook,
and so glossed over the foodstuffs.  Large sections of the translations 
are simply abominable.  That being said...
The "pancakes which must be blini" are, in fact, blini.  At least, 
that's the word being used in the Old Russian text.  I found
sour cream (smetana) mentioned at least three times in the text--and 
Russian smetana is a different enough creature from
Western European sour cream, and such an ingrained part of their 
culinary culture, that I'm hesitant to suggest that it was
"borrowed" from the French.  From the Mongols?  Maybe, but I'll not go 
there in any depth.  Lastly, the kasha with ham
and onions "specifically mentioned on p.161."  I looked it up.  Kasha is 
mentioned, as is ham, and onions--but I couldn't
find them put together in a meal.  Kasha and ham, yes--but no onions.  
Not in either the Pouncy translation, or the Russian.

If Lady Aislinn wishes to peruse a Russian Domostroi version that 
contains most of Pouncy's version, it can be found at:
http://www.krotov.info/acts/16/1560domo.html
Warning:  It's in cyrillic.  And it's not modern Russian--although it's 
not exactly Old Russian, either.  Looks like the Old
Russian, cleaned up somewhat for modern readers.  Likewise, the chapters 
aren't laid out as in Pouncy's edition, so some
digging may be necessary to find "matching chapters."

As mentioned, I'm playing with this in my free time; it's slow going, 
and certainly not my full-time occupation.  That being
said, I'm happy to chat with anybody about it, and I'll gladly sit down 
one-on-one with folks and compare specific parts
of the Pouncy with the relevant parts of the Russian.  If you wish, I'll 
keep you updated on my progress from time to time.

S Uvazheniem,
--Mikhail Pavlov-syn Novgorodets,
  mka  Michael Suggs

Hope this helps with the discussion....

Kiri