[Sca-cooks] "Zakuska" table

[Susan Lin]

I should also mention (now that I am not on a hand-held device) that while
the term itself came into use "out of period" the idea of a Zakuska table is
quite old.

When visitors arrived it was always customary - even in the poorest families
to welcome them with bread and salt.  That hospitality morphed into
providing other items to taste.

This eventually became elaborate meals before the meal.  I'm not sure how
they managed to keep eating but I'm guessing that without
TV/DVD/PlayStations, etc. they had much more time to devote to eating and
visiting.

I agree that the beverages were/are vodka, coffee and tea.  Also, Kvas - a
lightly fermented drink originally made with leftover bread.

Yes - we referred to it as a Russian smorgasbord as well as Russian Tapas.

I was surprised by how many people enjoyed the pickled tongue!  I grew up
with it as a child but I was sure I'd be able to take most of it home
(nope!)

I love making (as my family would say) "cute food" so I was in my glory with
the Zakuska table.

Oh, and for the caviar we served - we went totally anachronistic and used
"Cavi-Art" a vegan caviar - it was just for affect and it is surprisingly
"okay" and costs a heck of a lot less!

-S

On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 6:55 AM, Susan Lin <susanrlin at gmail.com> wrote:

> sorry, I do not often read email on the weekend.
>
> The term "zakuska" became popular as Stefan said in the late 1700 -
> 1800.  It was put out before the meal.  It could be a cold table or
> hot or a combination.
>
> As it was described by a Russian friend - it is the meal before the
> meal.  Full of little bites.
>
> I used it as a lunch/sideboard so hopefully there would still be room
> for dinner.
>
> I made all sorts of pickled things as well as soups and hot items.
> I'm happy to share the menu should anyone like.
>
> Shoshanna
>
> On 2/22/09, Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> wrote:
> > Bear replied to me with:
> > <<< What's a "Zakuska" table?
> > Stefan >>>
> >
> > It's a snack table or smorgasbord.  The word derives from the Russian
> > verb
> > "zakusit'," "to take a small bite."  It's unclear just when the practice
> > developed, but I suspect the modern Zakuska table dates from the 18th
> > Century when Russia began to embrace European modernity.
> >
> > Bear
> > ----------
> >
> > So is this more like a buffet? or a sideboard or something else?
> >
> > Shoshanna sounded like she did one during or in addition to a Russian
> > themed feast. So, Shoshanna, was this more like a tasting-table or a
> > sideboard? Both of which we've discussed here, or was it something else?
> >
> > Stefan
> >
> > In the FEASTS section of the Florilegium:
> > dayboards-msg     (62K)  2/20/08    SCA dayboards, middle-of-the-day
> > meals.
> > tasting-tabls-msg  (8K) 11/28/07    Introducing people to medieval
> > foods using
> >                                         food samples and tasting tables.
> > --------
> > THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
> >     Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas
> > StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
> > **** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>