The foods they made you try.....and you liked!

[baron555 934]

Time to start of new lively thread:

Last month before Alla left for her hometown for a month-long vacation, as we had a long Skype session, we began to talk about what foods we both like.

She stated that she really like Kefir. No Problem, we have that here, also in many flavors.

(After a brief session of "No Understand?" She pronounced it "ke-FEAR" and it took me a few seconds to intrepret that as "KEE-fir". Reminds me of the time she was talking about her friend's fiance (K-1 also and no NOA2 after 5 months!). Genia's fiance is from pa-NAM-a. Oh, I get it, PAN-a-ma. Isn't communicating wonderful!!??)

The other thing she loves, and makes herself is "Home Cheese". After sending her a bunch of links to Russian cheeses offered in the specialty stores around Chicago, we both figured out she was talking about Tvorog.

I have found a couple of recipes on the Internet and I told her I would try to make some and see how it turns out.

I know I WILL HAVE TO LIKE home cheese!!!

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

I have enjoyed all of the requisite items like palmeny(sp), posni, borsch, cabbage rolls(not like my Polish grandmother made but similar).

Lena slices a beef roast and bakes it with slices of potatoes covered in mayo, sour cream and onion, very tasty. We have made variations with salmon and she tried to do it with my homemade kielbasa(but I told her my grandmother whos recipe it is would send me to hell if I did that to it) instead we cook them seperately.

Lena also discovered making cakes and breads which is why I cant seem to loose any weight.

[Steve S 2]

Borsch! I never liked beets, never tried beetroot before. I tried Irina's recipe and it was mighty tasty, topped with some smetana. I also tried to make okroshka, and it was only fair -- I don't think my version did this dish justice. Lastly, we made Salad Olivier together and it was delicious.

Now, I need to get her turned on to some essentials like peanut butter, and guacamole.

[slim 1,525]

My wife was always asking me where this "more sick and juicy, creamy milk" was here in the U.S. I had no idea what she was talking about and directed her to the dairy case and she tried buttermilk, 1/2 and 1/2, whole milk, yogurt drinks, all kinds of stuff before she finally found the Kefir. (And yes, it's ke-FEAR here also.)

I do not like this stuff. Although, with a little Nestle Quick and some Vodka - it's not half bad!

The other item that's a staple here (other than your standard beets and borsch BS) that we couldn't figure out was kind of like dulce de leche or boiled condensed milk. If you take a can of condensed milk and boil it for a few minutes, you basically get caramel and it's great for blini or whatever.

I do not like that stuff either, but it's not bad on blini or when mixed with chocolate. (and Vodka!)

As far as foods she's had me try that I liked - the only thing I really care for is the meat and potatoes stuff with the big ol' leaves in it. You can't go wrong with meat, potatoes, mayo, sour cream, etc. The only veggies I'll possibly eat are onions and garlic and I don't know if those are officially even veggies. So, the only "Russian" stuff that I eat that she makes is along the lines of pilmeni, bliini, that meat stuff, and chocolate vodka. Oh, and chicken. Everyone loves chicken!

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

My wife was always asking me where this "more sick and juicy, creamy milk" was here in the U.S. I had no idea what she was talking about and directed her to the dairy case and she tried buttermilk, 1/2 and 1/2, whole milk, yogurt drinks, all kinds of stuff before she finally found the Kefir. (And yes, it's ke-FEAR here also.)

I do not like this stuff. Although, with a little Nestle Quick and some Vodka - it's not half bad!

The other item that's a staple here (other than your standard beets and borsch BS) that we couldn't figure out was kind of like dulce de leche or boiled condensed milk. If you take a can of condensed milk and boil it for a few minutes, you basically get caramel and it's great for blini or whatever.

I do not like that stuff either, but it's not bad on blini or when mixed with chocolate. (and Vodka!)

As far as foods she's had me try that I liked - the only thing I really care for is the meat and potatoes stuff with the big ol' leaves in it. You can't go wrong with meat, potatoes, mayo, sour cream, etc. The only veggies I'll possibly eat are onions and garlic and I don't know if those are officially even veggies. So, the only "Russian" stuff that I eat that she makes is along the lines of pilmeni, bliini, that meat stuff, and chocolate vodka. Oh, and chicken. Everyone loves chicken!

I agree you can never get enough chicken. We cook a whole chicken slow on the grill with an herb rub, its awesome. Lena has discovered she loves anything on the grill, Im not sure if its because she likes the taste or doesnt have to cook, my dirty scrambled eggs(or broken omlet), homemade kielbasa, she loves the steak here, and her new favorite ice cream.

[AKguy 1]

Pickled Garlic cloves trumped anything I ate over there.

I liked a lot of the food I ate, though I can't remember many of the names without asking her for help.

[Tnic 5]

Kifir and that jellied meat stuff was about the only thing (besides all the fish) that turned me off.

Okroska, Borsh (hot and cold), cold is like okroshka but with borsh in a jar from the grocery store. Pelmeni, perogi, ok pretty much everything else I love and can't get enough.

Irina and all our friends love my shashlik. In fact tonight it was bachelor night as three of us have our women in Russia right now with me the only American man. Mamuka and Pasha couldn't stop eating the marinated steaks and kutleti I made and grilled for us. They brought the piva and we had a great time and now I have a fridge full of beer and plenty of leftovers to keep me in feed for a few days.

[slim 1,525]

Lena has discovered she loves anything on the grill, Im not sure if its because she likes the taste or doesnt have to cook,

I posted a new grillin' pic over on my MySpace page. We like the BBQ here too. http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?...mageID=61866130

Irina and all our friends love my shashlik.

Hey, I love my shashlik too, but you don't see me braggin about how all our friends get involved here on VJ. You usually need a password for that kind of thing!

[Brad and Vika 129]

Thanks Baron555 for starting a positive thread about this stuff.

1) Shashlik

2) Variety of Ukrainian sausages

3) Borsch and Salyanka

4) Variety of Piva

5) Pilmeni and Galupsi

[amberdima 6]

Thanks Baron555 for starting a positive thread about this stuff.

1) Shashlik

2) Variety of Ukrainian sausages

3) Borsch and Salyanka

4) Variety of Piva

5) Pilmeni and Galupsi

one of the first russian statements i learned was "ya hachoo peet piva." (p.s. i spelled it like it sounds)

[Brad and Vika 129]

Thanks Baron555 for starting a positive thread about this stuff.

1) Shashlik

2) Variety of Ukrainian sausages

3) Borsch and Salyanka

4) Variety of Piva

5) Pilmeni and Galupsi

one of the first russian statements i learned was "ya hachoo peet piva." (p.s. i spelled it like it sounds)

My favorite Belorussian beer is called Lidaskaya (from Lida). Have you tried it? Ask Dima about it if not.

[amberdima 6]

My favorite Belorussian beer is called Lidaskaya (from Lida). Have you tried it? Ask Dima about it if not.

he said it's cheap, but good. his mom used to work in a liquor warehouse so he was able to try this and many other beers.

[Brad and Vika 129]

My favorite Belorussian beer is called Lidaskaya (from Lida). Have you tried it? Ask Dima about it if not.

he said it's cheap, but good. his mom used to work in a liquor warehouse so he was able to try this and many other beers.

I like the darker variety. Can't name it though, as they use beer density (rather than color or alcohol content) to identify different kinds of beer if I recall. There is also a brew pub in Minsk (the Beaver I think) near the Botanical Gardens and all those pizzaa joints, that makes a pretty good micro. Stay away from the live beer though.

[mendeleev 68]

When I met my wife, I had been vegetarian for over 25 years.

Her borscht put an end to that!

[slim 1,525]

one of the first russian statements i learned was "ya hachoo peet piva." (p.s. i spelled it like it sounds)

That may be one of the first statements we all learned!