EyebrarianPrize winnersGet the app

Books › Please to the Table

Cover of Please to the Table

Please to the Table

The Russian Cookbook

Anya Von Bremzen

First published 1990 · 688 pages

A spectacular, mouth-watering tour across eleven time zones, celebrating the abundant and diverse culinary heritage of the former Soviet republics.

Where to buyBooks like this

What it feels like

Reading this cookbook feels like embarking on a leisurely, abundant feast across eleven time zones. The mood is deeply hospitable and warm, inviting you to sit down and savor the astounding culinary diversity of the former Soviet republics. The prose is both authoritative and enthusiastic, blending practical recipes with evocative glimpses into regional markets and traditional kitchens. You are guided from the robust, comforting foods of the Baltics to the delicately perfumed dishes of Azerbaijan, experiencing a vast cultural heritage through the universal language of food. It is a deeply rewarding journey for adventurous home cooks and culinary enthusiasts who delight in discovering the heart and soul of a region through its little bites, hearty soups, and rich desserts.

Mood
  • warm
  • abundant
  • hospitable
  • nostalgic
Tone
  • informative
  • enthusiastic
  • inviting
  • authoritative
Pace
leisurely
Themes
culinary exploration · regional diversity · cultural heritage · the joy of sharing food
The writing
Descriptive and culturally grounded, blending practical instruction with evocative details of regional markets and traditional kitchens.
The arc
Moves from a sense of vast, unexplored culinary landscapes to an intimate, comforting appreciation of shared meals and regional traditions.
Who it's for
Home cooks and culinary historians eager to explore the rich, diverse, and comforting foodways of the former Soviet republics.

About the book

From the robust foods of the Baltic states to the delicately perfumed pilafs of Azerbaijan, from borscht and beef stroganoff to the grains and yogurts of Georgia, Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman take Westerners on a spectacular tour of the many and varied cuisines of the fifteen former Soviet republics.

Anya von Bremzen, a native Muscovite, grew up on regional cooking and has traveled extensively throughout the former Soviet Union, visiting professional chefs, touring markets, and sampling and gathering dishes. Covering eleven time zones and hundreds of recipes, Please to the Table brings to light the astounding culinary diversity of this corner of the world-and the similarities between the cuisines, too.

Here are Byelorussion Mushroom Croquettes, Armenian Stuffed Mussels, and dozens of other zakuski-the "little bites" that are the heart and soul of Russian meals. Soups from Armenian Lentil and Apricot Soup to Lithuanian Apple Soup with Apple Dumplings. Dozens of entrees including Uzbek Lamb Pilaf, Russian Salmon with Sorrel and Spinach, Azerbaijani Quail in Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce, Armenian Pumpkin Moussaka. And side dishes, salads, beverages, and desserts such as Russian Cranberry Mousse and an Almond and Pistachio Paklava. Plus vatrushki, pampushki, halushki, blinchiki, sirniki, and pirozhki. Winner of the 1990 James Beard Food and Beverage Book Award. Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club's Homestyle Books and the Better Homes & Gardens Family Book Service. 58,000 copies in print.

Priy.tnova Apetita-good appetite!

Description from Open Library.

Books like Please to the Table

See why they match