Russian Celebration Food

The Russians like nothing more than an excuse to celebrate. When they do, it usually includes a wonderful array of food.

The coming of spring is celebrated with 'blini' (pancakes), Easter with 'kulich' and 'paskha', New Year with elaborate cakes (torts) and champagne. Many of the regilious celebrations also have their own traditional foods.

Christmas

As a religious celebration, Christmas was discouraged by the Communists and so it all but died out. It was officially reinstated after the fall of the Soviet Union. It is celebrated on the 7th of January, according to the Julian calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Julian calendar runs two weeks behind the western Gregorian Calendar.

Whilst religion is experiencing a resurgence in Russia, Christmas still remains a very low key christian celebration, with more emphasis placed on elaborate New Year festivities.

New Year - Novi Gord

All the traditions we associate with a western Christmas are attached to the Russian celebration of New Year - decorated Christmas Trees, or 'yolka', Father Christmas or Ded Maroz (Father Frost) and Snegorichka (Snow Maiden). Gifts and tables loaded with food await friends and family.

Easter

Traditionally Russian Easter celebrations feature two dishes; paskha and kulich. Both are time consuming to make but for many Russian cooks they are extremely important and steeped in family tradition.

Paskha is made from tvorog, a soft dry cheese like quark, and is filled with dried fruit. It is made in a pyramid shaped mould and inscribed with the cyrillic letters 'XB' for 'Christos Voskres' - 'Christ is Risen'.

Accompanying paskha is kulich, a tall cylindrical yeast cake also filled with dried fruit. The top is covered with red icing which is allowed to pour down the sides, or decorated with a red rose to represent the blood of Christ. The side of the kulich can also carry the inscription 'XB'.