Tushonka is canned braised meat. Hearty food which with a very long shelf live (up to several years). In Soviet Russia it was a part of military ration, and it is now popular among tourists, geologists, archaeologists, mountain-climbers, solders and bachelors. Unlike in Spam or Luncheon meat, it is not pinky substance of processed meats, but rather pulled apart beef, pork – actual meat. It has a distinct flavor of pepper and bay leaf, and these days people sometimes crave this food as a fond memory from the past. Tushonka is present in almost every store and is a source for quick and budget-friendly protein. It can be mixed with potatoes for a lazy dinner or used in a staple dish Makarony po-flotski (Marine pasta).
Ajika or Adjika is a Georgian-Abhaz hot spicy paste with rich herbal flavour. It is made from red or green hot peppers, salt and herbs (such as coriander, fenugreek, celery, parsley, dill, basil, bay leaf, satureja , marjoram, pepper mint and paprika: people of Caucasus know their herbs!
It is the rich selection of herbs that gives adjika unique piquant flavour which can add an interesting twist to a lot of meals:
It gives a sharp and subtle herbal edge to all meat dishes. You can also marinade your meat in a mix with adjika and vegetable oil. A dollop of this dip next to the mash potatoes can give you a fantastic new perspective on the dish. Some people serve it as a cold snack spreading a small amount over tomatoes and sprinkling fresh chopped herbs. Another way to eat ajika is to slice and bake courgette, spread a little amount of the sauce with chopped fresh herbs and let infuse for a few minutes.
Who will like adjika: Adjika is a very spicy condiment, so naturally it will find its fans among those who like their meal to be an experience of hot flavours. Most likely those people who like Indian and Thai cuisine and like Tabasco and sambal olek will appreciate the rich hot flavours of adjika.
Borodinsky bread is one of the most popular bread in Russia and some former USSR countries. This dark brown sourdough rye bread has soft and moist texture, and is characterized by its distinctive flavour. Molasses, rye malt and coriander used in baking give the loaf its rich aroma and herby taste with slightly sweet notes.
The name of the bread has a reference to Borodino – a village around which a battle took place between Napoleon and the Russian army in 19 century. Despite the fact that baking of this bread on a production scale started in 1933, urban legends still try to connect the origin of the bread with this battle of Borodino.
So there is a story the widow of General Alexandr Tuchkov who perished in the battle, established a convent. Mourning for her beloved husband she was finding a relief in baking, and together with the convent nuns she created the recipe of the bread. The coriander seeds were thus a symbol of grapeshot.
The recipe of bread with coriander seeds can indeed be found in 19 century, but since the production and the name of the bread appeared in the 20 century, the above romantic story can be perhaps discarded as a case of folk etymology.
Borodinsky bread can be enjoyed on its own or with some butter, and is a great compliment for soups. It can also accompany meals that use eggs – sunny side up fried eggs or various sandwiches with eggs and salmon. Another interesting combination is having a piece of Borodinsky bread with herring butter.
Semolina groat is a flour-like product made from wheat during the milling process. It has small white grains and it is used to make porridges or sweet dishes.
This product is very popular in Russia and semolina porridge is often given to children for their breakfast. It goes great with a piece of butter and jam or fresh berries for example blueberries, raspberries or strawberries. All you need to do is to boil it with milk, adding some sugar and a pinch of salt, and mixing throughout the cooking process to prevent lumps as it gets thicker. Serve your semolina porridge with a piece of butter and jam or berries of your choice. You can also check our more detail recipe of Semolina porridge.
It is often used in baking – for cakes or to powder baking forms. Semolina can also be used instead of breadcrumbs- mix some semolina with salt and seasoning and dredge a piece of meat or fish the way you do it with the breadcrumbs. You will get a juicy meal with a crunchy crust.
Doktorskaya bologna sausage (orignial name – Doktorskaya kolbasa) is a chunky pinky spongy sausage with smooth taste and texture. It is made of beef and pork mixture and flavoured with nutmeg. Kolbasa is usually eaten as a snack with a piece of white bread (basic Russian sandwich) and a cup of tea. It can be used in various more complicated sandwiches, including hot sandwiches. In modern cuisine, it can be used for finger food canapé, if cut into cubes and combines with other ingeriends, such as olives and cheese, all pierced with a toothpick.
Doktorskaya bologna is quite often used in a popular version of Olivier salad (called as Russian salad in many countries of the world). Also, Russian bologna sausage can be fried with eggs for breakfast.
