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.
Lavash is Armenian thin and soft flatbread, perhaps one of the thinnest flatbreads.
It is by far the most popular type of bread in Armenia and in the Caucasus region, and from there it made its way to Russia. It is nowadays very popular for various healthy wraps.
Lavash is also used at traditional fast-food takeaways: grilled chicken straight off the grill is quite often wrapped in lavash which immediately absorbs its spices and juices. But the most popular lavash fast-food is shawarma – grilled meat and chopped fresh vegetables wrapped with lavash. The wrap is then additionally toasted for a nice crust.
You can keep lavash in the freezer and thaw the necessary amount of layers right before consumption – it only takes a few minutes.
Ayran is a refreshing fermented diary drink made of yoghurt substance. This slightly fizzy sourish drink is a great thirst quencher.
It has made its way to Russia either from Turkic countries such as Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan or from the North Caucasus countries such as Armenia, where this drink is also very popular.
Ayran can give you an energy boost and revive you on a sweltering day. Try it and discover for yourself.
Kvass is a traditional Russian fermented beverage made from rye bread. Having been popular for many centuries, since Soviet times it became associated with yellow trailers selling it in hot summer days.
It is indeed a perfect refreshing drink when it’s hot outside being not too sweet and not too savoury. There is a small percentage of alcohol in kvass (0,5 – 0,8 per cent).
These days kvass is also manufactured and sold in plastic bottles and the growth of this market is leaping ahead of other beverages, especially in hot summer days. Despite the popularity of mass production, some people in search of “old good traditional kvass” brew the beverage at home which is quite easy using fermentation starter called “zakvaska”.
There are two types of kvass: normal drinking kvass, somewhat sweeter, and more savoury okroshka kvass. The latter is used for the cold soup “okroshka”.
Rose hips tea (shipovnik tea) is very popular in Russia for its refreshing taste and health benefits. It is especially popular during winter times to boost up immune system and not to fall a victim of a cold.
WHY IS ROSE HIPS TEA GOOD FOR YOU
Rose hips are particularly high in vitamin C content, it is one of the richest plant sources available. This is where the tangy taste comes from and this is why this tea is perfect to strengthen your immune system.
Rose hips also contain vitamins A and B, essential fatty acids and have antioxidant properties.
HOW TO MAKE ROSE HIPS TEA
Making shipovnik tea is very easy. All you need is dried rose hips (you can get them in Russian food stores), a vacuum flask, water and some time for the tea to brew. Mind that this is not an instant drink and infusing this will take about 7 hours.
Rinse a handful of rose hips, put into the vacuum flask and cover with boiled water. Infuse over night or for at least 7 hours, after which you can enjoy this healthy organic drink.
