Ancient Russian Holiday of Spring - Maslenitsa - Begins Soon, Even Though Winter Hasn’t Left Yet
Moscow is getting ready to say farewell to winter. The most copious holiday of Maslenitsa is beginning tomorrow. The guests will taste hundreds of different blini from the traditional to the exotic ones. You'll be able not only to eat but also to cook them. The failed blini are still going to be used.
Olga Turchaninova has the details.
Special report: Maslenitsa.
A classic recipe: milk, eggs, and flour. But what happens next at Anastasia's kitchen will surprise anyone who's ever eaten blini. A lump? Perfect. Burnt? Even better.
Anastasia Dubach, artist: "It'll be useful for the cooks who always burn their blini. Instead of throwing them out, they could be used to make an art piece and hang it on the wall."
Every crust tone is welcome. Blini are becoming a masterpiece, not just culinary but also decorative. Blini dry out quickly so they must be put on the canvas as soon as possible. One can even have a quick snack. It's not just beautiful but also tasty. Blini turn into a portrait of a girl — the symbol of spring. The piece is 100% edible except for the darkest parts. Anastasia plans to cook even more original blini for her guests.
Restaurants follow the decorative trend as well. Everybody wants some color. Red, green, yellow, and even black. Cooks depart from the traditional recipes and add color to their blini. The key ingredients are natural dyes that could be found in every refrigerator: Beets will make them red spinach — green carrots and turmeric — orange. Only the black squid ink will make you go shopping. But it's worth it.
Gayane Breiova, restaurateur: "I'm playing with the color. It's important that the dish looks bright and happy. But if you want your blini to have a deep flavor you just need to add more freshly squeezed juice".
Those who prefer the traditional cuisine can go to the oldest blini restaurant in Moscow. It's more than 500 years old but technologies, recipes and the taste haven't changed. The batter is cooked in a special way. It must rest for a long time to become tender and mushy. There are some other important elements as well.
Alexandra Asokina, cook: "It's not like we have some secret recipe. Perhaps it all depends on the atmosphere and your feelings when you mix the batter".
This cook has no feelings at all but the result is always perfect. A blinobot at the VDNKh cooks, feeds, and entertains.
Blini of all sizes and colors made according to some amazing recipes will be cooked at the Moscow Maslenitsa Festival. It's opening tomorrow. 25 venues of the city will host outdoor parties, games, and treats just like in the old times. The farewell to winter will be pompous, bright, and copious.
Olga Turchaninova, Nikolay Lavrukhin, and Alexander Markin-Nagayev Vesti.