Goodness I never noticed this thread!
My mother was half Russian and we were fed on wonderful Russian fare as kiddle-winks! Actually we have continued the tradition and the next generation go mad for piroshki in particular...though they are IMHO an absolute pain to make...as one always seems to have to make an a massive amount of the things, and they are always gone in minutes!
Kasha with everything....we used to joke when little, that we would happily live on Kasha forever.....try to get the roasted version if possible...or pre-roast it in the oven then fry it in butter and cover with hot water simmer gently until it fluffs up and then throw it in a hot oven to bake... lavishly dotted with knobs of salted butter and a good dose of ground sea salt...it is heaven...... considering it was regarded as peasant food in Russia....I wouldn't have minded subsisting on Kasha permanently!
Golubtsi is another yummy dish as is Borscht though my absolute favourite are Cutleti....I make them with veal which I know is terribly un-'pc'... but goodness are they scrumptious! My great grand parents used to have them served by tradition after an evening at the opera....I do not know why this was a tradition!!
