A quick translation! Anyone who can correct or clarify, please help.
Tsar’s Kitchen
Many countries were concerned about the safety of the products intended for Heads of State table. In ancient Rome, there was a special post for “food taster”who tried each dish that was supplied to the emperor. In pre-revolutionary Russia the preparation of food for the tsars traditionally ensured the safety of the suppliers by conducting tests.
After the edict of Paul I on the line of succession along the main line, palace coups ended. At the beginning of the administration of Nikolai I’s kitchen, although risk factor had of coups had lessened, there was still maintained the same attention by officials for the health of the tsar.
Under the office of the administrator was the sanitary and expense of the kitchens. The corps-pages waited at the table of Alexandr I. Waiters wore gloves and their loyalty was was checked. On 30 August, 1856 with the coronation of Aleksandr II, a new court rank was introduced - Ober-Forshneyder(?). He assisted with the chef(?) the dishes to the imperial table which was escorted by two officers of Kavalergardskogo regiment with broadswords and also the cooked meat and plates intended for the Imperial couple.
It is known that the products, supplied to the imperial table, were checked by the method of "chemical decomposition". In the fall of 1852 the court pharmacist Z. Lorenz reported to the court medical manager the products inspected by him were “completed without harmful health impurities”. In the spring of 1853, on the personal instruction of Nikolai I, all city stores that sold pikuli (small vegetables, marrionated in vinegar with spices), were to be sampled for conducting of chemical analyses.
Many problems arose with canned foods which had begun to enter into daily life. In 1863 head waiter Seger reported at Livadia that "the tin provisions proved to be largly unfit to use". At the end 1870s when the terrorist threat against the tsar increased, chemical research of products was conducted as a safety measure for the imperial family. Thus, in 1878 an order was added for the "study of vodka and candies".
Chefs along with all service personnel were not employed under the court department but hired on contract. Periodically this order was changed. The kitchen was transferred to the tight control of court department and long-term contracts were concluded with the suppliers. But this led only to an increase in abuses in the kitchen, and in 1852 changed so that the kitchen personnel were trained under the chefs. Up to 1917 the kitchen remained an independent subdivision of court, being subordinated to the head waiter.
In the Winter Palace (from end XVIII) several kitchens were used during different reigns. Since there were thousands of people working in the palace, the largest kitchens were located in the northeastern basement and first floors In the basement were stored products of water, coal, firewood, and servants quarters. The room names reflected their functional designation: Pastry, etc. Further along the Rastrelli Gallery, under the halls of the Military Gallery of Heroes of 1812 were located the rooms for the kitchen of Marie Feodorovna, wife of Paul 1, and the chefs followed from palace to palace with their master.
In December 1826 Nikolai I personally determined the size of the "food allowance" of each member of the imperial family which was 25 rubles in a 24 hour period. The children also were allowed 25 rubles, but out of this sum payment for food was deducted for their tutors. The same amount was used for guests of the family. It was significant for those times that the Tsar would require of the head waiter that "the food would be the best with the allowable allowance”. Thus alcohol was the answer. Although Nikolai I did not drink much, he did not limit the quantity served. Thus three ladies-in-waiting consumed in 17 days 36 bottles of various labels and 15 bottles of beer.
On 26 October, 1833 “the decrease in the food allowance and the rise of prices" marked the beginning of a more economical time for the imperial court. Dinner included: soup, patties, cold, seasoned beef, fish sauce, poulty sauce, vegetables, hot, milk or bread jelly or cream. The new menu proposed included 8 changes (dishes): soup, patties, seasoned beef, fish sauce, poulty sauce, hot, milk or bread jelly or cream. One less dish also was served for supper. Earlier there were three changes: soup, cold, fish sauce. Since 1841 the soup, fish sauce or instead of it cold fish, dessert, fruits were served in the rooms of the on-duty officials.
The usual daily practice was the use of gold (?) on which the china dishes were placed. The imperial table differed only with the desserts of fruits which were fresh from the Ropsha hothouses. Yelisevev was the fruit merchant supplier and dairy products came from the Elagin and Tsarskoe Selo dairy farms. For safety reasons, the milk was transported in bottles covered by ice and then stored in the ice house. Milk was also bought from other suppliers.
To be continued:
