Russian Delight: A Cookbook of the Soviet Peoples w. Borscht, Givech, Lamb Plov & more -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

Vintage Cookbook: Russian Delight: A Cookbook of the Soviet Peoples, V. V. Pokhlebkin

Publication Details: Pan Books, 1984

The only thing that is unfortunate about this exceptional and fascinating cookbook is its English language title that implies that it is about "Russian" cuisine. While Russian cuisine is certainly a part of the book, it has so much more than that. In fact, it is one of the most diverse and multicultural cookbooks I have yet to come across.

Russian Delight is actually a look at the various national cuisines that existed across the entire Soviet Union and its fifteen republics. This cuisine was as varied as one would imagine given that it encompasses dishes from places such as Estonia, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, etc.

The book was first published in the USSR in 1978 and then translated into English in 1984.

It has so much to offer that it is really a must to track down for anyone interested in regional cooking, food history or the Soviet Union. Dishes and recipes from every republic are featured as is an introductory overview to each one going into its background, the features of it, the specific ingredients more favoured in each, different techniques and other aspects. 

I have already made some dishes from the book and posted them on The Left Chapter with Moldavian Barbecued Chicken and Georgian Beef Chakhokhbili. I have plans to make more.

Today we are going to look at at least one dish from each republic. I have tried to make it interesting and different with dishes like Stuffed Pig's Stomach from Belarus, Herring with Sour Cream from Estonia and Beetroot Mkhali from Georgia.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Russia

Ukraine

Byelorussia (Belarus)

Moldavia

Georgia

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakh and Kirgiz Cuisine

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic 1986: Photos, Culture, Economy, History & more -- Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union Series

In the mid-1980s the Soviet press agency Novosti released a series of small books looking the USSR's 15 republics. Each book dealt with a republic's history, culture, development, industry, agriculture, etc. They provide a fascinating look at the Soviet Union's accomplishments and plans. The series was known as the "Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union".

Over the coming months we will be taking a look at these books and the republics. The books will be slightly edited for length and repetition in some cases and the photographs and illustrations will be dispersed more evenly throughout the text.

In our two most recent posts in the series we looked at the Armenian and Azerbaijan SSRs in 1987. Written by journalist Mikhail Shimansky, this booklet looks at the Byelorussian SSR in 1986.

This installment begins with an overview of Byelorussian history and geography and then details the remarkable development and growth of the republic in the wake of the terrible devastation of the war and the Nazi occupation.

The people of Byelorussia endured unimaginable brutality and fascist depravity. Here one of the most infamous massacres, the slaughter of the inhabitants of the village of Khatyn, is looked at as well the monuments raised in its memory. One of the greatest accomplishments of Soviet socialism was the rapid rebuilding of cities, factories and the economy in the wake of what the Soviets called the Great Patriotic War. This recovery has few parallels in history given the scope of the destruction and the loss of so many citizens. The Byelorussian SSR saw nearly one-third of its population killed -- over 2,200,000 people. As is noted "Byelorussia's human losses were more than double the USSR's average and greater than in any of the 61 countries which fought in the Second World War."

Among other things profiled is the gigantic Minsk Tractor Factory that we looked at before in our post:  The Minsk Tractor Plant USSR 1970s  - Technology, International Ties and Lives of the Workers

Also notable is the look at the Berezina Biosphere Reserve as well as at the traditional folk art of the rushnik and the photo of the Yalinka puppet theatre. 

(click on scans to enlarge)

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