Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking

“Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing” by Anya Von Bremzen

First of all this is a FANTASTIC book and probably deserves a longer, more detailed review..but I’m going to be lazy and just highly recommend it and give a brief description:

The author, born in the 1960s Soviet Union takes us on a journey through the 20^th century history of Russia and the Soviet Union using its food and the lives of her ancestors to illuminate several distinct periods. From the opulent last days of the Tsar, through famines, war, stagnation and eventual collapse. Von Bremzen and her mother emigrated to the US in the 1970s, and now they try and recreate the more famous or memorable dishes from each era. There are a lot of fascinating little details, facts and anecdotes in this book for anyone into history, Russia/The Soviet Union or just food. And yes, she even includes recipes at the back.