Russian cooking masterclass

In collaboration with Chefdate, Russian Tour offers you a masterclass of Russian cuisine in in which you will discover the passions of the Russian people, and enjoy the pleasures of local traditions and traditional dishes. What could be better than to dive into the kitchen of a country to learn about its culture and traditions? Chef David makes his passion and experience evident in his fun Russian cooking lessons, providing valuable advices to enable you to try these recipes at home. Together with his staff, he will accompany you on a tasty journey into Russian culture through food. Not a typical tourist menu meal but a practical demonstration with descriptions of authentic Russian dishes.

The masterclass takes place in St. Petersburg. A full menu will be offered and you can learn how to prepare authentic Siberian Pelmeni, or learn about the history of Borsh, or discover the secrets of Beef Stroganov and many other classic dishes. You will taste the dishes you have prepared yourself, under the guidance of the kitchen chefs. You will be assisted by a highly qualified staff in a professional and elegant atmosphere. The masterclass is recommended for those who want to try something unique linked to the enjoyment of excellent food, accompanied by a delightful experience. It is perfect for team building or simply for enjoyment with friends or family. Participants are provided with aprons, gloves and everything else they need to be able to work, as well as a recipe book of prepared dishes. Upon request you may choose a vegetarian menu, vegan menu, or gluten-free.

A few examples of Russian cuisine tasting menus:

• Tastes of classic appetizers, a selection of hot dishes, dessert and vodka! Duration 1-2 hours. Recommended for brunch, aperitifs and as the beginning of the perfect St. Petersburg experience.
• Open classroom lunch menu: two dishes prepared by the chef, one by you! Duration 2 hours. Recommended as a high-level lunch that can be combined perfectly with excursions or visits to the historic center.
• Dinner masterclass menu: all dishes will be cooked by you, but you can also just enjoy the atmosphere in total relaxation without having to "dirty your hands!". Duration 3-4 hours.

Water, tea and customary fruit drinks are included. Alcoholic beverages are not included, but there is always a corner bar with bartenders ready to serve you upon request, with direct payment for the drink at the time of service.

Typical Russian dishes that can be included in the menu:

Seledka pod shuboy or pod vodku

Herring under a fur coat or simply "shuba" is a popular salad in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Around the mid-1970s, this salad became a traditional dish for the holidays and especially for the New Year. According to the original recipe, the herring fillets are cut into small pieces, spread on a plate and then covered with layers of boiled potatoes, boiled carrots, cooked and grated beets. The herring can also be accompanied by a small glass of vodka, in the "seledka pod vodku" appetizer.

Olivier salad

Probably the most popular salad In Russia, it owes its name to the French chef who invented it in Moscow in the mid-19th century: Lucien Olivier. These are the ingredients: boiled potatoes, boiled meat, cooked carrots, boiled eggs, cucumbers, peas, diced and mixed with mayonnaise.

Borsch

Borsh is probably the most famous Russian soup. It is based on beetroot and accompanied by supplementary ingredients, which vary according to culinary tradition; they can be vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, onions or tomatoes, with optional additions of mushrooms and meat (chicken, pork or beef).

Pelmeni

Pelmeni is a first course based on stuffed pasta, similar to our ravioli. Dumplings of Russian and Kazakh cuisine that consist of a filling (which can range from pork, lamb or beef) wrapped in thin, unleavened dough, served with butter and / or sour cream (smetana).

Stroganoff fillet

The ultimate meat dish based on bite sized pieces of beef sautéed with champignon mushrooms and onions in a smetana(sour cream) based sauce, which perfectly blends all the ingredients. From its origins in the 19th century in Russia, it has become popular all over the world, with significantly varied recipes based on geography and other factors, such as the cut of meat and seasonings selected, compared to the original recipe.

Blini with caviar or sweets

The famous Russian blini are a kind of pancake made with flour, egg and salt. There are so many variations depending on the filling, the savory version can be accompanied by cheese, ham, meat, caviar, smetana, the sweet one is typically presented with jam, sugar icing, nutella, honey or condensed milk.

Medovik

Medovik is a honey cake spread throughout the former Soviet Union. It is a dessert made up of several layers of honey biscuit, interspersed with mascarpone cream and condensed milk which must be left to rest in the refrigerator before being consumed. Over time the biscuit layers will absorb the cream and soften, becoming deliciously soft.

Vatrushka

With a 1000 year old recipe, vatrushka is the earliest dessert in the Russian culinary tradition, already present in the kitchens of ancient Slavic tribes. It is a pastry (pirog) formed as a ring of dough with quark in the middle, suitable for both savory and sweet toppings, typically preferred sweet, stuffed with sweetened ricotta or cottage cheese, jam or condensed milk, sometimes with the addition of raisins or bits of fruit..

Sirniki

Sirniki are fried pancakes with egg and flour, typical of Russian, Belarusian, Lithuanian and Ukrainian cuisine. They are similar to Oladi and they are usually fried in oil but according to some recipes they should be cooked in the oven. The peculiarity of the recipe is that the tvorog(russian ricotta or cottage cheese) must be carefully pressed and sieved or blended to obtain a delicious, creamy mixture. The most famous sirniki are simple ones and with raisins but also those with other fillings, such as carrots, dried apricots, apples, pears, walnuts and potatoes are popular.