Russian Cuisine- Piroshki, Vodka, and a Hot Samovar

[My Good Babushka]

The Charcuterie of Gonterser Bock vol 7

Dragomirovsky was most ardently affectionate towards Saskia. The attention was at once unwelcome and embarrassing to Saskia. I had the unfortunate luck to share the narrow passenger car with them to Madame Lissikov's summer home. Saskia made her remarks shorter and more formal to each of Dragomirovsky's improprieties, and the young man grew ever more sullen. We made a very uncomfortable introduction at Madame L's. The women excused themselves to the kitchen and Dragomirovsky went down to the lake with Ivan and Maximov to see if it was stocked, and to look for tracks of boar and other wild game. Madame L. brought out the samovar and the mood began to lighten as we got to work preparing the piroshki. It had been so long since I'd had these flaky little meat pies and Madame L. had a special filling prepared with the white-fleshed mushrooms from the woods surrounding the lake. Our gossip and idle banter filled the afternoon and made the work light. Soon we had a large platter full of piping hot piroshki, and had moved on to the vodka. Dragomirovsky returned with a puppy to give to Saskia. The puppy, or perhaps the vodka, had softened Saskia and she said, "Oh, Dragomirovsky, you will have to train him for me and teach him amusing tricks."
Madame L. snickered behind her apron and said to me in an aside, "Dragomirovsky will be the one soon trained and accomplishing amusing tricks."

Piroshki Dough
one and a half cups flour
one and a half teaspoons salt
one quarter cup salted butter
half a cup of sour cream
a little milk

Sift flour and salt together. Cut in butter. Add sour cream a little at a time. Roll out and fold dough into thirds. Chill. Roll out thinly and cut into rounds. Add filling. Wet the ends with milk and pinch shut. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Try different (precooked!) meat fillings. Add minced onion, chopped egg, dill, anything you like.


If you like "flash fiction" very short narratives, and have a peculiar love of the culinary delights, you ought to come by my blog on Thursdays, when I feature the fantasy travel narrative/ cookbook- The Charcuterie of Gonterser Bock. It's at www.houseofkewpie.blogspot.com

I would also like the opinion of actual writers, since I'm more of a painter.