Kitchen Travels - Little Foodies Russia

Yippeee - it's half term and though I'd planned picnics and lots of gorgeous summery type food this week I'm really pleased we're doing Russia as it's rainy and cold and we need more warming foods! I also now know why Little chose Russia. Children are very impressed by size, which is why they think it's a compliment when they tell you (or more embarrassingly other people) what an enormous bottom/tummy you have. They can then look hurt and confused when you announce that you're taking all their toys away and they'll have to earn them back by saying nice things every day for the rest of their lives! Do I sound like I've ever been told my bottom is big by my beloved children? Actually, I could have told them that but being pear shaped I don't think it reflects my overall size.... Children eh? Must teach them what you can and can't say to ladies..

Anyway I digress, Russia was chosen because it's the biggest country in the world. We've learned a few words. I think they're a bit young to be learning about the full on political history of Russia so we'll now be sticking with facts and figures, and of course the food.

We had Poached Organic English Eggs on Russian (rye style) Bread for breakfast yesterday. Debate ensued but we finally agreed they have eggs in Russia and must surely poach them sometimes. The bread was not homemade it was Organic Rossisky from The Village Bakery Melmerby (not our village just the name of the company who makes it). Written on the bag it came in, it says 'Russian-inspired rye bread based on sourdough from historic Kostroma on the Volga river'. So I now have to find out where Kostroma is and the Volga river. Sometimes ignorance is bliss! The bread went down well with the eggs though they didn't like the taste of it on it's own. Their preferred way to eat it was toasted with butter and jam. That threw up requests for more.

The boys devoured the beef stoganoff. Thankfully we weren't too greedy and had left plenty for them. Can't wait for the rest of the week. I've been checking out all sorts of websites but the waytorussia.net and russianfoods.com seem to have most things we'll need. This week we'll be having - Borsch(t) - beetroot soup, Chicken Kiev, Syrniki (cottage cheese & semolina flour patties that you fry and have as a dessert). We might also make the little filled pastries which seem to have several different names. The one thing the boys will not be having are the pickled vegetables as neither of them seem to like vinegar - shame as H and I love them.

VEG PATCH NEWS - It's coming along great, though with all the warm weather and then lots of rain I think it's maybe doing too well. A little overcrowding might be going on. I dare not mention this again... though if you're reading this my love I think the carrots could definitely do with being thinned out....