Thread: weird Russian delicacy

Originally Posted by russkayalove

I was kidding , there's no way I would tell her that! I think not finishing it will say enough anyways. There's been some, well, different things I've eaten there, which I will just eat anyways, like okroshka, but the cow tounge was too much for me. I guess it's an aquired taste.

Окрошка is weird but delicious .
It's my personal favorite for hot summer days.

I ate some cold "fishy" stuff in a clear glaze sauce last week. It was brown and shredded looking. I did not realize that it was a fish dish untill I put it to my lips but as soon as I did "it like freaked me out man". It was powerfull and pungient, I won't try that again. Does anyone have any ideas on what it may have been?.....I mean I would not want to make that mistake twice.

Originally Posted by DDT

I ate some cold "fishy" stuff in a clear glaze sauce last week. It was brown and shredded looking. I did not realize that it was a fish dish untill I put it to my lips but as soon as I did "it like freaked me out man". It was powerfull and pungient, I won't try that again. Does anyone have any ideas on what it may have been?.....I mean I would not want to make that mistake twice.

Hmm not sure what it is... What kind of fish was in there?

But I bet you wouldn't like селедку под шубой ( mainly herrings + beets) either

You can imagine how easy it is for russians to eat sushi, raw fish or oysters after that

Don't know what kind of fish. I ask someone what it was when I see them next week.

Nice pictures!

speaking of okroshka, it seems like I'm the only one who thinks this..... doesn't kvas taste like prune juice?

Originally Posted by russkayalove

speaking of okroshka, it seems like I'm the only one who thinks this..... doesn't kvas taste like prune juice?

Well, the real kvas is
a) not sweet but sour and just lightly sweet
b) not carbonated
c) made from roasted rye bread and special kind of natural yeast, not from some kind of concentrate

I only know the one place where I can buy such a fresh "live" kvas ( i.e. with fermentation process not stopped ) in SF bay area. And kvas there it is not very cheap.

All other bottled and carbonated brands of kvas available in US are closer to a root beer unfortunately

yea, the kvas I've tried comes in a plastic soda bottle, but its not carbonated. I don't think It's real kvas.

Hey, does anyone know about this ?

About 20 years ago my grandfather served up this strange, cold stuff, he said it was a Russian tea...can't remember what he called it.

It was made in a bucket which had water with this fungal "culture" floating on top, about the size of a plate.

It tasted mildly sweet.

It may have been "home brew" kvas with the soggy fermenting bread being the floaty stuff.

Originally Posted by JenTheSquirrel

Hey, does anyone know about this ?
About 20 years ago my grandfather served up this strange, cold stuff, he said it was a Russian tea...can't remember what he called it.
It was made in a bucket which had water with this fungal "culture" floating on top, about the size of a plate.
It tasted mildly sweet.

It could be kambucha tea. We called it china tea.

http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kmi/KColony.html
http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/
http://w3.trib.com/~kombu/

Where I'm from we make a drink called скромпи. It's a bit like cider, but is so strong it can knock you off your feet. (Judging by others, you all remember I'm teatotal). BTW, cider is сидр in Russian but the village I'm from has a rather peculiar local form of that word - зойдер. I think if Jasper was around he'd be pleasantly surprised.

Originally Posted by JenTheSquirrel

Hey, does anyone know about this ?

About 20 years ago my grandfather served up this strange, cold stuff, he said it was a Russian tea...can't remember what he called it.

It was made in a bucket which had water with this fungal "culture" floating on top, about the size of a plate.

It tasted mildly sweet.

It is called "гриб".

Originally Posted by Propp

Originally Posted by JenTheSquirrel

Hey, does anyone know about this ?

About 20 years ago my grandfather served up this strange, cold stuff, he said it was a Russian tea...can't remember what he called it.

It was made in a bucket which had water with this fungal "culture" floating on top, about the size of a plate.

It tasted mildly sweet.

It is called "гриб".

Или "чайный гриб". А еще бывает кефирный гриб, который, соответственно, перерабатывает молоко в кефир (kefir).