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EveryParampara

Zakuski

The cold appetisers that start a Russian feast, set out before the vodka is poured.

A pattern drawn for this page, not a picture of Zakuski.

Also: zakuska

Zakuski are the small cold dishes set on a Russian table before the main course: pickled cucumbers and mushrooms, salted herring, smoked fish, salads such as olivier, cold meats, blini with caviar, black bread and butter. They are eaten with vodka, in a series of toasts, and a host who provides plenty of zakuski is thought generous. The word means bites to go with a drink. A feast may stay at the zakuski stage for an hour or more before the hot dishes come. They are served at New Year and birthdays, and a good table covers every corner, with plates replenished as guests eat.

Region: Europe

See also

SamovarName dayBanya

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