Maslenitsa
2012
When: 20th February - 26th of February, 2012
Maslenitsa:
Shrovetide, Butter Week, Cheesfare Week or Russian Pancake Week
The Maslenitsa
festival signals the end of winter and the coming of spring. It is also part of the pre-Lenten
celebrations, leading up to the time of fasting when in the Orthodox tradition,
meat and dairy (butter, eggs, milk) would be forbidden.
The most
characteristic food of Maslenitsa is blini-
Russian pancakes. They symbolize the sun and often served round and
golden. They are made from the rich foods allowed before the start of lent.
Blini are prepared hundreds of ways.
Made buckwheat flour, white flour, or cornmeal, Blini are given to friends and family. They may be sweet or savory and are topped
with caviar, mushrooms, jam, sour cream, and lots of butter. Meat filled Blini,
are rolled and folded often with beef and mushroom fillings. One of the best meals I ate in Russia was meat
filled Blinis.
Maslenitsa
Blini Pancake
Recipe for
Russian Blini with Beef or Mushrooms
Labels: events, international adoption, Recipes and Food, Russian adoptions, Russian Holidays
