SCIENCES

Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing

by Anya von Bremzen
Crown. Sept. 2013. 352p. photos. notes. ISBN 9780307886811. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780307886835. COOKING
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While the title suggests a massive volume of recipes, this work is actually a memoir of life in Soviet Russia. The book is subdivided by decade, and von Bremzen (contributing editor, Travel + Leisure; The New Spanish Table) weaves her own memories together with stories from her grandmother and mother, beginning in 1910. The common denominator—and recurring touchstone—is food. The author vividly describes foods such as the kulebiaka, a towering pastry of fish, rice, and mushrooms, and salat Olivier, a French chef's extravagant creation that underwent a Soviet reformation, swapping carrots for crayfish and chicken for grouse and putting potatoes and canned peas at the forefront before the entire dish was smothered in mass-produced mayonnaise. Von Bremzen concludes with nine recipes.
VERDICT A poignant history of everyday life in Soviet Russia and the author's personal journey to the United States, this volume is more likely to appeal to history buffs looking for a personal account than to foodies seeking a guidebook. For Russian cooking, see von Bremzen's James Beard Award-winning Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook.
Reviewed by Rosemarie Lewis, Georgetown Cty. Lib., SC , Sep 15, 2013
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