Taste of Russia
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Russian ‘Olivier’? Why Russia’s most popular salad has a French name - Taste of Russia Ep.1
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Food for warriors: Making ‘Kulesh’ in a WWII field kitchen - Taste of Russia Ep.2
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Suffering for soup: The secret of authentic ‘ukha’ - Taste of Russia Ep.3
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Bugs Bunny’s worst nightmare: Rabbit on the menu - Taste of Russia Ep.4
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Dumpling dilemma: Making perfect pelmeni from scratch - Taste of Russia Ep.5
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Cuisine of Tolstoy’s times: Forshmak, baked apples, and prostovkvasha - Taste of Russia Ep.6
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Belevskaya pastila & Zephyr: Favourite apple sweets of both European nobility & Soviet children - Taste of Russia Ep.7
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‘Blini’ bonanza: Making real Russian pancakes in a real a Russian stove - Taste of Russia Ep.8
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Making ‘borsch’ fit for a tsar & Cossack fighting 101 - Taste of Russia Ep.9
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Battle of the BBQs: American steak vs. Russian shashlik - Taste of Russia Ep.10
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Borodino II: French Onion Soup & Buckwheat Kasha on the battlefield - Taste of Russia Ep.11
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Making Greek Salad à la Russe & Stolen Lamb for a ‘small’ Greek dinner party - Taste of Russia Ep.12
Suffering for soup: The secret of authentic ‘ukha’ - Taste of Russia Ep.3
Glen learns all about one of Russia’s most ancient dishes, a fish soup called ukha, a popular delicacy dating back to the 16th-17th centuries that can still be found in many Russian restaurants.
To make ukha fit for a tsar, it’s essential to use freshly caught sterlet. The problem is it’s winter, so Oscar takes Glen ice fishing. After catching a magnificent fish, the pair takes refuge from the freezing cold in the warmth of a welcoming home. It happens to belong to Oscar’s relative Sasha, who promises to reveal the key to making authentic ukha.
First, they prepare the broth in a cauldron over a fire. While it’s simmering, Oscar takes Glen for his first taste of a real Russian sauna, or banya. This involves getting whacked with birch branches in a steam room and plunging into an ice-cold pool. After that ordeal, Glen begins to feel a little like a cooked fish himself as he lounges outside in a cauldron-like bath heated on an open fire.
Returning relaxed and refreshed, the final touches are put to the soup, which include a couple of rather surprising ingredients. Will the joy of the taste justify the pain of the cold and the three hours of preparation?
Taste of Russia, Episode 3 reveals all!