Russia in Brussels
Held under the high patronage of the President of the Russian Federation and His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Europalia Russia presented 22 exhibitions, 132 concerts, 46 literary encounters and conferences, 7 dance performances, 49 theatre productions and 243 film screenings. More than 1.1 million visitors discovered highlights including Russia and the Avant-Garde, From Tsar to Emperor and The Trans-Siberian Railway.
At the table of Russian writers
The Historical Gastronomy Centre devised this dinner from the book At the Table of Russian Writers. In Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy describes a reunion dinner; that literary scene became the starting point for the evening’s menu.
Jules Gouffé, from Paris to Saint Petersburg
The recipes were drawn from the cookbook of Jules Gouffé, a French chef and contemporary of Tolstoy. During the nineteenth century many French chefs travelled to Russia and influenced bourgeois and aristocratic tables. In return, dishes à la Orloff, Demidof and Pojarski bear witness to the fruitful exchange between Russia and Europe.
Service à la russe
Russia’s most lasting contribution lies in the order of the meal itself. Dishes are served successively, one after another, unlike French service where several dishes appear at the same time. This allows every guest to taste everything and, above all, to eat it hot. The practice gradually conquered Europe.
« Приятного аппетита — Enjoy your meal! »
