02.03.2019  "Russian Seasons" was opened in NovSU with grey shchi soup and pike perch dishes tasting

On March 1, the IVth Scientific and Cultural Forum "Russian Seasons" was opened at the NovSU School of Humanities in Antonovo. Restaurateurs, researchers of Russian cuisine and world-famous chefs, bloggers, authors of cookbooks, ethnographers and technologists, folklorists, admirers of the folk culture and tasty food lovers have become its participants.

This year, "Russian Seasons" is dedicated to Russian cuisine and traditions of the tableful. Therefore, the first event of the forum was the presentation "Traditional Food of Novgorod Region in the Educational Process" with tasting dishes prepared by studentsб who study Culinary Arts at the Department of Pedagogy, Technology and Crafts.

The presentation was opened by the Vice Rector for Social Development and Educational Work Daniil Krapchunov. He noted that "Russian Seasons" was held in Veliky Novgorod for the first time, and also recalled that the founder of other "Russian Seasons", that had made Russian culture popular abroad, Sergei Diaghilev lived over a hundred years ago in Novgorod.

“"Russian Seasons" is a mixture of different formats: concerts, festivals, conferences, scientific, practical and launch events. Today, we have guests, students, teachers, university administration and our partners, from St. Petersburg, Moscow. Our main position is what we do at the university, we do it together with the city and for the city, together with the region and for the region. And the only way to change the region for the better is to do it together with you”, – emphasized Daniil Krapchunov.

This was followed by the most interesting part of the event – tasting. In the School of Humanities cafeteria guests could taste traditional Novgorod dishes – gray shchi (cabbage soup) with kroshevo (finely chopped dark green upper cabbage leaves) and various pikeperch dishes: pike perch stuffed with sauerkraut, stuffed with mushrooms, baked with cheese, fried... And cool cranberry water to wash it all down. Chefs from the Department of Pedagogy, Technology and Crafts shared some secrets of cooking these dishes according to old recipes: for example, it is best to pour white kvass (a beverage made from rye bread) over kroshevo for the soup; cranberry water should not be boiled in any way so as not to destroy all the beneficial substances contained in the berries.

The company "Lactica", where many NovSU graduates work, presented its dairy products at the event. Representatives of the company treated everyone with yogurts, cottage cheese mousse and a new product from "Lactica" – skyr.

It should be added that the forum three-day program includes cooking classes, public lectures on the Russian tableful history and secrets, ceremonial cuisine tastings and exhibitions, a blitz conference, rites and ceremonies, old songs about food and during meals, etc. Organizers and participants will try, in theory and in practice, to answer many questions about, for example, traditions and today’s restaurant trends combination, the ceremonial dishes potential in a modern catering enterprise, restaurant cuisine specialties during Great Lent, historical and ethnographic truth through modern Russian cuisine.

To view the program of the IV Scientific and Cultural Forum "Russian Seasons" please follow the link: https://vk.com/rodina_rossii

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