These Russian recipes are inspired by the book "Romanov" by Nadine Brandes. Together, they'd make a perfect dinner party menu for book club to explore Russian history.
One of my favorite parts of participating in a book club is getting to explore different times and places together with friends.
Historical fiction novels are always a great choice when you really want to dig into a culture different than your own.
Our book club chose Romanov by Nadine Brandes, the story of Anastasia and her family as told through a magical realism YA novel.
Several recipes were mentioned throughout the story. If I could host the members of the Peanut Blossom Book Club in person at my home, this is the Russian dinner party menu I would plan for them!
Russian Dinner Party Recipes
Want to explore Russian history and culture with your book club friends? Plan to read Romanov by Nadine Brandes and then have each guest bring one of these Russian dishes mentioned within the story for your book club party.
"You can't overlook a well-made pastry. May you dream of nongiddy girls with arms full of vatrushka." - Zash
These traditional Russian pastries have cream cheese centers. This is a simple version that lets the pastry shine. Serve it as a sweet treat for a simple book club meeting or save it for dessert if you want to have the full meal.
This lovely variation on the vatrushka pastry adds fresh fruit for flavor and would make a perfect partner to a tray of treats with your coffee or drinks.
"Hope sat in my mouth like a pastila confectionery I couldn't bring myself to swallow." - Nastya
I had to pause my reading to look up this unfamiliar culinary term. Made almost solely from apples and sugar, this sounds utterly delicious.
"He stepped into the room and held before him a tiny decorated chocolate cake."
While there's nothing tiny about this chocolate masterpiece, this Russian layered chocolate cake would make a show stopping dessert for the dinner party.
"I've never made my own shashlik over a fire." My mouth watered at the idea of the thick mutton soaked in spices and then grilled on a stripped branch or skewer." - Nastya
While you'll be lucky enough to not have to cook over a fire and have access to proteins other than mutton, these beef kebabs would still make a fun main dish for the dinner party.
"The wooden spoon in her hand was stained crimson. The supper smell must be coming from borscht -- a cabbage, beet, and beef soup that sent my stomach practically leaping from my body." - Nastya
Though I've never tried it myself, who could resist sampling traditional Russian borscht after a description like that??
"I snuck into our small kitchen to see what items we had in stock. I found nothing but a small bag of lentils and some broth." - Nastya
This simple brothy vegetable soup would make a nice starter for the dinner party or serve it with the black bread for an easy main dinner.
"We munched on fresh carrots, tomatoes, and bowls of berries in milk. I could have cried over the simple luxury of it." - Nastya
This Russian tomato salad features cucumber and a simple dill and sour cream dressing. Serve it as a side dish for dinner or as a simple appetizer with cocktails.
While the characters ate raw carrots from the garden, this simple Russian carrot salad is a perfect way to incorporate the same scene for your dinner.
"I was the first to turn back to my dense black bread. I whispered, "I'm sorry, Papa." - Nastya
During exile, the Romanovs are lucky to get black bread for their meals but this homemade version baked fresh on the day of your party would be quite a treat.
"Then the pop of a cork being yanked out of a cheap bottle of vodka."
The Bolshevik commander Avdeev's office is filled to the brim with empty bottles. A well-meaning book club would likely prefer these delicious white russian cocktails instead.
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