Zakuski (plural from
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
: закуски ; singular zakuska from закуска;
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
: zakąski, zakąska) is an assortment of cold
hors d'oeuvres,
entrée
An entrée (, ; ) in modern French table service and that of much of the English-speaking world (apart from the United States and parts of Canada) is a dish served before the main course of a meal. Outside North America, it is generally synonym ...
s and
snack
A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home.
Traditionally, snacks are p ...
s in food culture of
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and in
Slavic-speaking countries.
It is served as a course on its own or "intended to follow each
shot
Shot may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Shot'' (album), by The Jesus Lizard
*''Shot, Illusion, New God'', an EP by Gruntruck
*'' Shot Rev 2.0'', a video album by The Sisters of Mercy
* "Shot" (song), by The Rasmus
* ''Shot'' (2017 f ...
of
vodka
Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuritie ...
or another alcoholic drink." The word literally means ''something to bite after''. It probably originated and was influenced through the fusion of Slavic, Viking-Nordic and Oriental cultures in
early Rus' regions like the
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a medieval state that existed from the 12th to 15th centuries, stretching from the Gulf of Finland in the west to the northern Ural Mountains in the east, including the city of Novgorod and the Lake Ladoga regions of m ...
.
The tradition of zakuski is linked to the Swedish and Finnish ''brännvinsbord'' which was also the ancestor of modern
smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord () is a buffet-style meal of Swedish origin. It is served with various hot and cold dishes.
Smörgåsbord became internationally known at the 1939 New York World's Fair when it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion "Three Crowns ...
and to
meze
Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course me ...
of the Ottoman Empire and other Middle Eastern cultures.
Zakuski are not served as in Scandinavia at the buffet but on the dining table. Zakuski are also a food-in-itself and often not just served as starter to a meal. Zakuski were kept in the houses of the
Russian gentry for feeding casual visitors who travelled long distances and whose arrival time was often unpredictable.
At banquets and parties, zakuski were often served in a separate room adjacent to the dining room or on a separate table in the dining room. The tradition eventually spread to other layers of society and remained in the
Soviet times
The history of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union (USSR) reflects a period of change for both Russia and the world. Though the terms "Soviet Russia" and "Soviet Union" often are synonymous in everyday speech (either acknowledging the dominance ...
, but due to lack of space, they were served on the dinner table. Zakuski became thus the first course of a festive dinner.
Nowadays, these appetizers are commonly served at banquets, dinners, parties and receptions in countries which were formerly part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
including some
post-Soviet states
The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...
and
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
.
A broad selection of zakuski constitutes a standard first course at any feast table. Usually, zakuski are already laid on the table when guests are called to the dining room.
Typical zakuski consist of
cold cuts
Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on ...
,
cured fish
A cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.
Cure, or similar, may also refer to:
Places
* Cure (river), a river in France
* Cures, Sabinum, an ancient Italian town
* Cures, Sarthe, a commune in western France
People
* Curate or ...
es, mixed
salad
A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...
s,
kholodets (meat jelly),
pirog
Pirog ( rus, пиро́г, p=pʲɪˈrok, a=Ru-пирог.ogg, pl. ''pirogi'' пироги ; be, піро́г; se, pirog; lv, pīrāgs, pl. ''pīrāgi''; uk, пиріг ''pyrih'', pl. ''pyrohy'' пироги; lt, pyragas, pl. ''pyragai''; ...
s or
pirozhki
Pirozhki ( rus, пирожки́, r=pirožkí, p=pʲɪrɐʂˈkʲi, plural form of ; uk, пиріжки, ''pyrizhky'') are Russian and Ukrainian baked or fried yeast-leavened boat-shaped buns with a variety of fillings. Pirozhki are a popular str ...
, various
pickled vegetables such as
tomato
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
es,
beet
The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet ...
s,
cucumber
Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated Vine#Horticultural climbing plants, creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical Fruit, fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables. s,
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferme ...
, pickled mushrooms,
deviled egg
Deviled eggs (also known as stuffed eggs, Russian eggs, or dressed eggs) are hard-boiled eggs that have been shelled, cut in half, and filled with a paste made from the egg yolks mixed with other ingredients such as mayonnaise and mustard. ...
s, hard
cheese
Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
s,
caviar
Caviar (also known as caviare; from fa, خاویار, khâvyâr, egg-bearing) is a food consisting of salt-cured roe of the family Acipenseridae. Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or a spread. Traditionally, the te ...
,
canapé
A canapé () is a type of hors d'oeuvre, a small, prepared, and often decorative food, consisting of a small piece of bread (sometimes toasted) wrapped or topped with some savoury food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.
Name
T ...
s,
open sandwich
An open sandwich, also known as an open-face/open-faced sandwich, bread baser, bread platter or tartine, consists of a slice of bread or toast with one or more food items on top.
History
During the start of the middle ages, thin slabs of coa ...
es, and
bread
Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
s.
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Gallery
File:Blini with salmon roe.jpg, Blini
A blini (sometimes spelled bliny) ( pl., diminutive: блинчики, ''blinchiki'', dialectal, diminutive: млинчики, ''mlynchiki'') or, sometimes, blin (more accurate as a single form of the noun), is a Russian and more broadly Eastern ...
with red caviar
Red caviar is a caviar made from the roe of salmonid fishes (various species of salmon and trout), which has intense reddish hue. It is distinct from black caviar, which is made from the roe of sturgeon.Nichola Fletcher, ''Caviar: A Global H ...
File:Caviar and spoon.jpg, Black caviar
Black Caviar (foaled 18 August 2006) is a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who was undefeated in 25 races, including 15 Group Ones, an Australian record. She was the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 WTRR World Champion Sprinter. Black C ...
File:Julienne.jpg, '
File:Vodka with pickled cucumber.jpg, Pickled cucumber
A pickled cucumber (commonly known as a pickle in the United States and Canada and a gherkin in Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand) is a usually small or miniature cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or ...
s with clear vodka
Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuritie ...
File:Cavolo salato.jpg, Pickled cabbage
File:Pickled mushrooms 3.JPG, Pickled mushrooms
File:Форшмак по-одесски.jpg, Forshmak
File:Zakouskis aux sprats.JPG, Canapés with sprats
''Sprattus'' is a genus of small oily fish of the family Clupeidae. They are more usually known by their common name, sprats. There are five species in the genus.
Species
* '' Sprattus antipodum'' (Hector, 1872) (New Zealand blueback sprat)
...
File:Sushi Made from Salo.jpg, Breads with salo Salo or Salò may refer to:
Places Finland
*Salo, Finland, a town in Western Finland
**Salo sub-region, a subdivision of Finland Proper and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009
*An old name of Saloinen, a former municipality in Ostroboth ...
File:Essen russische Speisen 03 (RaBoe).jpg, Pirozhki
Pirozhki ( rus, пирожки́, r=pirožkí, p=pʲɪrɐʂˈkʲi, plural form of ; uk, пиріжки, ''pyrizhky'') are Russian and Ukrainian baked or fried yeast-leavened boat-shaped buns with a variety of fillings. Pirozhki are a popular str ...
, pickled tomato, mixed salads
File:Rasstegai s gorbushei.jpg, Rasstegai
Rasstegai ( rus, расстегай) is a type of Russian pirog with a hole in the top.
History and etymology
The dish was very popular in Tsarist Russia.
In rasstegai the filling is not hidden in dough, and in Russian means "unfastened" pies. ...
File:Holodets.jpg, Kholodets
File:Aringa-marinato.jpg, Brined or pickled herring
Pickled herring is a traditional way of preserving herring as food by pickling or curing.
Most cured herring uses a two-step curing process: it is first cured with salt to extract water; then the salt is removed and the herring is brined i ...
File:Olivier Russian salad made to the Hermitage restaurant recipe.jpg, Olivier salad
Olivier salad ( rus, link=no, салат Оливье, salat Olivye) is a traditional salad dish in Russian cuisine, which is also popular in other post-Soviet countries and around the world. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with ...
File:Vinegret.jpg, Vinegret
Vinegret (russian: винегрет) or Russian vinaigrette is a salad in Russian cuisine which is also popular in other post-Soviet states. This type of food includes diced cooked vegetables ( red beets, potatoes, carrots), chopped onions, as wel ...
File:Mimoza salat e-citizen.jpg, Mimosa salad
Mimosa salad (russian: салат мимоза) is a festive salad whose main ingredients are cheese, eggs, canned fish, onion, and mayonnaise. Mimosa salad got its name because of its resemblance to mimosa flowers scattered on the snow. The simi ...
File:Selidi pod shuboi.jpg, Dressed herring
Dressed herring, colloquially known as herring under a fur coat ( rus, "сельдь под шубой", "sel'd pod shuboy" or russian: "селёдка под шубой", "selyodka pod shuboy", label=none), is a layered salad composed of diced p ...
File:Squash Caviar.jpg,
See also
* List of hors d'oeuvre
This is a list of notable hors d'oeuvre, also referred to as appetisers or starters, which may be served either hot or cold. They are food items served before the main courses of a meal, and are also sometimes served at the dinner table as a part ...
* List of Russian dishes
* Anju
* Antipasto
Antipasto (plural antipasti) is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Usually made of bite-size small portions and served on a platter from which everyone serves themselves, the purpose of antipasti is to stimulate the appeti ...
* Cicchetti
* Meze
Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course me ...
* Pu pu platter
A pu pu platter is a tray of American Chinese or Hawaiian food consisting of an assortment of small meat and seafood appetizers. The ''Thrillist'' called the pu-pu platter "an amalgam of Americanized Chinese food, Hawaiian tradition and bar f ...
* Tapas
A tapa () is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as ''chopitos'', which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas). In so ...
* Zacuscă
Zacuscă () is a vegetable spread popular in Romania and Moldova. Similar spreads are found in other countries in the Balkan region, and bordering regions.
Ingredients
The main ingredients are roasted eggplant, sauteed onions, tomato paste, ...
References
{{reflist
Further reading
Entertaining from Ancient Rome to the Super Bowl: An Encyclopedia
pp. 437–438.
Belarusian cuisine
Russian cuisine
Polish cuisine
Ukrainian cuisine
Soviet cuisine
Appetizers
Serving and dining
Christmas food