Moscow is the crown jewel of Eastern European cities, has a long and involved history in the country of Russia. Located on the Moska River which translates to “a river at a wetland” or a marsh.
There is evidence that traces of a site dates from the Schukinskayo era. By 1100 A.D. a minor settlement appeared and first referred as the name Moscow in 1147.
During the Grand Duchy era (1283-1537) the first monastery was built about five miles from the Kremlin. The Russian Famine (1601-1603) killed approximately 100,000 Muscovites. Other plagues reached epidemic portions in 1507-1509, 1592 with the one in 1654-1656 killing more than 80% of the population. Fires were not uncommon to this wooden city.
The Empire era (1721-1917) ended with the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family on the evening of August 17, 1918. The Tsar, his wife and their children were in exile and killed in Yekaterinburg by the Bolshevik Party. This group held a firm grip on Moscow and Russia until 1922 – when the USSR was formed. Turmoil escalated and continued throughout the land until the Russia Federation was established and Moscow, once again, became the capital in 1991.
Moscow has the largest urban forest within a city bounty – 40% greenery. Did you know the Fairmount Park in Philadelphia PA is the largest park system in the United States with 9,200 acres? Moscow is known for its historical architecture, especially St. Basil’s Cathedral. Outside the cathedral it is immediately recognized by brightly colored painted domes – called onion domes.
The Russian Orthodox Church is the major religion with 53% of the population included – along with other Christian religions and a large ethic mixes of many combined religions. The official language is Russian with many dialects spoken through the area.
The Kremlin was built in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 15th century. Actually of the city has not changed much since the 18th century. The over-all appearance did change during the Soviet rule with Stalin’s vision to update the skyline.
The Mayor of Moscow leads the present day government, along with a City Duma (council) of 35 members – that represents the many districts.
Long cold winters lasting mid-November to late-March and warm summers are what to expect. Temperature within Moscow can vary at the same time due to the 970 square miles that make up this city.
Life, culture, sports and entertainment are up-to-date as other major cities throughout the world. Transportation within Moscow is served by air, water, metro (undergrounds), buses, trolleybuses, monorail and taxi. In recent years there has been a growth of cars – on a daily basis 2.6 million in the city. Of course, this leads to traffic jams and a lack of parking spaces as it does in our area.
Economically, Moscow is one of the largest municipalities in Europe. It has one of the lowest unemployment rates of 1% (2010). It is the financial center of Russia and home to the country’s largest bank and many other large industries. Industries are chemicals, metallurgy, food, energy productions, textiles, furniture, software and machinery. Overall there is a stable economy. Still crime and corruption hinders business growth.
The entire country of Russia spans 5,000 miles within two continents, Europe and Asia. It covers eleven time zones. The national foods of Russia reflect on their harsh weather and conditions. Rich and hearty foods – fresh vegetables and fruits grown during the short summer are processed to keep through the winter. Pickling is an art form in Russian kitchens with the preserving of cucumbers, beets, mushrooms, etc.
There is a misconception that Russian caviar is only for the wealthy, not really. Fish eggs known as roe comes in a variety of grades – from the pricey Beluga to humble whitefish
In Russia sour cream is to what ketchup or mayonnaise is to Americans. It is a favorite condiment used on everything from salads to meat dishes. It adds a creamy texture to the food and its taste.
Several dishes come by the way of French cuisine, such as; Beef Stroganoff and Russian Salad Olivier. This is due to the fact that many wealthy families traveled well beyond their country’s borders.
The most Russian dish, actually the National Dish of Russia, is Borscht. This beet based soup is enriched with vegetables, sour cream and at times meat is added. Borscht can be served hot or cold.
RUSSIAN HOT BEET BORSCHT6 beets with tops
juice of 2 lemons1/4 tsp. salt1 cup granulated sugar
2 quarts hot water or vegetable stock
1 cup sour cream4 medium size cold boiled potatoes
fresh mint to garnishPeels beets; wash beets and tops. Slice beets into a large pot; chop up the tops. Place in the pot with beets. Add lemon juice, salt, sugar and the 2 quarts of hot water or stock. Boil for 10 minutes; skim liquid. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until beets are tender. Using a blender or better yet – use a hand blender by pulsing mixture together evenly. (BE CAREFUL AS THE MIXTURE IS HOT.) Serve hot in a soup bowl with a dollop of cream cheese and a cold boiled potato. Garnish with fresh mint. Serves four.
To make your own meat stock use 3 pounds of scrapes of meat – beef, chicken, veal or mixed bones – one unpeeled onion with a little salt & freshly grounded pepper and 7 cups of water. Place everything into a large pot, add water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for one hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until the stock has reduced to almost half. Strain the stock and return to pot. Use as you need.
CELEBRATE LIFE EVERY DAY!Let me hear from you: banjack303@verizon.net. Search YouTube for Look Who’s Cooking as well as phoenixvillenews.com for this column. Find Bette on Facebook by searching “Bette Banjack’s Downtown Kitchen.”
