New Year on Edaku

Gingerbread Cookies

Edaku — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0300

Gingerbread cookies are one of the defining smells of the holiday season — honey, cinnamon, and ginger fill the kitchen well before the cookies themselves make it to a plate, and the firm, spiced dough holds its shape nicely when cut into stars, trees, or gingerbread figures.

The key step is letting the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour, ideally longer. That resting time lets the flour fully absorb the liquid, firms up the dough, and keeps cut shapes from spreading or losing their crisp edges in the oven.

New Year Tangerine Dessert

Edaku — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0300

Tangerines are as much a part of New Year’s in Russia as fir trees and fireworks — their scent alone signals the holiday well before the salads and champagne come out. This dessert puts them front and center rather than treating them as decoration: fresh segments and juice give the whole thing a bright citrus flavor that plays nicely against the mellow cream layer.

It’s built to be served in individual glasses or cups, which suits a holiday table that’s usually crowded with other dishes already — guests can just grab their own portion instead of waiting for a cake to be sliced. The layers are also visible through the glass, so it looks festive with almost no extra decorating.

Lenten Dishes for the New Year Table

Edaku — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0300

New Year during the Nativity Fast

In Russia, New Year’s Eve traditionally falls during the Nativity Fast, which runs until January 7th, so many families face the question of how to set a festive table without meat, and on the strictest days without fish or dairy either, while still keeping the sense of celebration intact. The good news is that lenten cooking has long stopped meaning a sparse table — vegetables, mushrooms, grains, and legumes leave plenty of room for dishes that are both interesting and filling.

Herring Under a Fur Coat

Edaku — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0300

Herring under a fur coat is the salad that anchors a New Year’s table across Russia and much of the former Soviet Union. Its layered structure, built from salty fish, sweet beets, and neutral potato, gives it a flavor that’s instantly recognizable, while the deep magenta top makes it look festive without any extra effort.

The real trick to getting it right is patience: let the salad rest in the refrigerator before serving. Freshly assembled, it still tastes disjointed — the layers haven’t had time to soak into one another through the mayonnaise. The best plan is to build it the evening before the celebration so it’s fully set by the time guests arrive.

Classic Olivier Salad

Edaku — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0300

Olivier is the salad that’s hard to imagine a New Year’s table in Russia and several neighboring countries without, even though it’s changed quite a bit over its century and a half of history from the original recipe created by French chef Lucien Olivier. The modern home version is far simpler and more accessible, but no less beloved.

The secret to a good Olivier is cutting everything to a matching size — small, neat cubes of potato, carrot, egg, bologna, and pickle give the salad a pleasant, even texture, while uneven, chunky cutting shows up immediately in both taste and appearance. It helps to boil the potatoes and carrots unpeeled, since they absorb less water that way and hold a firmer texture that doesn’t fall apart during dicing and mixing.