Comrades, let's eat.

Zakuski: Russia's version of tapas is bold, strong and made for vodka.

I just red this article in the Los Angeles Times and had to share it with you. You know I spent almost four years in Moscow where I studied economics at the Plekhanov Institute of Economics of course. I actually had fabulous time there and had a lot of Zakuski believe me. Then just before the Olympic games there, it all came to an abrupt end for me there and I never went back. Brrrr...


NOW that sushi has become as predictable as guacamole at cocktail parties, the last word in small bites is overdue for discovery.

Zakuski, a Russian tradition dating from Tolstoy's time, is food made for drinkers, although teetotalers would have a hard time resisting temptation. The usual array laid out to pick and choose from includes savory, salty or highly seasoned snacks such as smoked salmon, stuffed eggs, meatballs, vegetable "caviars," small servings of salad or big wedges of hot cheese or mushroom pie. The flavors are always dramatic but complementary, and the contrasting textures only amplify the experience of playing with food.

Zakuski translates as "small bites," and the mix of one- or two-morsel choices on a single table or tray -- hot and cold, homemade and store bought, aggressively seasoned and totally mellow -- is what makes the classic idea so appealing.