Feeding the Last Tsar of Russia - Pelmeni for Nicholas II

[00:00] Today I'm going to be eating like 

[00:04] a man of vast power, rather 

[00:07] and a surprisingly simple taste 

[00:10] French cuisine of the imperial court, 

[00:14] like these Siberian pelmeni or beef dumplings.

[00:17] So, thank you to Wildgrain for sponsoring this 

[00:22] this time on Tasting History.

[00:29] Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov, 

[00:34] was the last Russian ruler 

[00:37] He took the throne in 1894 and 

[00:41] in both the Russo-Japanese War and World War I,

[00:44] neither of which went well for Russia.

[00:46] This in conjunction with 

[00:48] an absolute autocrat led to civil unrest,

[00:51] his abdication and eventually the murder 

[00:57] Now when Nicholas came to power, the cuisine at  

[00:59] the Imperial Russian court was 

[01:04] Many of the menus were printed in French. Most of  

[01:06] the cuisine was French. Most of 

[01:10] And the head chef was a 

[01:13] But while the big feasts may have mostly been 

[01:19] when they were having smaller dinners 

[01:23] they actually preferred to 

[01:26] Russian cuisine, things like pirozhki and pilmeni.

[01:29] And since I already made pirozhki for the 

[01:33] I figured I would bookend Tsarist rule by making  

[01:35] a recipe for Siberian Pelmeni from 

[01:41] 'Podarok molodym khozyaykam' or 'A Gift 

[01:46] scrape 1 and 1/2 pounds first 

[01:49] Add one finely chopped and squeezed out 

[01:54] Use this filling to make pelmeni... If the beef is  

[01:57] lean, use 1 pound beef and half 

[02:01] Boil the pelmeni in salted water or 

[02:05] These pelmeni are best made the size 

[02:10] Siberians prepare pelmeni 

[02:13] sprinkling them lightly with flour 

[02:16] They are frozen and boiled in 

[02:19] Molokhovets gives this recipe for pelmeni 

[02:25] on how to make the dough with exact 

[02:29] period. So that's pretty cool. What 

[02:33] grams of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 

[02:39] She actually says that you'll probably need 

[02:42] So we'll just keep that in mind as we make them.

[02:44] So start by mixing the salt into 

[02:48] Start to mix those into the dough as if you were 

[02:53] But this really isn't enough egg to fully  

[02:55] incorporate all the flour. So add 

[02:59] to start to make it come together 

[03:03] you can go ahead and add more water as 

[03:07] What you're looking for is a relatively 

[03:12] moisture that it comes together. Then 

[03:15] the counter and begin to knead. And you 

[03:20] or until it's nice and smooth. It'll be about 

[03:25] After about 10 minutes of kneading it by hand,  

[03:27] you should have a nice smooth ball of 

[03:30] to let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

[03:33] Also, you can make it a day ahead 

[03:35] to. Or if you make a big batch, you 

[03:39] can just take some out so you'll always 

[03:43] It's kind of the same idea with 

[03:47] that you can get from today's sponsor, Wildgrain.

[03:49] Wildgrain is the first bake 

[03:52] that gathers up pastries and bread and pastas

[03:55] from some of the best small 

[03:58] All of the kneading, the letting things 

[04:02] So, all you have to do is actually bake 

[04:08] your entire house will smell like a bakery.

[04:11] I love their croissants, 

[04:13] and now protein boxes with 

[04:17] And they have the absolute best 

[04:20] I get them in every box. I am addicted. 

[04:24] In fact, I think in the box that I just 

[04:28] kryptonite. So check out Wildgrain and be 

[04:32] wildgrain.com/tastinghistory or just 

[04:37] $30 off of your first order plus free croissants 

[04:45] And now it is back to our pasta which 

[04:49] So once it's rested for 20 minutes,  

[04:51] you can make the filling. And the filling 

[04:54] you can scrape right off the bone and then mince.  

[04:57] It is really hard to get it as small 

[05:02] So I'm going to go with ground beef. You 

[05:08] Now she does say that this needs to be fatty or 

[05:13] 20% or even 30% fat content because if you get 

[05:20] Then 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of 

[05:25] So, just add the salt and the pepper to the meat 

[05:30] Also, make sure that they're actually 

[05:35] I realized that I also had some 

[05:39] I'm using for something else, and I grabbed that.

[05:41] So, halfway through, here I am having 

[05:46] And I felt like Cinderella when 

[05:49] from the fireplace. Not great. Just onions.

[05:52] Once it's all mixed together, you can go  

[05:54] ahead and form the pelmeni. And 

[05:57] You can actually roll the dough out and then 

[06:04] Or another way that she explains, 

[06:08] is to divide the dough into four pieces

[06:10] and then take one piece and 

[06:14] And make sure you cover the other pieces 

[06:17] Once you have a uniform log of dough, you 

[06:21] And she is very specific about 

[06:24] will make. She says it will make 40. So 

[06:29] Then kind of squeeze the dough into circles 

[06:34] roll one of the pieces of dough out 

[06:38] Now you don't want the dough 

[06:41] bust when cooking. Several of mine 

[06:45] Then set about a tablespoon of the filling into  

[06:47] the center and fold the dough over 

[06:52] You don't need any water to make 

[06:55] Then take the two ends and wrap them over 

[07:00] This is the traditional shape which 

[07:04] Also, if your ear looks 

[07:07] Then continue the process 

[07:11] Also, I do think these pelmeni end up 

[07:16] They're kind of two bite pelmeni, and I 

[07:19] So if you wanted to make 60 

[07:23] Very often when you buy them like 

[07:26] really small, and you could probably 

[07:29] Whatever size you do make them,  

[07:30] it says to boil them in either 

[07:34] So you can either get some clear 

[07:38] just boil some salted water and then 

[07:43] and give them a stir so they don't stick to the  

[07:45] bottom and then let them boil 

[07:48] This takes 3 to 5 minutes. Then 

[07:52] minutes or until the meat is cooked inside.

[07:55] Obviously you're going to have to take one 

[07:59] But if you end up doing it for like 6 or 7 minutes 

[08:04] Then remove them from the pot and 

[08:07] while you boil the rest of your 

[08:10] bit more about what it was like to 

[08:18] Tsar Nicholas II is one of those characters 

[08:23] figure out because he was caricatured and so it's 

[08:31] I mean it's definite that he was 

[08:34] and he was completely out of step with his people,

[08:37] but exactly what degree he should be 

[08:43] And I say lionize because many of his friends 

[08:50] died. And maybe it's all true, but maybe 

[08:55] were his friends. What is clear is that 

[09:00] difficult moment. Russia was already ripe for 

[09:05] and his poor military decisions and  

[09:07] refusal to relinquish absolute 

[09:11] It was only after the revolution of 1905, which 

[09:17] and military mutinies, that he was 

[09:21] a legislative assembly, and granted 

[09:25] which he then went on to pretty much 

[09:30] So yeah, basically at the heart 

[09:35] just unwilling to give up the tradition of 

[09:42] the last 300 years. Most of Europe was beginning 

[09:50] And to say he was out of touch would 

[09:54] But by many accounts, it wasn't that he was 

[09:58] completely oblivious to what was going on 

[10:04] And it's interesting because he did try to 

[10:11] And one of the ways he did that was in how he ate.

[10:15] When he would visit his soldiers during World 

[10:20] and shchi or cabbage soup that his soldiers did.

[10:23] Even at home, his daily breakfast was simply 

[10:28] Lunch was often boiled beets and potatoes 

[10:33] And one of his wife's ladies in waiting 

[10:38] simple roasts and chicken."

[10:40] In general, he either liked to eat alone or 

[10:45] and she too had simple 

[10:48] For most of her adult life, she was all but 

[10:52] and instead preferred 

[10:56] But like me, she had a weakness 

[11:00] In fact the head baker at the palace once 

[11:05] "Superb cookies, small - the 

[11:09] kalaches, milky kaiser rolls, amazing 

[11:14] It was probably her love of baked goods 

[11:18] about how they did afternoon tea 

[11:22] even though she was the tsarina or empress 

[11:26] but rather in Darmstadt, Germany. Then  

[11:29] she spent much of her formative 

[11:32] with her grandmother, Queen Victoria. 

[11:37] tea, which had become popular there in 

[11:40] Russia, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have 

[11:45] And so, according to her friend, 

[11:48] that "Tea was a meal in which there 

[11:53] Always appeared the same little white-draped  

[11:55] table with its silver service, the 

[11:58] and for the rest simply plates of hot bread 

[12:03] Never anything new, never any surprises in 

[12:07] The Empress often used gently to complain, saying 

[12:13] but she who was supposed to have almost unlimited 

[12:18] single detail of the routine of the Russian 

[12:22] of went for everything. They used the same 

[12:28] the same furniture was there 

[12:32] the same outfits for the messengers that they 

[12:37] "For all I know the same plates for hot 

[12:40] were traditions going back to Catherine the 

[12:45] And I love this little anecdote 

[12:49] all about how the imperial family used to 

[12:54] Haha, simple enough. But it is a 

[12:59] how they also lived all of their life and 

[13:05] A complete inability to change tradition. 

[13:12] even if everyone around them wanted to 

[13:18] And when it came to tea, this simply 

[13:24] When it came to politics, this led 

[13:29] Now, while tea and breakfast and 

[13:33] was just the family remained 

[13:37] many meals had to have invited guests. 

[13:44] Menus from those lunches and dinners, which 

[13:48] shows a cuisine that you would 

[13:52] "Lunch [at the Livadia Summer Palace in Crimea] 

[13:56] savory pastries, and small 

[14:00] vol-au-vents were served together with the soup

[14:02] rather than as a separate dish as they are abroad.

[14:05] The soup was followed by fish, a (chicken) 

[14:09] To drink, there were madeira, white and red 

[14:14] and different wines served at lunch, as is the 

[14:19] And liqueurs with coffee..."

[14:21] Lunch on the Standart, the imperial yacht, were 

[14:26] Menus from these meals include cream 

[14:31] salmon mayonnaise, filet of beef, 

[14:35] pears and cherry, peaches 

[14:39] But again, many of these meals would have guests 

[14:45] Something that actually Nicholas 

[14:48] One of the officers on the 

[14:52] "The sovereign really liked appetizers apart from 

[14:58] Supposedly, he actually liked those things when he  

[15:00] was younger. But on a trip that he 

[15:04] he took a train. And at every single station, 

[15:09] of salted fish and caviar,  

[15:11] which he ate and got sick of and just 

[15:16] Now, when they weren't at their summer home 

[15:20] Nicholas and his family preferred 

[15:23] St. Petersburg over any of their other 

[15:27] it is a smaller palace in comparison with 

[15:32] it's still a palace. And so, you would expect 

[15:37] dining room. But there wasn't. There 

[15:42] So just depending on the meal, 

[15:46] If the couple were dining alone, they would 

[15:51] For family dinners, it was the 

[15:55] Then if they were having a larger affair,  

[15:57] say 30 to 100 people, they would 

[16:01] Though if they had a bigger group, anything 

[16:04] go to a different palace just ;cus 

[16:08] petite Alexander Palace to host that many people.  

[16:11] But when they were having dinner, 

[16:15] of the Alexander Palace, they had 

[16:19] One was to have round tables that could hold 10 

[16:26] and it was how they would set it up if the 

[16:32] because he would go from table 

[16:35] that he could talk to everyone 

[16:38] that they had had dinner with the tsar.

[16:42] If he didn't really like the people that were 

[16:46] then they would set up a massive U-shaped table

[16:49] that he would sit at one end of and only then 

[16:55] These dinners were the kinds of dinners with 

[17:01] which is what they called him, 

[17:04] So, he would actually fill up usually on the hors 

[17:09] The hors d’oeuvres were brought out and 

[17:12] then everybody would eat standing up 

[17:17] Only after a couple shots of vodka would 

[17:22] That is when the hot food would come out. 

[17:28] because it was notorious for always kind of 

[17:33] far away from the palace. When they were made back 

[17:41] the noise and the odors wouldn't make it into the 

[17:48] So, the food though would 

[17:51] over 500 ft outside before it got to the palace

[17:56] no matter what time of year. And St. Petersburg 

[18:01] It wasn't until 1902 that they 

[18:06] It was still a long way to go, but at least now 

[18:12] this lukewarm food were the footmen, and they 

[18:18] and they were chosen because of their 

[18:24] So you had a bunch of tall, good-looking, 

[18:30] and you never knew if they were there because  

[18:32] while they dressed in white 

[18:36] they also wore these soft black shoes that 

[18:42] which made it so that they knew all of the gossip  

[18:45] because people would just talk 

[18:47] One guest recalled that "Every time we were 

[18:51] and the footmen would whisper to us bits of 

[18:56] whether we cared for it or 

[18:59] Being one of those footmen was 

[19:03] people held on to the position 

[19:06] And basically the more senior you 

[19:12] So, the tsar's footman was 

[19:15] He had actually been his father's footman 

[19:20] and had trouble holding things. So 

[19:25] his arm while he poured the wine.

[19:30] the ceremony of toasts that would 

[19:34] "At all the great banquets, a Court official stood  

[19:37] behind the chair of every royal guest 

[19:41] This was a matter of solemn ritual. The 

[19:46] then it had to be passed to a page 

[19:50] These handers also were a prestigious position and  

[19:54] also were held by the oldest 

[19:59] And so some of them had trouble 

[20:04] Prince Christopher of Greece once recalled that 

[20:10] her favorite pale blue velvet Court dress turned 

[20:16] spilled six glasses of champagne over it." But 

[20:21] it was time to eat. And the meal 

[20:25] This is after the order, a consommé at the 

[20:31] something heavier like a cream soup 

[20:34] Then came the Yaroslavl style grouse 

[20:38] which came from the Partitsa stream that ran 

[20:43] Petersburg.

[20:44] Then a saddle of wild goat, chicken fillet with 

[20:49] artichokes with mushrooms, asparagus. 

[20:54] baked apples, fritters, puddings, and pancakes.

[20:58] Then a course of ice cream followed by 

[21:03] which was usually an assortment of 

[21:07] The ice cream course was actually a particular  

[21:10] specialty of the Russian court. 

[21:16] Alexandria, his wife, also did.

[21:18] And Maria, who was the daughter of Grigori 

[21:24] "I remember ice cream the like of which 

[21:28] And what was interesting to many people was that  

[21:31] the courses were served à la 

[21:35] as opposed to a la Française 

[21:38] way of serving food in most of 

[21:43] A la Française is where all of the dishes are 

[21:48] while à la russe is where dishes are portioned 

[21:52] This is how pretty much 

[21:56] Also, it made it so that the tsar actually 

[22:02] because he would be served 

[22:07] and then it would go down the line by order of 

[22:13] But the moment that he stopped eating and put down 

[22:19] Not just his, but everyone's. So, if you were at 

[22:24] or else you're just going to get a couple 

[22:27] As for the wines, red and whites 

[22:32] by most accounts, the tsar himself was 

[22:38] with how the Bolshevik propaganda portrayed him, 

[22:44] By most accounts, he actually didn't 

[22:48] it was usually port or sometimes madeira and 

[22:54] was from the Crimea. His personal security 

[22:59] Since he was Japanese war, 

[23:03] it was only when he traveled by sea that 

[23:07] one or two small glasses 

[23:10] And even when he did drink something 

[23:14] "The Emperor was seated in the 

[23:18] bottle of a special Port, the 

[23:21] and a small, golden goblet. He never drank more  

[23:24] than one goblet of this wine, 

[23:27] Again, this is coming from 

[23:30] so it's unclear exactly how 

[23:34] It's just kind of something that we 

[23:38] Now after the meal, it was time 

[23:43] And he would make a point to announce that the 

[23:49] a cigarette and then once he did then everybody 

[23:54] Now these kinds of meals would in 1917 come to an  

[23:58] end after the tsar abdicated his 

[24:04] but culinary standards were maintained 

[24:09] they were essentially under house arrest at 

[24:15] of that year after they had been moved to 

[24:19] pirozhki, roast grouse, salad and fruit compote.

[24:22] Then in June of 1918, just one month 

[24:30] that Tsar actually wrote in his diary,

[24:32] "Since yesterday, Kharitonov 

[24:35] the provisions are delivered every two days.

[24:37] The daughters are learning how to cook from him,

[24:40] they prepare the flour and knead in the evening  

[24:42] and bake the bread in the morning. Not bad at all!"

[24:46] In the Romanov's last days, their diet 

[24:51] But it was said that they never 

[24:55] bread or potatoes is what they 

[25:00] Nicholas, Alexandra, and their 

[25:04] Bolshevik revolutionaries on July 17th, 1918.

[25:11] end of Imperial Russia. And they were demonized. 

[25:19] know, and it's- you know, not the point of 

[25:25] But what I do really appreciate 

[25:29] friends and people who worked for them

[25:32] did write to try to give a bit of a glimpse at 

[25:41] And as someone who, you know, studies food 

[25:46] because we learn things like the tsar of Russia who 

[25:53] and did you know enjoy his opulent wealth and lifestyle

[25:58] also preferred the very simple dishes on his table.

[26:03] Things like these pilmeni which I am about to eat right now.

[26:07] Except before I do,  

[26:09] I need to address something because the recipe 

[26:14] serve them as a soup, which is common. But

[26:18] it was known that the tsar when he was on the royal yacht actually preferred to eat them boiled and then fried in a pan

[26:26] and he would eat them straight from the pan. So I'm going to pan fry these.

[26:31] So melt some butter or ghee in a pan and then toss a few of the boiled pelmeni in, and let them cook for about a minute on each side.  

[26:38] Just making sure that they don't stick.

[26:40] And then they are ready to be served with smetana or sour cream and a bit of dill.

[26:45] And here we are, Siberian pilmeni fit for the last tsar of Russia.

[26:50] So like I said, they are a little bit bigger than I think I 

[26:55] This is how big she says to make them, but it's going to be hard to eat this in one bite.

[27:02] One bite is the ideal size. Anyway, uh a little sour cream or smetana on there

[27:08] and we'll take a bite.

[27:10] [chomp]

[27:13] Hmmm.

[27:16] Oh, that's really good.

[27:18] Hm!

[27:20] Oh my gosh, that's good.

[27:22] So, as you may have noticed, a little bit of the meat fell out, and that's because they are too big to do in one bite,

[27:27] or at least one decent bite. Maybe if I was alone in a dark room just scarfing these.

[27:33] But on camera, or in polite society, these are two bite, pilmeni.

[27:37] But you can see the meat in there.

[27:41] The dough kind of puffs up a little bit around it. So agh, it's so good though.

[27:47] One second. One second!

[27:50] Hmm.

[27:52] I mean, I don't think I've ever met a dumpling I didn't like, but these are really, really good.

[27:57] Especially because they are so simple. It's just really the meat and  

[28:01] onions with a little salt and pepper. That's it. 

[28:05] A little dill on the outside, but that's not a dominant flavor.

[28:10] They are so good.

[28:12] The texture is wonderful,  

[28:15] and I think they do benefit from being fried. They 

[28:20] the frying kind of gives a little bit of a crispness just along the edges  

[28:24] while then the rest of the dough is nice and soft. 

[28:30] Yeah, no. They are fantastic. Make them. Just absolutely make them. You can actually buy them if there's a Russian store near you.

[28:38] You can buy them pre-made. And they haven't really changed that much. Usually now they'll have beef and pork,

[28:44] but there are also ones that have mushrooms in them or lobster, which I really want to try.

[28:49] But just try them. I can see why the tsar enjoyed these.  

[28:52] They're absolutely fantastic. I don't care how powerful 

[28:59] So make some pilmeni. Eat like a last tsar of Russia.

[29:02] And I will see you next time on Tasting History.