is one of my favorite all-time cookbooks! It is a great source for show-stopper recipes that astound and delight guests and are fun to make. Like many of my favorite cookbooks, this one has plenty of helpful cultural information, but it is a little dated now, referring to life in the Soviet Union. Nevertheless the recipes are great, including a few that have made their way into this pilgrim's permanent collection. At this moment I can think of two that are already in these pages, and at least six more that will be in time.