Kissel of Lingonberries
A warm, velvety drink, halfway between compote and syrup, made from tangy red berries lightly thickened with starch. Drunk slowly, from a cup, to warm the body and soothe the throat.
A warm, velvety drink, halfway between compote and syrup, made from tangy red berries lightly thickened with starch. Drunk slowly, from a cup, to warm the body and soothe the throat.
When the body weakens and fever prowls, you don't go to the doctor — you make *kissel*. I would strain the crushed lingonberries, sweeten just enough not to wince, and thicken it all with a little starch dissolved in cold water, stirring constantly so it wouldn't stick. You drink it warm, in small sips, from a cup held in both hands. It does not cure sadness, believe me, but it warms enough to write one more line.
- •Lingonberries or northern cranberries — a bowl (tangy berries)
- •Water — as needed for consistency (liquid base)
- •Honey or sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Starch (potato) — a spoonful dissolved (thickener)
Kissel of Lingonberries
A warm, velvety drink, halfway between compote and syrup, made from tangy red berries lightly thickened with starch. Drunk slowly, from a cup, to warm the body and soothe the throat.
Why this dish? Berry *kissel*, a thick and tangy drink, was the comfort of the sick and convalescent throughout Northern Russia. For Akhmatova, often frail, living through the famines and winters of Leningrad, such a berry drink — rich in vitamins — embodied the care one gave with almost nothing.
When the body weakens and fever prowls, you don't go to the doctor — you make *kissel*. I would strain the crushed lingonberries, sweeten just enough not to wince, and thicken it all with a little starch dissolved in cold water, stirring constantly so it wouldn't stick. You drink it warm, in small sips, from a cup held in both hands. It does not cure sadness, believe me, but it warms enough to write one more line.
Ingredients (period version)
- Lingonberries or northern cranberries — a bowl (tangy berries)
- Water — as needed for consistency (liquid base)
- Honey or sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Starch (potato) — a spoonful dissolved (thickener)
Ingredients
- Lingonberries or cranberries (fresh or frozen) — 250 g (tangy berries)
- Water — 800 ml (liquid base)
- Sugar or honey — 60–80 g, to taste (sweetness)
- Potato starch — 2 tbsp (thickener)
- Cold water — 4 tbsp (to dissolve starch)
Method
- Bring the berries and water to a boil, crush them, and simmer for 5 minutes to extract the juice.
- Strain if a smooth drink is desired (optional), add sugar or honey, and return to heat.
- Dissolve the starch in cold water until smooth.
- Pour the starch in a stream into the simmering liquid, stirring constantly.
- Let thicken for 1–2 minutes without boiling hard, until it coats a spoon (more or less thick to taste).
- Serve warm in a cup, to be drunk slowly.
How it was made : *Kissel* is one of the oldest Slavic dishes: originally fermented and cereal-based (oats, rye), it became over centuries a sweet berry drink thickened with potato starch, common from the 19th century. Depending on thickness, it was drunk from a cup or eaten with a spoon, often given to the sick.
The contemporary twist : Serve the *kissel* in a small glass, thicker, topped with a cloud of barely sweetened whipped *smetana*: the "Neva kissel."
Sources : Darra Goldstein, A Taste of Russia, 1983 · William Pokhlyobkin, National Cuisines of Our Peoples, 1978
Anna Akhmatova · Charactorium