In cultured families of 19th-century Moscow, the meal unfolds in several stages. It begins with zakuski, small cold hors d'oeuvres (smoked fish, meats in aspic, pickles) set on the table to accompany the first drinks. Then comes a hearty soup served steaming hot, followed by a meat or stuffed pastry dish. The entire day, and especially the end of the meal, revolves around the samovar: black tea is brewed as a concentrate (zavarka) and diluted with boiling water, served with jams and sweets like kissel. It is a meal of sociability, slow, where conversation matters as much as eating.

Sour cream (smetana), rich and tangy, coats almost everything: soup, pancakes, cold meats. Paired with fresh chopped dill, it is the signature flavor of the Russian table—an acidic freshness that balances the richness of the dishes and the cold outside.