Funny holidays - Vinaigrette Day

A salad of boiled vegetables, along with “Olivier”, “Fish under a fur coat” and “Mimosa” reigned on the table of Soviet citizens for decades Historians believe that vinaigrette appeared in Russia at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries The demand for salad is explained by the availability and low cost of its ingredients: potatoes, beets, carrots, pickled cabbage, cucumbers, onions and beans Such an impressive composition was the reason for the ironic use of the word “vinaigrette” in relation to the mixing of dissimilar objects and concepts Salad recipes vary depending on the wishes of the housewife: some replace beans with peas, others add herring and pickled mushrooms The dish is a hallmark of Russian cuisine, which is why May 22 is celebrated as Vinaigrette Day Researchers, speaking about the etymology of the word, refer to vinaigrette - the name of a salad dressing that consists of vinegar (in French - vinaigre), vegetable oil and spices One of the legends says that the appetizer was invented by the French chef Marie-Antoine Carême, who worked in Russia The recognized master of culinary art carefully studied national dishes And although Karem stayed in Russia during the reign of Alexander I for only 6 months, he managed to come up with a new dish made from vegetables with vinegar dressing An analogue of vinaigrette can be found among the recipes of an old English cookbook published in 1845 There the dish is called “Swedish salad with herring” It consisted of beets, potatoes, fish, pickled eggs, egg whites and grated apple According to cookbooks from the mid-19th century The vinaigrette should be prepared with the addition of chopped meat and eggs According to one legend, Catherine the Great did not like the cold appetizer She tried the new salad and dissatisfiedly pushed the plate away with the comment: “Ugh! Not warm!” The dish was indeed served cold, which the empress did not like And the phrase “finegret” went among the people, transforming into “vinaigrette” Today, baked meat and fish have disappeared from the traditional salad recipe, making it a completely vegetable dish Chefs and food enthusiasts add piquancy and unusual taste to the cold appetizer by adding apples, canned corn, mussels and squid It is difficult for a Russian person to imagine a holiday table without a traditional salad “An hour later, dinner was served, consisting of vinaigrette, cold veal, pate, pastry pies and champagne,” wrote NV Gogol in “The Overcoat,” published in 1841 Times and morals change, but national taste preferences remain unchanged That is why Vinaigrette Day is celebrated annually on May 22