A MESS Russian popular culture owes a lot to the blin and its sidekick, butter. But the secret to a delicious blin is widely held to be beyond technique as befits its cultural role. Alexander Pushkin, Russia's national poet, reportedly made his last stop at the cafe before going to a fatal duel in 1837. She uses buckwheat during Maslenitsa but admits to using, and preferring, regular flour the rest of the year. We dissolve sugar and salt to taste in the warm milk, add an egg, yeast, then mix in the flour and put aside to rise about 30 minutes.
Some cooks separate the eggs and fold beaten egg whites in at the end.
Oil the pan before pouring in batter, swirling it a bit to get a round shape six to eight inches across. Babushkas oil the pan by dipping half a peeled potato, stuck on the end of a fork, into some oil and then rubbing it in the pan. Flip the blin when bubbles rise through the batter, as it turns light brown and becomes easy to separate from the pan. Stack on a plate and with butter between layers so they do not stick together.