Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-03-14
RUSSIANS IN NEW YORK.
Their Home Life aud Mysterious Gastro-
nOmic Delicacies-The Samovar.

RUSSIANS IN NEW YORK.
Their Home Life aud Mysterious Castro
nomic Delicacies-The Samovar.
In society circles of this city Russian
innovations, such as the 'ssamovar,"
have recently found favor, says the
New York Morning Journal, until prob
ably some new japanese or Patagon-
ian fad relegates the copper-burnished,
ever-humming, tea-brewing machine
to stall in the antiquarian's collec-
tons or to a corner of the workshop If
circumstances take a perverse turn.
There is, however, small and wealthy
element of Russians living here in the
homes of whom the samovar and all
that is distinctly Slavonic pleasantly
convinces the American who has the
good fortune to be honored with an in
vitation that he can study Russian So
ciety life without travelling in the do
mains of the czar.
Among the Russians of means and
lineage residing in New York, Count
Gesthoffsky and his pretty young wife.
who occupy elegant apartments at the
Eskdale, appear particularly as q CEN
ter of attraction to those of their COM
patriots associated with the Russian
diplomatic and consular service, in
cluding Baron Roman de Rosen and
Doctor Popoff.
Itwas at dinner party attended by
this elite circle of Russians that the
writer had an opportunity a few eve-
nings ago to study a bit of customs
and life among our highbred Slavs.
The drawing-rOom in which the sew
eral guests were received with charm
ing informality by the hostess at once
impressed one with the foreign pic
turesqueness of its appointments.
With orthodox Greek Catholic rev.
erence each guest, as soon as the first
greting had been exchanged, passed
across the room to an image of the
national saint enshrined in a rich,
quaint frame of Byzantine design COW
ering all of the canvas except a me-
dallion oval showing the face and bust
of the holy image.
A small, crescent-shaped silver cup
containing a lighted oil taper stood
before the '1kOn," as this image is
called by Russians. Having bestowed
the customary homage in solemn Sic
lence, the guests made themselves at
home, conversing on politics, foreign
court gossip, and literature.
Works of the best foreign authors,
% NOSoA' OoS'o"' q 0HSAy, AOfOus auu
Runsky Korsakoff, were carelesslv
strewn on a center-table Those who
would enjoy the music of the national
compatriots found at the piano COM
positions of Gluscka, Seroff, and Te-
harkosky.
But the feature that puzzles an
American guest most of all is undoubt-
edly the gastronomic part of the feast.
To say nothing. of the odd Russian
Typography of che menu, they are q
hundredfold more curious and COM
plicated than the mere letters sug.
gest.
Besides, the dinner has a prelude.
The host refers to this part of the BAN
quet as our 'szakouska," which in Off
hand translation may be described as
a liquid and soliditied appetizer of gem
erous proportions. The zakouska is
served a la fourchette at the sideboard
in a separate room. The delicacies
comprise salt and picked herring,
genuine caviare, anchovies, fine
chopped onions, and black bread. Each
morsel requires a special libation of
Otschistenni Vodka, a liquid that re-
minds me of Jersey lightning" fla
vored with Tabasco sauce.
Strengthened by these compounds,
the party adjourns in a body to the dim
ing-rOom, where fresh and startling
mysteries await the Investigator whose
stomach is about to become Russian
lied.
Two fat tureens send forth an
aroma different from that of any known
soup. The host asks if you wish a
plate of ''borsch," or would you rath-
er have ''schtee?'
Ignorant of the ingredients, one
might as well choose at random. The
''borsch" turns out on nearer acquaint-
ance 20 be sort of sour cabbage
soup. in which you pour gill of cream
to give it the right seasoning accord
ing to Russian gourmand notions.
''Schtee' soup has dark, burnt-su.
gar color, and prides itself on a vege-
table mixture of boiled beets, turnips.
and half dozen other relatives of the
beet family.
The meat courses are served with a
variety of patty pastry, while Crimean
wine in original fagons cheers the
diners. After dessert the guests are
regaled with splendid Russian tea,
scented with lemon, and the putting
of strong cigarettes announces that
the dinner is at an end.