Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-19
Epicurean Life Possible in Soviet

fritters stuffed with meat. Brown
bread, white bread, butter. Il keep
awake at night trying to recall
all the other unrecorded dishesD.
After gorging ourselves on those
palatable dishes-mere appetlzers
came a second course. Borsch-
the most delicate I've ever tasted,
but still borsch with cabbage in
it in large soup plates.
On came a turkey platter-not
a whole turkey, but a turkey cut
and cooked in pieces that looked
delicious. Few of us dared indulge.
We had been warned that
shaShlik-skewered lamb-would
be cooked outdoors. We walked
from the house to an eastern
section of the land, to spot In
the woods where a white pine fire
produced ashes for the cooking
of the shashlik. The wood burned
brightly at one end of the bar
becue.
At this point we thought all
must end. No, double no!
Sweets-in the form of pastry,
pastry-pie, and more pastry-ar-
rived, and to top it all, chocolates.
Vodko, Champagne, Coenoe
Now, don't forget, there we're
toasts with powerful vodka. One
kind of vodka was seasoned in
garlic the STRONGEST; another in
lemon. Champagne was served,
and Armenian cognac at the end
along with more champagne.
I was much impressed by the
conversation. Our son John and
Gennadi Jour smart young guide
interpreter were busily involved
in their own subjects. Only once
or twice did Mr.. Pogodin insist
upon silence.
Mr.. Pogodin asked my hus-
bands help on a forthcoming
play. He is fascinated by the per-
sonality of Albert Einstein. He
had read about the famous meet
ing at which Einstein agreed to
sign a joint letter to President
Roosevelt, urging the President to
finance a project aimed at the
release of atomic energy. (This
turned out to be the so-called
Manhattan project" which led
to the atomic bomb
My husband knows two of the
men who were at the meeting,
former Senator Herbert Lehman
and Prof. Leo Szilard.
Pogodin cried, What did they
say to Einstein when he was hest
tating? How did Einstein react?
How was he dressed? How did he
look? What mood was he in?
What did they say? What did he
say?"
My husband said he would try
to get accurate first-hand reports
from the participants who are
still alive.
Chouffeurfs Log Goblin
After dinner we went to see the
drivers village and house.
We drove about 10 minutes
when the driver stopped and
locked the car. We walked to his
house through muddy, narrow
streets thanked by wooden houses
mostly made of heavy logs inSu
lated with ropelike material. Hi
wife was not at home. so he pref
aced his welcome with apologies
The house consisted of one
large room, bare except for the
inevitable round table, chairs. q
bed and what looked like a sofa
bed, a kitchen and small wash
room. An clubhouse was few feet
from the log cottage. A collie dog
and two puppies were cheerful
greeters. The driver set up the
table with plates and forks for
all and produced ham slices,
bread and vodka.
None of us could stomach an
other mouthful. But we drank the
vodka and toasted him. He drank
nothing, although he had poured
his glass, as the penalty for drink
ing and driving is large too large
to risk.
Apparently he built his house
himself He painted the logs green
and he has both flowers and vege-
tables in his garden. He presented
me with some iris and buds of
day lilies as we left.
1t was a strange day visiting
these two Russians who lived in
two different worlds in this land
of equality"