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Congress Hotel, Home of a Thousand Homes / Rare and Piquant Dishes of Historic Interest cover

Congress Hotel, Home of a Thousand Homes / Rare and Piquant Dishes of Historic Interest

Chapter 2: Beluga Caviar with Blinis
By Irving S. Paull
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About This Book

A series of richly descriptive menu entries and culinary essays from a grand hotel kitchen, presenting rare and historic dishes alongside preparation notes and anecdotes about their cultural origins. Each entry explains ingredients, traditional service and flavor characteristics—examples include Beluga caviar on blinis, stuffed tomatoes, poule au pot, bird's-nest consommé and bouillabaisse—while reflecting on epicurean taste, technique and the ceremonial aspects of dining at a luxury establishment.

Beluga Caviar with Blinis

ussia has contributed many original dishes to the cuisine of the world, but perhaps the greatest alimentary gift of all for which we are indebted to the land of the tsars is Beluga Caviar with Blinis.

The blinis, which take the place of the French toast canape, are a Russian adaptation or version of American wheatcakes except that they are not sweetened. When the blinis are done to a rich golden brown they are brought to the table piping hot and the caviar, taken from a jar sunk in ice, is spread on top.

At the Congress the blinis are made and served in true Russian style, with specially imported pearl egg Beluga Caviar—the favorite of all epicures.

Tradition says this dish was originated in the Russian Winter Palace during the reign of Tsar Alexander, uncle of the present emperor. Alexander was an illustrious gourmet, and, so the story goes, was as much at home in the mysteries of cookery as in the intrigues of state. But whether he or his chef conceived this typically Russian dish, tradition does not disclose.

"The combat deepens. On ye brave,
 The Cordon Bleu—and then the grave
 Wave Landlord, all thy menus wave,
 And charge with all thy deviltry."

—Old Ballad