"Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking" is a memoir spanning three generations and the history of Russia over a century which includes famine, food and family. Each chapter represents a decade of Russian history as well as the food of that particular decade. This quote at the beginning of the book sets the tone for it: "Food, as one academic has noted, defined how Russians endured the present, imagined the future, and connected to their past." The type of food described in the decades of Russian history and the family memories it evokes, makes for interesting reading.
The author and her mother came to the United States in 1974 and share their recollections of their life in Russia and then later when they go back to visit. But in spite of all the hardships of the Russian people including the author and her mother, their food survived along with the meaning of family.
This book was not as much about food as I thought it would be. There are some recipes included in the back of the book though. It does, however, give a fascinating look at the life and times in the former Soviet Union and even in present day Russia.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
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