Every region of the Russian Federation has its own symbols, including culinary ones. When talking about Siberia, one thinks about pelmeni (stuffed boiled dumplings) and when it comes to southern regions adjacent to the Caspian Sea, any Russian will mention sturgeon, large sweet watermelons, and tomatoes. A recently published book "Culinary Travel to the Caspian Capital" tells you how to cook these things.
The city of Astrakhan, the administrative center of the Astrakhan Region is located on the Caspian Plain, where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. This place is famous for various fish species, particularly sturgeon called the "tsar fish". The region is also regarded as "the vegetable garden of Russia" raising tomatoes, well-known Astrakhan watermelons and other crops. The book "Culinary Travel to the Caspian Capital" comprises recipes of dishes which can be made of these products.
The director of the Regional Center for Restaurant Business Valentina Limonova welcomes the publication of this book which is regarded as a work of historical-cultural research:
"All guests I have ever met, particularly foreign ones, show keen interest in ancient recipes. We are able to reconstruct the dishes that might have been on the menu many years ago."
Valentina Limonova considers the recipes by the Astrakhan housewives to be valuable since they are passed on from generation to generation. Different methods of making fish soup and even watermelon honey recipes are among them:
"Fish soup is cooked of several species of ordinary fish, not of sturgeon, Valentina Limonova says adding that fish should be placed either in boiling or in cold water. Fried blackberry pies are our special dish, but there are also recipes for several fillings".
The book "Culinary Travel to the Caspian Capital" implies that Astrakhan is notable for hospitality and ability to cook tasteful, healthy meals of the natural products the region is rich for.
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