Kachka

Starred review from August 21, 2017
This fantastic cookbook from the chef at Kachka in Portland, Ore., is by turns funny, moving, informative, and appetite-whetting. Frumkin Morales is descended from a family of Soviet Jewish émigrés, and she exhibits the kind of humor and pathos that must have sustained them during difficult times as she tells sidesplitting family stories, including the time her father discovered a bowl of sauerkraut in a phone booth. A flow chart of quid pro quo under the Soviet system includes the tale of a man who dressed a slaughtered pig in a hat and coat to smuggle it. In terms of the recipes, Frumkin Morales delivers one intriguing dish after another, among them beans flavored with cinnamon, pomegranate seeds, and crushed marigold petals; herring “under a fur coat” (i.e., layered with potatoes and beets); and cold sliced pork loin with a salad of ribbons of celery tossed with a caraway dressing. The Soviet-inspired book design is clever and eye-catching. Spreads include a rundown of Soviet candy and their fancy wrappers and another on the pelmenitsa, a honeycomb mold for crafting dumplings. The logical organization of the chapters thoughtfully breaks the appetizer-entrée-dessert mold—for example, a chapter on the mangal (a Russian barbecue) presents grilled flatbreads sitting aside grilled skewers.

September 15, 2017

Chef Morales and her husband co-own Kachka, a much-lauded restaurant in Portland, OR. Kachka's cuisine is labeled as Russian, but, as Morales and journalist Prichep explain here, it's more complicated. With stories and recipes, they dig into the geographic, historical, cultural, and culinary complexities of Russia and the Soviet Union, shedding light on Morales's background and influences. In addition to an impressive lineup of foods and beverages (e.g., infused vodkas, hot and cold appetizers, dumplings, soups, homestyle dishes, desserts), their cookbook includes menu ideas, an ingredient glossary, and eclectic guides on everything from building a Russian-style grill to selecting packaged candies and caviar. VERDICT Home cooks looking to break out of a rut will find plenty to explore. The subject matter will attract attention, as titles such as Olia Hercules's Mamushka and Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford's Samarkand have reinvigorated interest in eastern European and Central Asian cooking.

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