Bye-bye, Crimean Meat Pie!

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Clarissa

July 13, 2014

I just unsubscribed from my favorite Russian cooking site because it posted a recipe called “Crimean meat pies.” For the 8 years of the website’s existence, it never mentioned the Crimea. And now, all of a sudden, it has to?

You may think I’m paranoid, but the way Russian mass media have been sticking sly references to the Crimea into absolutely everything is very obnoxious.

“Here is an astrological prognosis for this summer. The stars show that the only place it is safe to travel is the Crimea.”

“Asparagus goes perfectly with this ragout. You can say it belongs to the ragout like the Crimea belongs to Russia.”

“The character completes his journey after vanquishing all of his enemies and returns home in triumph just like the Crimea returned to Russia.”

Something tells me that soon we will hear “Alaska” in the same contexts in the Russian media and them you’ll understand my annoyance.

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10 responses to “Bye-bye, Crimean Meat Pie!”

rupertbu

July 13, 2014

What a shame you gave no link to your #favourite, and even more of a shame that you have closed the door to them.

Surely now is the time when cross-border citizen communities are best fostered, then we are able to see beyond the political rhetoric, otherwise known as propaganda?

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1. Clarissa
  
  July 13, 2014
  
  There are many other cooking websites, so it isn’t such a huge loss.
  
  And as somebody who hates the word “community”, I would be the last person in the world to foster something so noxious. 🙂
  
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cliff arroyo

July 13, 2014

IME when people know they’re in the wrong they double down on trying to convince everyone else that they’re right.

If this situation were as normal as Russia’s trying to make it appear they wouldn’t have to keep reminding themselves of how justified they were, how legal it all is and what a disaster it isn’t turning out to be.

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1. Clarissa
  
  July 13, 2014
  
  Exactly.
  
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Sandra Heine Merchant

July 13, 2014

So, are you talking about the half-moon shaped, thing with the seasoned meat? As one magazine writes ” çibörek (cheburek or cheberek), one of a huge range of savoury pies (böreks, or burek) with savoury fillings. A round or half-moon-shaped dough casing is filled with minced meat and onions, spiced with herbs and pepper, steam-fried in a pan with very little oil and served hot. There are also deep-fried and baked versions, and a much lighter version cooked on a flat griddle (saç) known as yantık or yantıq.”

I ask because my people, Germans who settled in Crimea in the early 19th century, adapted that same item and called it “fleischkuechle.” It’s become sort of the unofficial state dish of North Dakota. I make it a couple of times a year, at least. I also make Bierocks, which are meat and sauerkraut wrapped in bread dough and baked.

When it comes to foods, we all steal from one another and adapt them to our tastes and whatever ingredients are available. Just like the humble cabbage rolls, and borscht. Yet every culture tries to claim the foods as their own. Silly Just enjoy!

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1. Clarissa
  
  July 13, 2014
  
  Yes , the chebureky, exactly. And you are absolutely right, they are very popular, everybody makes them. Putting the word “Crimean” in the recipe has no other reason but this silly, heavy-handed propaganda. For centuries, we’ve known them as chebureky and now, all of a sudden , they are “Crimean.”
  
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  1. Sandra Heine Merchant
    
    July 13, 2014
    
    If they wanted to be culturally accurate, they’d need to call them “Tatar.” As if that would ever happen. Like I said, it’s silly and everyone should just eat and enjoy!
    
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    1. Clarissa
      
      July 13, 2014
      
      The anti-Tatar sentiments were always huge in Russia and now that has intensified. 😦
      
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      1. Sandra Heine Merchant
        
        July 13, 2014
        
        I’ve read. It keeps sounding like a return to the bad old days when the Tatars and my people–and all non-Russians–were persecuted.
        
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Jones

July 13, 2014

So that’ll be Maastricht Meatballs with a serving of Potsdam Pasta and some Baked Alaska afterwards?

🙂

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