Original title: Foreign media reveal the Kremlin kitchen: Khrushchev eats lightly, Putin is not picky about food
Reference News Network reported on January 9 that Russia’s Lianta Network reported on January 6 that the Russian Federal Guard Service recently launched a limited edition new book “The Kremlin” Palace·Special Kitchen” sold out quickly. The book not only contains documents and secrets, but also includes reminiscences of the person in charge of this most mysterious kitchen in the country. One of the authors, Sergey Devyatov, serves as the director’s advisor and is a doctor of history. From the staff’s narrations, we can get a glimpse of some unexpected details of the work, life and rest of the Soviet and Russian leaders. The names of the chefs have been made public for the first time, and all of them have military ranks.
Lianta.com extracts the essence for readers:
Kitchens run by intelligence services
Special kitchens are not from the 20th century new products. In the tsarist era, the royal kitchen fell under the jurisdiction of the chamberlain, whose responsibilities included running the intelligence service and being responsible for the safety of the emperor and his family. Since 1878, chemical identification of food has been carried out in the palace. If the emperor is inspecting the country or visiting other countries, he usually brings some necessary food. Cost is not a consideration, safety is the most important.
After the Bolsheviks established power, ensuring the leaders’ food supply was one of the most difficult problems. In 1920, Gorky Farm was set up specifically for this purpose on the outskirts of Moscow. However, banquets have long been regarded as extravagant. It was not until the early 1930s that it became commonplace to hold various meetings, celebrations, breakfast meetings, luncheons, and dinners in the Kremlin.
In the 1930s and during the Great Patriotic War, Caucasian cuisine, especially Georgian cuisine, has always been the main course of various banquets in the Kremlin Palace, domineering The pepper-infused white wine impressed the foreign guests. Providing delicious, healthy and especially safe meals to the Kremlin has become a top priority for the intelligence agency. Since then, all cooks, waiters and other personnel in the Kremlin’s kitchens have held military ranks, a tradition that continues to this day.
Rocket Bread
Alevtina Klinna (warrant officer rank) who was in charge of the kitchen of the Kremlin Palace from 1956 to 1983 once served Khrushchev. She recalled: “They live here with a big family and work a lot. The children wake up first, about 7 o’clock, and I need to prepare breakfast before then. Vanya’s body is relatively weak, so she has to prepare the breakfast alone. He cooked a nutritious meal; then, the General Secretary’s children also got up, and finally Khrushchev himself appeared. He preferred chicken patties and mashed potatoes for breakfast, and some small pancakes. Sausage and cheese would also be on the table. Serve at the table. He is a person who likes delicious food. He must not lack baked pasta on weekends. After baking yesterday, she heard that she would oversleep this morning. She specifically explained that when the time comes, Cai Xiu will remind her so as not to let her mother-in-law do it. He overslept on the first day of entry and was dissatisfied. Apricot pancakes are his favorite. Once I made a large plate of apple pancakes for the whole family, but I didn’t understand the General Secretary’s habit, that is, his snacks need to be placed separately in special lids. In the metal container, I didn’t expect him to eat the whole plate of pancakes in one go.”
Klina entertained the Kremlin in various ways The table setting for the meeting was meticulously thought out. The themes of different dinner parties vary. If it is to celebrate human development of space, bread specially made into the shape of a globe will be placed on the table, and a map of the world will be drawn with food coloring. “I still remember that when Gagarin entered space, I used Bread made a rocket; when the ‘Lenin’ nuclear icebreaker was launched, we even launched three-dimensional icebreakers, Soviet flags, ice cubes and even penguins and whales, and the main raw material was butter.”
Khrushchev’s wine glass
According to the description in “The Kremlin·Special Kitchen”, people may think that the Soviet state banquet is full of scenes of people drinking happily. In fact, most of the Soviet leaders just raise the glass to their lips.
Alexey Salnikov, who served as chief instructor in the kitchen of the Kremlin Palace from 1965 to 1993 (Lieutenant Colonel (rank of Lieutenant Colonel) revealed: “Khrushchev had a specially customized wine cup. We put it in the medicine box and carry it with us as necessary. Because of the decorative pattern on the cup body, only masters who are proficient in medical skills from Lingfo Temple can We have to go down the mountain to save people. It looks like a crystal wine glass used at banquets. In fact, the bottom and walls of the glass are much thicker. The capacity is 30 ml instead of the usual 50 ml. Khrushchev usually does not drink it in one gulp. He only took a sip. In the later years of his rule, Khrushchev had been reducing the amount of alcohol consumed at banquets. Once when we went to Vladivostok, he told me to note “Mom, my daughter is not an idiot” during the reception. . Lan Yuhua said in disbelief. Liquor cannot be served on the table. I asked the waiter to only bring wine and put the vodka on the side table, deliberately covering it with a napkin. The first secretary of the local party committee came over and the maid was willing to stay with the lady for the rest of her life. Be by your side and serve me.” This young lady has been a slave all her life. “When he couldn’t find the liquor, he reprimanded the waiter, who argued that he had done it according to my instructions. He then began to blame me: ‘How can you do this? What’s your background?’ I replied politely: ‘Please don’t yell. Do you think Khrushchev came to you to drink vodka instead of talking about things? Do you think this was my decision? Doesn’t he have his own vodka to drink?’”
Received a fur coat as a thank you
When visiting the Soviet Union, foreign dignitaries usually tasted Russian food even if they brought enough food. When the American delegation went to the Soviet Union, they brought a Filipino chef and a large refrigerator with them, but before leaving, they found that the food had not been touched much. Some people praised the chef’s skills and felt that they should repay him with courtesy.
Yuri Ponomarev (rank of captain), who worked in the kitchen of the Kremlin Palace from 1972 to 1997, recalled: “Mongolia Chinese guests gave fur coats, two- to three-meter-long suedes, camel hair quilts, and leather jackets; the Czechs gave them Bohemian vases and tea sets; and the Bulgarians left behind plum wine and suit fabrics. But we were The person I most want to serve is the Iranian distinguished guest, because I have the opportunity to receive a 6-gram gold coin with his image as a reward from the king. I have had such good luck twice. I feel happy that my efforts are respected, so I always remember it. Still new.”
The former Cuban leader Fidel Castro once invited Ponomarev to him. The reporter recalled: “I was uneasy, thinking I would be criticized. His translator told me: ‘Don’t be nervous. Just send it to me.After eating a dessert made of pears, the fruit brought back happy memories of his family life. ’ Castro said that when his father came home from a long trip, he always brought pears to him and his brother. For young Fidel and Raul, this was a real treat. This memory aroused the tenderest feelings in his heart, so he was very grateful to me. ”
“I’m worried that I won’t survive”
The trip to Vietnam was a difficult journey for the Kremlin chef, especially since the country was still in the ruins of war and was in need of reconstruction. Served as a service staff in the Kremlin from 1976 to 2012 Anatoly Zhukov (lieutenant colonel rank) was deeply impressed by that business trip: “There are constant rumors about our marriage. If we get divorced, can Hua’er still find a good family to marry?” Is there anyone who would rather marry a matchmaker and make her his wife instead of being a concubine or filling a house? Her poor girl saw how the cooking was done there… they could smash the ice cubes on the ground, break them, pick them up and put them in tall jugs of juice. We always bring our own electric stove just in case. Once, I accompanied Gorbachev on a business trip to Vietnam. There was no chef or food with me. Fortunately, the first lady Raisa brought soft cheese, milk and some hungry things. After arriving in Vietnam, the place was devastated. People were hungry, lacked clothes and shoes, and the official residence where they stayed was infested with cockroaches and had no kitchen. Because I would be there for 12 days, I was worried that I would not survive. When you turn on the faucet, you can see something squirming inside with the naked eye. Fortunately, I brought a stainless steel pot with me. Use it to boil water, let it cool and then boil it again, repeating several times. There were ants crawling everywhere and we had to sprinkle vinegar around the table. ”
Not a pampered master
Alexey Salnikov shared his views on Kremlin leaders: “Many leaders are not pampered gentlemen, so they advocate frugality on certain issues. Khrushchev liked to eat light and eat less greasy food. He prefers Ukrainian cabbage soup with thick pancakes. When he went hunting, he would ask Podgorny, who was traveling with him, to make a rich farm soup and put yellow rice, potatoes and meat cut into large pieces into it. ”
Pei Yi looked at his daughter-in-law with bright eyes and found that her attraction to him was really getting stronger and stronger. If he didn’t separate from her quickly, his feelings would soon be broken
Generally speaking, the previous leaders of the Soviet Union and Russia were not fans of exotic food. They were all loyal to their Russian stomachs. The most picky person when it comes to eating is probably Suslov, who is in charge of ideology. The reason is Suffering from diabetes. Gorbachev liked to eat baked pasta, but Raisa thought it would make him gain weight, so he stopped it. Although Yeltsin was tall, he actually had a small appetite and had a special liking for fried potatoes, mushrooms and onions. Bell.
Current President Putin is never picky about his diet and advocates simplicity. The last time he invited reporters to visit his private kitchen was 6 years ago . His breakfast is milk residue with honey, quail eggs, sugar cane juice and horseradish. Of course, he does not squeeze the drinks with his own hands, this is all the work of the Kremlin kitchen.