It's not so often that I actually sit down and read my cookbooks, but A Year of Russian Feasts, by Catherine Cheremetoff Jones, is one that I read from cover-to-cover.

Jones does not just list recipes, or even list recipes with a pithy little comment to precede the ingredients, but rather writes her book as a part-travelogue, part-cultural evaluation, part-family history -- with recipes liberally sprinkled throughout. It's a very enjoyable read and quite culturally illuminating.

Here's what Library Journal had to say about this book:

Jones, a descendant of the Sheremetev clan of the Romanov dynasty, lived in Russia from 1991 to 1994. During this time of glasnost and perestroika, she became friends with many Russian people and was able to explore their culture and food. Her culinary journey through Russia resulted in a book that is part travel memoir and part cookbook. Arranged by season ("Russian Summers") and occasion ("A Birthday Party at Viktor's"), the book chronicles her stay in Russia through recipes and essays about Russian cuisine, customs, and traditions. Leaving out European-inspired fare such as Beef Stroganov and Chicken Kiev, she instead includes the home cooking that is often inspired by the Russian Orthodox Church. Each chapter contains recipes such as Cheese Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce, Russian Easter Bread, and Individual Mushroom Casseroles and is accompanied by the often-poignant stories behind them. Not just a mere recollection of events, Jones's book includes cultural information such as a description of a typical Russian wedding as well as traditional techniques such as dying eggs with onion skins and the art of brewing tea, Russian-style.

I think it's a wonderful, accessible reference for parents to use when trying to incorporate Russian culture into their children's lives. This Easter, for example, I'll be making pashka based on her recipes, and Big J and Little J and I will be trying egg-dying the Russian way (without the ubiquitous Paas egg-dying kit that is in all the grocery stores).