Russian Culture & Cuisine: From the 18th Century to the Present

Explore Russian culture and cuisine through the ages when the OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents food writer and historian Darra Goldstein. 

Ever since Peter the Great opened his country to the West, the Russians have struggled with ambivalence toward outside influences, alternately embracing and rejecting Western foods. Today, following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the economic sanctions imposed by Europe, Australia and the U.S., have led Russia to ban imports of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. The resulting shortages have led to a revival of artisanal production that is transforming Russia's gastronomic landscape.

Goldstein is professor emerita of Russian at Williams College and founding editor of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. She is the author of the classic cookbook, A Taste of Russia. 

Tickets are available online at berkshireolli.wildapricot.org, by calling 413-236- 2190, or at the door. Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC members, and $15 for the general public. Admission is free fir Berkshire Community College students and youth 17 and younger.