A Perfect Dacha Day

Ah, summer… the lazy, drawn-out breakfasts at the dacha, when it seems like everything from the small, old fridge has been put on the table, and the first round of food is washed down with coffee, the next one with mors, and a couple of hours later it’s already time for lunch.

Many old-style dachas in Russia had only gas stoves to cook their food and no ovens, so desserts came in the form of farmer’s cheese fritters (syrniki) or fluffy pancakes (oladushki) with apples that you can cook on the stove top. And summer is the best time for salads, of course, since everything is fresh, straight from the garden.

Here then, are some off-the-cuff dacha recipes for you (summer seems like too relaxed a time for exacting recipes).