8 crazy Soviet dishes that you can repeat right now

1. Bread with sunflower oil and salt

This simple, very affordable snack helped stave off hunger pangs until lunch or dinner. The recipe for this “delicacy” is not overly sophisticated: Smear a piece of black bread with a little sunflower oil and salt, and you’re done. Those looking for extra spice rubbed in a bit of garlic or sprinkled on some chopped green onions.

2. Macaroni with sugar

Carbonara or bolognese? Neither. Soviet children were mad about another kind of pasta: macaroni with sugar. It’s easy to prepare. Just boil any macaroni, add butter, and sprinkle with sugar.

P.S. Apologies to any Italian readers.

3. Bread with sugar

In its day, this “dessert” brought a smile to the lips of many children. White bread was spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar. In times of extreme shortages, it was possible to do without butter, and instead dip the bread in water or milk, followed by granulated sugar. There was another, more “complex” version, which involved spreading a layer of berry jam over butter (if available).

4. Shortbread sandwich

Today, snacks like this are produced on an industrial scale (with cream and a wide range of biscuits). But in Soviet times, there was only one type of shortbread, and that was used to make “sandwiches.” One piece was buttered and another was placed on top. It was sometimes known as “village cake.”

5. Gul-Gul

Another shortbread dessert doable in 2 minutes. Crumble a few cookies into a glass of milk, and wait until sodden. Place the mush on a plate and decorate with berries, and it’s ready to eat. Back in the day, if the shortbread came from a chocolate cake, it was real treat.

6. Carrots with raisins

This is a sweet salad, variations of which can still be found on the menus of state-run canteens. It is prepared from finely grated carrots with steamed raisins and sugar. The addition of sliced fruit or nuts made it more appetizing for children.

7. Onions with sugar

Some parents considered onions with sugar to be a type of cough medicine, and even healthy children drank it. Onions were grated and sprinkled with sugar. After being left to stand for a while, the onion releases a sweet juice, and the entire jumble resembles a porridge-like dessert.

8. Cucumbers with honey

Children made this “delicacy” from fresh cucumbers and honey. A simple version of this children’s dish is to pour honey on sliced cucumber. A more challenging recipe entails slicing pieces of cucumber into a salad bowl and adding dill, honey, sunflower oil, and salt. The salad needs to soak for half an hour.