Rusks
 

In the spirit of sharing, I'd like to pass along a Russian strategy for storing food.

They keep all the heels and odd crusts of bread, and dry them in the oven with a bit of salt. I guess these are called "rusks" in English (sukhariki in Russian). My wife's grandma kept big bags of this stuff around, because she said you never knew when there would be another war.

Throw them into soup.

All pork grease is also kept in jars with bits of cooked meat and maybe chopped parsley. This stuff is used as a spread.

I eat pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and peppers almost every day, courtesy of my wife's family.

I get fresh supplies of onion, garlic, beets, potatoes, carrots, preserved raspberries, black currants, goosberries, and horseradish.

Pickled pig fat... do you think it is a good idea?

Re: Rusks
 

Anything is a good idea when you are hungry. :ok:

Re: Rusks
 

I keep bacon grease and use it to cook with. Great stuff for frying cabbage and potatoes.

Re: Rusks
 

Da, exactly why my in-laws have cholesterol problems.

Re: Rusks
 

You remind me of my grandmother, Russkie. She lived through both World Wars in the UK. Yes all bacon drippings kept in a bowl. Canned food all over the place.

The 'rusks' do not directly translate. It is English for a form of biscuit for a baby to chew on. But it is food for thought.

My crows might get short rations in future!

Re: Rusks
 

I keep excess grease, what the heck else do you make gravy with?
I put bread scraps, if there are any, in the compost pile.

Re: Rusks
 

Ny cobaka, ti ne znaesh- salo eto naturalni produkt! (kak navoc- tozhe naturalno, no ya ne xochy est):15_1_70v:

Re: Rusks
 

My Dad always claimed that the heels from the bread loaves were the best part. Of course, he was a child of the depression. It's curious that, even though I consider myself to be superior to my old man, there are no crusts or heels going to waste in my house because I eat them all.:wink:

Re: Rusks
 

Rusks are absolutley fantastic in a nice big bowel or borscht ... My wife still packs the end pieces away like a squirrell. Her mom got me hooked on them and my wife makes sure I get my fix once a week or so :)

Shaslik ah borscht ochen kusna ...

Re: Rusks
 

Sa glazen ... naturalni produkt ... ochen horosho ..

(Now I can't say the same about some of the cakes and pies my wife makes .. definatley artery blockers!).

Ezvinetya ... meya russkie na horosho .. ya panemiu horosho ... ne skzal horosho. (Except for the curse words :) )

Re: Rusks
 

Here we buy them in little $4 bags that traveled 3,000 miles by rail and truck and call them croutons.

:smile:

Re: Rusks
 

gawd reminds me of that aweful dutch rusk. tea dunking stale bread - twice baked - barf.

Re: Rusks
 

Put a dab of the bacon grease on a log just before you light your next fire. Great "starter fluid."

Re: Rusks