Anyone born between October 24 and November 22 is a Scorpio. I am one of them. It’s not such a bad sign after all. Scorpios are known for strong personalities and interesting lives, influenced by two major planets—Mars and Neptune. Their intensity and stubbornness can earn them enemies, but they also keep many friends; horoscopes often describe Scorpios as “noble and loyal.”
So, on a certain November day, my friends come over, as they always do. Someone might call in the morning to wish me a happy birthday and ask if I’m ready to host, but most will show up uninvited. In my younger days, my home was filled with laughter and jokes. We talked about love, new acquaintances, fashion, hairstyles, and, of course, politics. And oh, how we sang and danced!
Now the conversations revolve around health problems and grandchildren. I don’t have to borrow tables and chairs from neighbors anymore; I have enough at home. But today I’m at a loss for what to put on the table. I remember the hungry post-war years when guests would bring something edible instead of gifts. Thank goodness that’s not the case now, although finding gifts can still be tricky. I won’t even mention amethyst or topaz rings and bracelets associated with Scorpio. Prices have skyrocketed; even a tablecloth, a vase, or a bottle of perfume would make a significant dent in my meager pension. But I’m not expecting expensive presents. My friends are such creative artisans that they delight me with homemade things: quirky tea cozies, colorful appliqué potholders, knitted gloves, or something similar. There’s no better gift for me than time spent with friends.
However, I still need to decide what to serve my guests. So, let’s set out the table and cover it with a festive tablecloth.
Every hostess worries about winter supplies in the summer and fall. So, what do we have? Let’s check the eggplants. In the past, I sliced them into rounds, seasoned them, and sautéed them in oil. Then I packed them into jars, pouring over them a mixture made from 10 sweet and 6 bitter pepper pods, 300 g of garlic minced in a meat grinder, a bit of vinegar, three tablespoons of honey, a cup of sugar, two tablespoons of salt, a liter of water, and 200 g of oil. This recipe is based on 5 kg of eggplants. So, we already have one delicious appetizer ready.
Let’s also put out bowls of sauerkraut, tomatoes, canned zucchini, and cucumbers. Unfortunately, there won’t be any mushrooms—those used to be a staple on my table—because it’s dangerous to forage for them in our radiation-contaminated forests.
What’s a table without herring? But where can we find it? We’ll prepare salted fish instead. A day or two before the celebration, buy frozen sardines or another small fish. Clean them, remove the heads, tails, and bones, and make fillets, rolling each piece in a mixture of salt and sugar (1:1 ratio, though a bit more sugar is better). After a day, the fish becomes delicious and can be served without any extra seasoning.
We can also enhance the table with fish baked in a skillet or another metal dish. Here’s how to prepare it: coat fillets of carp or another fish in flour mixed with salt and fry them on both sides. Slice potatoes and onions into rounds and fry them as well (coat the onions in flour first). Slice boiled eggs and layer everything in the skillet—first a layer of potatoes, then the fish fillets, topped with a “scale” of potatoes, onions, and eggs. Add a bit of salt and pepper, pour sour cream over it, and place it in a hot oven. After a few minutes, when the dish is golden brown, serve it garnished with chopped celery or dill.
Little sandwiches on colorful skewers will also beautify the table. On toasted or buttered bread (use cookie cutters to shape them if you like), add whatever you have: sausage with a slice of pickled cucumber; herring with a slice of egg or onion; boiled fish fillet with horseradish. It all depends on the ingredients and your imagination.
Of course, a pie is a centerpiece of the table. I buy yeast dough from the bakery. Sure, I could make it at home, but good luck finding flour and yeast. So I have the dough. About two hours before my guests arrive, I place it in a warm spot and cover it with a clean towel. Meanwhile, I prepare the filling. For 1 kg of ground meat, I use one onion, 125 g of butter, and half a cup of broth. I make a pie with meat and eggs. On the larger portion of dough spread on a baking sheet, I first place a layer of meat, then a layer of finely chopped eggs, followed by more meat, and cover it with the remaining dough. I brush it with a beaten egg and let it sit in a warm place for 20–30 minutes before placing it in a hot oven. Once baked, I transfer the pie to a board, brush the top with butter, and cover it with parchment and a towel.
A delicious pie with fresh cabbage. Finely shred the cabbage, salt it, squeeze it after 10 minutes, pour boiling water over it, drain it, and then sauté it in butter, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Once cooled, mix it with chopped boiled eggs and season to taste. For one head of cabbage, use 125 g of butter and 3–4 eggs.
With pies and baked fish, we could skip the traditional hot dish and just serve baked potatoes. Wash and peel them well, coat them with salted oil, and bake them. Once done, place the potatoes on a dish and drizzle them with melted butter and finely chopped garlic.
Or perhaps we’ll prepare a hot meat dish, like duck with apples. Experienced cooks recommend using Antonovka apples, but other tart varieties will work too. Rub the prepared duck with salt, core and cut the apples into 2–4 pieces, sprinkle them with sugar, and stuff them into the bird. In a roasting pan, add a bit of water, place the duck inside, cover it, and braise it on low heat, basting it occasionally with its juices. About 40–50 minutes before serving, place the remaining prepared apples around the duck and, without covering it, put it in a hot oven. When the apples are ready and the duck has golden skin, it’s time to serve.
We can also serve a magnificent hot dish—stuffed potatoes. For 1 kg of potatoes, use 300 g of meat, one egg, two tablespoons of tomato paste, three tablespoons of sour cream, salt, dill, and allspice. Select large tubers, wash them well, pour boiling water over them, salt, and cook until half-done. Then peel the potatoes, cut them open, and scoop out the insides. Grind the meat together with the scooped-out potato, add the egg, chopped dill, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Fill the potatoes with this mixture, place the tops back on, pack them tightly in a wide dish, add broth or water, and braise. Sauté onions, add tomato and sour cream, and pour this sauce over the potatoes a few minutes before they’re done.
Alternatively, grind the meat (preferably pork), add the onion right away, and don’t use the scooped-out potato for the filling. Fill the potatoes with the meat mixture and leave them open on top. Pour a bit of broth and sour cream into the dish and braise covered until done. Then remove the lid, sprinkle the potatoes with grated cheese, and bake them in the oven.
So please, let’s set the table. Even if it’s not lavish, guests will be happy—everything is homemade, delicious, and aromatic.
Dessert lovers, of course, eagerly await the “dessert table.”
Well, here’s a recipe: I have a jar of cocoa with condensed milk left. Half a jar went into some flatbreads, along with a cup of sugar, a cup of sour cream, one and a half cups of flour, two eggs, and a spoonful of baking soda activated with vinegar. The batter turns out quite runny. I spoon the batter into a greased pan, yielding three layers. While they bake, I prepare the cream: for 300 g of butter, I use half a jar of cocoa and 10–15 crushed nuts. I mix everything well. I cut the layers with a sharp knife, resulting in six pieces. I spread cream on all but the top layer, which I decorate with various flowers and, perhaps, the inscription “Happy Birthday, my beloved Scorpio.” I do this using a pastry syringe with colored vegetable juices and oil.
Not everyone might have a jar of condensed milk lying around. I didn’t stop with just that cake. I bought a pack of “sandy cake” from the store, prepared it according to the instructions, placed it in a hot oven, and when it was almost ready, I added a mixture of fresh cottage cheese (made from milk and kefir), two yolks beaten with sugar, and candied fruits, then let it brown. Finally, I poured two whipped egg whites with sugar over it and, after a few minutes, removed a quite tasty cake that can be enjoyed warm.
What did my friends drink besides tea at the birthday table? I won’t speak for the men, but we women enjoyed a homemade liqueur I made back in August when cherry plums were plentiful at the market. I washed the berries well, poured boiling water over them, removed the pits, filled bottles almost to the top with the plums, and covered them with sugar, ensuring no air reached the berries. Gradually the berries released juice and settled at the bottom, and I added sugar several times. After two or three months, when the juice level stopped rising, I strained the contents and bottled them, corking the bottles. If you add 100 g of vodka to 400 g of juice, this liqueur can last for years. You can also make liqueur now by gathering rowan berries.
A birthday is still a celebration, even in our troubled and unyielding times. It’s a celebration of friendship, memories of the past, and hopes for a better life for us and our children and grandchildren.
