Cooking class experience — learning Olivier Salad properly

I took a cooking class specifically to learn how to make Olivier Salad correctly. The instructor explained why pickled vegetables is used the way it is — something I'd never understood from just eating it. The hearty and warming result when you make it yourself is different.

Russian New Year table is the most important annual food event, laden with Olivier salad, herring under fur coat, and other Soviet-era staples. We learned how a dacha summer kitchen shapes the way this dish is eaten. The class ended with the meal and a glass of vodka. I've made it three times since and each time it improves. Highly recommend the cooking class approach.