Why Solyanka deserves more attention

Solyanka rarely gets the international recognition it deserves. The savoury and satisfying complexity is genuine, not simple, and the technique involved in using buckwheat correctly takes real skill.

Russian New Year table is the most important annual food event, laden with Olivier salad, herring under fur coat, and other Soviet-era staples. I encountered it first in a dacha summer kitchen and that context helped me understand it properly. kvas is the natural accompaniment and the combination makes the case for the dish. If you haven't explored this cuisine seriously, Solyanka is the dish to start with.