With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s, a wave of Jewish immigrants poured into Israel. There, for the first time, Soviet Russian cuisine brushed shoulders with middle-eastern, Arabic, and Israeli flavours. On the Soviet side, you have the tradition of babushkas frying up milk-based delicacies, from cyrniki, to oladushki, to blinchiki c masom - comfort food favourites that haven’t gone mainstream - as well as staples like borscht and smoked fish. On the Middle Eastern/Israeli side there are staples like shashuka, sabich, Israeli salad, hummus and baba ganoush. For the generation that were part of this migration, it took time to get accustomed to the new, unfamiliar flavours & ingredients, but before long they would all find their place on the family table. The next generation would be born into a novel cuisine comprised of beloved dishes from both cultural heritages.

Tom Kreynin is an amateur chef who grew up equally loving foods from both cuisines. He is excited by the ways they compliment and echo each other, exploring a unique and budding cultural tradition, and a glimpse what its future may hold.
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Sabich & Smoked Fish

Sabich set: Pita served with smoky baba ganoush, hummus, roasted eggplant, eggs, pickles, and chopped salad of tomatoe, onion & cucumber. These ingredients combine make a sabich, a typical shabbat breakfast among Iraqi Jews.

Smoked Fish set: A charcuterie board featuring cold prepared fish is a common Russian appetizer. Baked trout and pickled herring with assorted cheeses, marinated mushrooms, avocado salad, and black bread.

Borscht & Blini

Borshch (борщ)
Borscht is a beet soup, served chilled in summer or warm in winter, garnished with chopped egg, dill, and sour cream. Preparing it a few days in advance allows the flavours to more fully develop.

Blinchiki c masom (Блинчики с мясом)
Popular in Russia, and often served at dedicated “blini houses”, these delicately wrapped crepes with a beef and fried onion filling are lightly crisped on the outside and served with sour cream.

Shakshuka & Sashlyk

Shakshuka - שקשוקה
Roasted pepper, tomato, and spices simmered, cooked with eggs, then topped with cilantro and tahini. Rich middle-eastern aromatics and spices combine with eggs for a hearty dish.

Baraniny shashlyk (Баранины шашлык) - Lamb shishlik
Tender pieces of lamb barbecued and served with narsharab (pomegranate molasses). Lamb is associated with festive occasions in both Russian and Jewish traditions.

Syrniki & Samovar

Syrniki (Сырники)
These small cheesecakes are made from a tender, homemade cottage cheese (творог | tvorog), which is battered and lightly fried. Equally enjoyed as a nourishing breakfast or as dessert with evening tea. Served with your choice of sour cream and home made jam or cгущёнка (sgushchonka) (condensed milk).

Samovar Tea (самовар)
Black tea on tap in a traditional самовар (samovar), a Russia tea pot that keeps tea hot for a full evening. Served with пряник (pryaniki) (gingerbread) and маковая булочка (makovaya bulochka)(poppy-seed bread).
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Tom Kreynin is a 25 year old technology enthusiast and avid reader who is passionate about the holistic value of food, from its effect on metabolic health, to its spiritual vitality, to how it grounds cultures across time. Tom is an amateur chef of a budding Russian-Jewish cuisine, who hopes to share these flavours with the world and contribute to the vibrancy of the Toronto food scene.