The tasty Wednesday  took place  on May 3 at the organizers of the spring master class  at  Penza office “Ak kalfak”. Young participants of this event, high school students from the villages of Kamensky district Kobylkino and Kikino had a unique opportunity to learn the secrets of Tatar cuisine, take the experience of the older generation, learn the skill of cooking and enrich a home menu with new recipes. Chairman of the regional women’s organization, Elmira Vasilieva, opened the meeting with a message about the Kazan cooking contest dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Yunus Akhmetzyanov,  collector of ancient recipes for national dishes,  author  of the first books of Tatar cooking skills and  founder of a distinctive culinary school.

Then the floor was given to the participants of this competition Firdaus Tumerkina and Galiya Akzhigitova. Each of them briefly shared their impressions of the trip to Tatarstan, then the names of the dishes of the forthcoming culinary lesson were announced.

First Firdaus Kazymovna started to show. Her choice was a flour dish “Kosh tele” – bird tongues. We heard a wedding philosophy of serving this batch to the bride’s table so that, by eating this sweetness, the bride and groom would chatter like birds, singing their feelings. Quickly  having  rolled out a dough, Firdaus attracted all the  present to the formation of little rhombs. And later, in boiling oil, delicate crispy tongues were prepared, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served on snow-white plates.

Galiya continued the sweet topic and set about cooking  a dessert dish  called Elbe. Nowadays this dish is cooked quite seldom, it tastes like home halva, a dense crumbly mash of sugar, flour and butter. It is served to hot tea, can be stored for a long time, satisfying and nutritious in its qualities.

“Ochpochmaki (triangles)” by Leyla Trengulova’s recipe have been  prepared by a friendly team of experienced housewives from activists “Ak kalfak”, guests of the event, employees of the “Kagau” company, and  very diligent schoolgirls. The tone was set by Adele, a seven-year-old beauty, using a silicone brush and deftly rubbing ochpochmaki with butter. Three corners of this tasty pie, according to Leila’s explanation, also have their own specific meaning. The right corner belongs to the respected kunak (guest), the left from the heart is the hostess’s love for the guest, and the top one is the top of the WORLD, which is so much enjoyed by those present at such an unforgettable pleasant feast! Ochpochmak with potato – chicken filling was served with a fragrant meat broth flavored with herbs, certainly in a porcelain bowl. For food they remembered the eastern tradition of eating without appliances, with clean hands washed in the water with pink petals.

“We are fond of traditions to cook deliciously and treat lavishly,” Elmira Khamzeevna noted at the conclusion, and with thanks for the provided space she presented the dishes with ardor – with a heat to the members of the Executive Committee of the Tatar autonomy.

They said goodbye warmly, took pictures for memory and planned an early useful meeting.