Butter Week is upon us.
Maslenitsa, also known as Butter Week or Pancake Week, is a Slavic sun-celebration that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. And, if you want to celebrate, Oakland’s Legume Bistro is giving you the chance.
Starting Monday, March 7, Legume will be serving up a special Russian-inspired Maslenitsa menu, complete with both traditional Russian favorites, and chef Trevett Hooper’s untraditional take on classic dishes. Oh, and plenty of vodka, too.
In the spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival, Maslenitsa is one big celebration of food and drinks (including butter-soaked Russian pancakes) before the fasting season of Lent begins.
“Orthodox Lent is pretty intense,” Hooper says. “No animal products, no dairy, no eggs for about seven weeks. So Maslenitsa is really their last big hurrah.”
Legume’s Maslenitsa menu will begin with zakuski, a spread of traditional Russian appetizers put out for the table to share and enjoy together. Hooper’s zakusi will include blini pancakes with trout roe and sour cream, an assortment of pickles and bone marrow – and a carafe of vodka for the table to share.
Up next will be shchi, a traditional Russian cabbage soup, and pelmeni, Russian pierogies that are filled with four or five different kinds of meat. Hooper will also be offering a meatless version, in accordance with traditional Orthodox custom.
Hooper says that not only does he want the menu to celebrate Russian food, but he also wants the spirit of Russian dining to be in full force.
“This whole way of eating and drinking is just so good,” Hopper says. “There’s something about drinking vodka together, and eating together, that’s so beautiful. I love eating in this style, and I just really want to get people in to try it.”
Hooper spent part of last year traveling throughout Eastern Europe, and celebrated Maslenitsa outside of Russia’s capital. Exploring the cuisine of Eastern Europe, and incorporating it into his work at Legume has always been a particular interest to him.
“My grandmother was Russian, so there’s kind of a longing there, because she passed away before I really cared about such things,” he says. “It’s something that I’ve been trying to reclaim.”
But Hooper is also devoted to exploring the ways that local food is used throughout the year in climates that have long winters, and learning about traditional cuisines that pre-date refrigeration.
“Legume is a farm to table restaurant, and that’s great for two months out of the year,” Hooper says. “But we want to explore the best ways that we can eat locally year round, in this climate, in this area. And this is just one way to explore how we do that.”
Legume’s special Maslenitsa menu will run from Monday, March 7 through Saturday, March 12. Seats are $38 per person, and reservations can be made by calling 412-621-2700 or online.
Legume (214 N. Craig Street)
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