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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Spring Recipes

    Published: Mar 11, 2016 Β· Modified: Oct 28, 2020 by kseniaprints Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β· This blog generates income via ads Β· #sponsoredpost Β· 5 Comments

    Maslenitsa, or the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web

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    Maslenitsa: the best blinzes and crepes recipes on the webI spent my first Maslenitsa sitting in a corner , a crown of intricately woven flowers sitting crookedly on my head. My hair was plastered to my scalp in rivulets of sweat, and my hand kept reaching up, absent-mindedly scratching the spot where the flowers' hard stems came together in an itchy, uncomfortable knot. But my mind was anywhere but the crown: I was watching the children dancing, the grown-ups chatting in overly excited tones over cups of suspiciously potent tea, the way the harsh winter light was giving way to the soft, hesitant rays of spring.

    But above all else, I was watching the tall stack of blintzes on the table, butter cascading like molten lava down its side and pooling onto the currant jam, the honey, the tablecloth. I dreamed about when we would finally get to eat these crepes, because only then would I truly feel like I was celebrating maslenitsa, the Russian holiday of spring. Even at the age of 5, I knew that the heart of every holiday lies with the food.

    This week, millions of Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians and Slovaks will be celebrating Maslenitsa, or the week leading up to the great Easter Lent. It is the last week in which people of Slavic traditions are allowed to eat dairy, while meat is already excluded from their diets - and therefore, it's a celebration of butter, dough, sweets and excess. Though nowadays it's considered a Christian holiday, Maslenitsa has its origins in entirely pagan traditions - and in fact, it's rumoured to be the oldest surviving Slavic holiday. Meant to honour the Slavic Sun God Volos and usher in spring, it's a way to bless the crops and rejoice at the bounty of the Earth.

    I like to think of Maslenitsa as it was meant to be: an excuse to eat as many crepes, or blintzes, as your stomach can fit. And then do the same thing all over again the following day.

    So in preparation for maslenitsa, here are the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web. If you've never celebrated maslenitsa before, I urge you to spend some time this weekend eating crepes and blintzes with lots of butter. I promise - you'll thank me later!

    Maslenitsa, or the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web

    To get started with any maslenitsa celebration, you need a good blintz recipe, and I've got you covered with my mom's traditional Russian blintzes. They're perfect every time, and can be made dairy free. Make double and triple batches at your own risk.

    Maslenitsa, or the best crepes and blintzes recipes on the web

    If you're looking for a crepe that has a tangier flavour, try the lovely Lily's kefir blintzes. These would be perfect paired up with some fresh Russian-style caviar.

    Maslenitsa, or the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web

    To fill the blintz cravings of the gluten-free among us, I will be turning to The Bojon Gourmet's buckwheat crepes. Though I am still trying to perfect my own vegan, gluten-free crepes, this recipes is my favourite in the meantime. They make perfectly savoury, delicious and filling crepes that would work with less traditional, salty fillings.

    Maslenitsa, or the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web

    If you're looking for a sweet blintzes filling that is still completely unique, try my sour cherry sauce. It remains a household favourite among all my guests, and was the biggest hit at my latest Restaurant Day venture, The Kvartirnik.

    Maslenitsa, or the best blintzes and crepes recipes on the web

    Another very traditional blintzes filling is farmer's cheese, lightly sweetened with raisins and honey. I love this recipe for nalesniki with cheese and raisins from Natasha's Kitchen, which is very similar to my grandmother's guidelines (my grandmother's recipe is still to come!).

    And that's really all you need for the perfect maslenitsa celebration! Just don't forget the strong tea, and maybe a few shots of vodka.

    Happy eating!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathryn @ The Scratch Artist says

      March 12, 2016 at 2:54 pm

      YUM! You nailed it with your youthful longing to get to the food already!! I was always the kid quietly pining for the food to be served. It's always been about the food for me πŸ™‚ I always ate my Mom's blintzes until I couldn't move, didn't we all??

      Reply
      • kseniaprints says

        March 14, 2016 at 4:45 pm

        Oh god we sure did. And I did it again this year, except that a 29-year-old stuffing herself with blintzes until she can't move is less charming than a six year old.... πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    2. Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation says

      March 16, 2016 at 6:01 am

      These just look so PERFECT! Yummy, yummy yummy. I'd have mine with those sour cherries. Deeelish!

      Reply
      • kseniaprints says

        March 16, 2016 at 11:41 am

        Oh Kimberly, thank you for the kind of words - I think you'd LOVE the sour cherry sauce!

        Reply
    3. Dina says

      March 27, 2016 at 8:33 pm

      Ksenia, what a sweet memory from your childhood. I will try your Mom's recipe as I love these crepes, blintzes and all. Occasionally I find them at farmers markets if there is a Russian mamma around. I saved your Mom's recipe, looking forward to trying it. Thank you for posting it.

      Reply

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