The 1901 Cookbook Archive
No. 2046 — Varenets with a Silver Starter
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2046 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
The original describes steeping a silver twenty-kopeck coin or a silver teaspoon in a bottle milk in a warm place for four days to create a starter.
It then adds almost half a glass of this starter to three bottles thin cream and warms in the oven while stirring frequently.
After four hours, drain the curdled varenets carefully from its whey, chill over ice and serve with sugar and crushed sifted rye rusks.
The original suggests keeping the silver starter on ice for two weeks.
To provide
1 bottle milk | 3 bottles thin cream Sugar and rye rusks to serve |
Historical editorial note: This historical spontaneous fermentation using a coin and warm milk is not a safe or validated method for making fermented dairy food.
Original source: Read Russian recipe No. 2046. Historical quantities and terminology are retained. See the measurements guide. Period preparation and storage methods are not modern safety guidance.