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by Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog

My name is Valeria, I was born and raised in Russia. When I moved to the States 20 years ago I was enamored by the supermarkets and the bounty of colorful things they contained, crunchy, sweet, ready from frozen in three minutes and under one roof. I had never seen fruit that bright and bread that stayed fresh for weeks.. That was so cool for a girl that had to go to several places to get a dinner ready – meat market, bread store, vegetable market. With no fast food whatsoever, if we wanted to eat – we had to cook.

What a difference – now I could spend no time on meals and be able to just sit around and snack from all the pretty boxes I could get my hands on… So why after a few years didn’t it feel right? Something always hurt and this tiredness would not go away. Why would I feel anything but great if my mid twenties and why was my cholesterol so high?  I started reading all the ‘healthy’ stuff out there and following the experts’ advice about limiting fat intake and increasing whole grains. In three month on low fat/high grain diet my cholesterol skyrocketed so that I was put on statin. Always tired, plus bad migraines.

I stopped statin after getting married. After my second daughter was born, I came across Dr. Davis’ book ‘The Wheat Belly‘ and decided to try going wheat free for a bit. In three months, my cholesterol went down to an in-range value, and migraines gone, which made me question every health advice I got to that point. I didn’t enjoy some of the effects that wheat-free diet brought on, even with all the positives. So I decided to eat what feels right to me, using ingredients that don’t come with labels, not follow any diets and put behind the American ‘always in a hurry, whip up something quick’ mantra. I started cooking, every single day, preparing foods the way my grandma and her grandma did, and enjoying everything in moderation. I eat grains, soaked, fermented and sprouted, that I prepare at home. I choose organic any time possible, but think that’s not a good way to gauge the quality of food because the organic industry is not properly regulated to keep away those who want to profit from the trusting consumers. I prefer small local farmers who really care about food they grow.

In my posts, I often reference scientific studies and research, but my position is that most of the food related science is controversial because it comes from a socio-cultural vacuum. There are always agendas, ulterior motives and potential influences that a mindful reader should be aware of, from large corporate interests in food processing to so called natural manufacturers. My point here is: don’t trust everything you read, on this blog or anywhere else; if something is advertised to be a miracle cure – it definitely isn’t. Trust your common sense, make good food from real ingredients that don’t have labels telling you that they are healthy.

I started this blog to share my experience and my recipes, a lot of which draw from my Russian heritage. Hope you enjoy it!

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82 comments

Greg January 12, 2015 - 10:21 am

Great website, didn’t know you had this, we’re going to try some of your recipes.

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog January 12, 2015 - 6:07 pm

So glad you like it! I’m having a lot of fun with it, and it makes me happy that people find it helpful 🙂

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Angie October 9, 2015 - 6:36 am

Great website! I will be visiting back!

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog October 9, 2015 - 7:56 am

Thank you very much, Angie! Glad you like it 🙂

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Marie Rodriguez June 27, 2019 - 1:41 pm

The “Ginger Bug” caught my eye and I stayed and read …your bio , recipes, etc. How very interesting this whole space is! I’d really like to try my hand at your Rye bread starter and breads. Will be following you,as well ♥️ Thank you for being so generous about your Russian culture and thoughts on diet. Looking forward to learning , and enjoying ??‍♀️

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Katherine T. December 21, 2019 - 6:30 pm

I just discovered “Beets & Bones” while researching health information on ryazhenka. Whole Foods had substituted ryazhenka for the kefir I had ordered. What a wonderful surprise for me. I love the flavor. I grew up drinking rich buttermilks because my grandparents and father were Dutch/Frisian. I like the ryazhenka even better than my usual kefir. It was delicious. It is decidedly a better way to take in probiotics.
I love your blog web pages. Fortunately for me, I live in an area large Ukrainian, Russian and Belarussian immigrant population so there are many stores and bakeries with Eastern European product lines. I look forward to trying your recipes. I sure they will help improve my health. Thank you so much for sharing your heritage and time with us all.

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Amanda March 8, 2015 - 10:14 pm

WOW , just found you through instagram, what a beautiful site you have created. I love it. Well done. Your photos are stunning. So gorgeous and clear! I love them

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog March 8, 2015 - 10:36 pm

Thank you very much, Amanda! It’s so sweet of you to say.. Love your gallery and your meal ideas!

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Malissa March 16, 2015 - 3:29 pm

Hi Valerie,

You better “know” me as @malissajane through Instagram. As I lay here next to my little girl napping, I have poured over all your recipes. Im in awe. Truly. Only today did I actually read your ‘about’ section and now understand your own personal diet trajectory. I have to say that I am currently having an internal conflict that seems to be guiding me in the same direction that you went in a while back. Now, after following a Paleo diet for some time, I am not feeling very energetic and have started to question the Paleo approach…as well as other diets that are selling you a healthier lifestyle by giving up an entire food group. I too would like to follow your lead and let my ancestors and my intuition guide me. I feel inspired by your recipes and your knowledge and I hope to incorporate many of your recipes into my family meals. Hopefully you don’t mind my asking questions along the way. Thanks for sharing with us! ☺️

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog March 16, 2015 - 3:47 pm

Hi honey, thank you for the kind words! I think sometimes we get so influenced by people who relay their message in a strong way, whether it’s Paleo, or veganism, or anything else, that we forget to listen to our bodies. I used to feel guilty when I started eating grains again after complete elimination for quite some time. Until I realized that it’s what’s right for me. And now, as long as I make my food at home and know what went into it – things are just where they belong. I’m 34 weeks pregnant right now with my third and only gained 20 pounds, as opposed to over 30 with the first two.. and I cook and eat a lot!!! 🙂

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Narelle June 10, 2015 - 12:17 am

Thank you so much for being you.
I have learnt more about traditional Russian food in the last hour on your website than I have in 8 months on Russian pages dedicated to soviet cooking.
You are indeed a gift : )

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James August 9, 2015 - 12:40 am

Very cool website! I had been gravitating to this type of diet for years after going through a similar period of feeling horrible when I was early 20’s after trying the popular (healthy low fat high healthy carb diet which we were all taught in school.. I now am starting to seriously think its a warped myth perpetuated by greed.

It seems to feel great and stay healthy you need to ignore what everyone is taught and go for the stuff our great grandmothers made. (Probably a reason I remember my great grandma almost living to 100 and jogging at 90!..yes she jogged every morning.. and she was 90!)

I still have to try the beet kvass.. I am already swimming in sauerkraut.. after that I should be able to make Borscht legitimately. Thanks for the authentic recipes!!

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Ingrid August 16, 2015 - 7:08 pm

Thank you so much for your gorgeous, detailed and well-written site. It’s extraordinarily educational – I also have stopped following diets and simply listen to what keeps me full and calm and energetic. It’s a work in progress, but I feel happy when I prepare my foods myself. Thanks for writing this!

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog August 16, 2015 - 9:33 pm

Thank you so much, Ingrid! That’s exactly how I feel 🙂

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Virginia September 3, 2015 - 9:10 am

Your story is very inspiring and in some ways similar to my own. For the last year I have also started to prepare all my own food at home with locally sourced ingredients. My health has improved tremendously and I feel great. The only downside is that I get so much grief from my fiancé and his family and friends who are convinced that anything with animal fat is bad. I just wish this knowledge would become more mainstream. Keep up the good work!

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Rachel September 24, 2015 - 2:57 pm

I just stumbled upon your site and am in LOVE! What beautiful food, philosophy, and photos! I will bookmark, and reference, and be inspired!!

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog September 24, 2015 - 4:30 pm

Thank you so much, Rachel! I’m having lot of fun with it and learning along the way 🙂

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Federico January 5, 2016 - 7:25 pm

Hi Valeria,
I just made your beet gazpacho recipe and loved it. Thank you.
best,
Federico

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog January 6, 2016 - 8:33 am

So glad you enjoyed it, Federico! And thank you for leaving a comment!

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C. Jensen April 14, 2016 - 10:48 am

I;m so glad to see another blog following traditional wisdom. Man is still not smart-enough to outsmart nature – even with our new-fangled inventions of industrialization and commercialization. I suspect we will never be stronger than nature. We just need to eat what what already exists because it is in harmony with our physiology.

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Bruice November 26, 2016 - 8:33 pm

Thanks. You recipe for ryazhenka was the best I found.

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Irena Morgan January 16, 2017 - 2:06 pm

Hello, Valeria! I have been checking on your blog almost every week because I bake exclusively with einkorn as well. My name is Irena and I am Bulgarian. I moved to the US 10 years ago. We have one son, Ioan, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a year and a half ago. The shock that you have to check your child’s blood sugar 4 times a day and give him insulin injections 4-5 times a day was intensified by the blood sugar spikes. I quickly found out that regular wheat bread causes spikes and started researching low carb bread. I quickly discovered that they all taste like cardboard though. Then a friend of mine told me about einkorn and we gave it a try. He had no blood sugar spikes when he ate einkorn bread because of its low glycemic index. The whole family switched to einkorn and I have become quite the baker in the last year. I have used two of your recipes – the moist chocolate muffins and the blueberry muffins with ricotta. Thank you for posting them. They turned out really well!!! Keep on posting your creations because they are successful and greatly appreciated! I want to mention one more benefit of einkorn – I lost 15 pounds after we switched to einkorn, I feel more energetic and my stomach functions much better than before. Einkorn is truly a gift for us! I also share your passion for yogurt. I have grown up in Bulgaria where people put yogurt in everything – soups, cakes, sauces, etc. My fridge always has at least one jar of Bulgarian yogurt. I have my eye on the raspberry cheese cake recipe and the pumpkin pie one on your log. I will try one of them for my husband’s names day. Thank you again for posting your wonderful recipes for all of us to enjoy! Spasibo!

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog January 16, 2017 - 8:32 pm

Thank you for the kind words, Irena, you just made my day!!! 🙂

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Robert Bayliss January 29, 2017 - 6:25 pm

I am very, very happy to receive your blog posts. I fell in love with your type of cooking from my Ukrainian ex-wife. All my friends who try my Beet Kvass love it. Several of the ingredients you post in your recipes are not available to me, like oats to sprout so I will try the steel-cut variety. On another note, when making Beet Kvass, I start with only a little water and add some each time I stir until I get the quantity I am going for (full jug.) This way the other ingredients such as salt and starter are concentrated and the bad stuff can’t get going. I also do this with Quinoa Rejuvelac which I use as starter for other things..

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Irena Morgan May 14, 2017 - 10:55 pm

Valeria, I have been checking your website and I noticed that you have not graced us with your lovely culinary posts for more than a month. Is everything Ok? I hope so. Happy Mother’s Day!!! And I hope we will see your inspiring, informative and colorful posts very soon!

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Leonid June 12, 2017 - 2:47 am

Beautiful insights, and great name for the site! And may I say that’s a great portrait of a classical Russian lady. You remind me of one of my nieces. My Russian mom raised her kids well with awesome home-cooked food, but now as adults we are ever seduced by the strange allure of convenience foods, and our health suffers in myriad ways. I’ve started my first batch of sauerkraut, and next will be making beet kvass for the second time. I’m off to search for borsch on the site, something that kind of got lost along the years.

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Robert Bayliss November 23, 2017 - 6:35 pm

Do you have a recipe about Rutabaga or ‘Swede’? I have recently seen how valuable nutrition-wise they are.

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog November 23, 2017 - 7:54 pm

Hi Robert, thanks for reminding me about it! It was a big thing for my grandma who lived in the north her whole life, but my mom couldn’t even stand the smell so I would eat it at grandma’s only. She would cook it in a big iron pot in the oven, with milk and butter. I don’t really have any recipes that I saved and my mom isn’t much help 🙂 I just remember that it smells pretty pungent during cooking, and to cut down on the smell, folks added milk or cream. If you find a recipe that you enjoy rutabaga in – let me know. I might also try to experiment, it’s a perfect time of year for it!

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Robert Bayliss November 26, 2017 - 1:46 pm

Re: Rutabaga
I have only steamed young (small) organic rutabaga once and didn’t notice any particular odour. The skin just slipped off but was pretty sticky. They were so delicious just fork mashed (I like texture) with butter. Definitely! will do again. Maybe a little sour cream?

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Robert Bayliss November 26, 2017 - 1:52 pm

Can’t find leave comment section under Beet Kvass.
Do you have a recipe for the left-over Beets? I ferment them with celery (to take the place of salt) and hate to toss the left-overs. The second brew I pulp the beets and celery and haven’t had it turn alcoholic. I think it draws the nutrients out better. There are recipes for chilled beet and celery soup but I wonder what take your heritage would bring to it.

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Robert Bayliss November 26, 2017 - 4:45 pm

Re: Beet Kvass
Do you transfer comments over to that column since I see no ‘Leave a comment’ on that column?
When I make Beet Kvass, I start with 1 tablespoon of sea salt in two cups of water and pour over the beet pieces. Starting with enough water to cover the beets, I add 2 cups of water each day until I get to about 1 gallon. By this time the salt is very dilute and the lactic acid bacteria have been established. By the time I have done a second brew, this time with celery, that 1 Tbs is spread over about 2 gallons of liquid.

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Robert Bayliss November 30, 2017 - 11:27 am

Do you have a mushroom gravy recipe? My father-in-law (Ukrainian) made a good one but he is gone now.

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Nancy Hope December 1, 2017 - 9:50 am

Hi there, my husband and I are excited to find your Blog. Traditionally we have
delicious cheeses, fish, fun things to eat for Christmas eve. So this year we will
be baking your Russian Sour dough bread, starting my rye starter today.
I want to try to bake it in a rather narrow long bread pan, I’ve got time to
see it it bakes nicely this way! thank you for sharing!

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Erika December 2, 2017 - 4:24 pm

Hi Valeria,
I am visiting your blog recently quite often. I am from Lithuanian and raising three children in Baltimore area. Just like you I am in old lithuanian cooking and food practices. Just now I am trying to perfect my 100% rye bread that would taste just like my grandmothers. I even brought an oak bowl from Lithuania so I could ferment bread there. It makes a big difference. I am very close to make it just as good, if I only could have clay oven. I just tried your shampoo recipe and I am very pleased. I used only the three powders. I tried many ways of washing my hair naturally, castille soap being the worst. I was skeptical when I put that porridge on my hair, but the result was amazing. Thank you for the great blog and all the research you have done so far.

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Jerelle December 13, 2017 - 10:34 pm

Hi, I just found your site. It is a wealth of great information! Please add me to your mailing list. ~

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Amanda January 2, 2018 - 3:45 pm

This is such a fantastic site, Valeria. I’ve always loved cooking Russian food and your healthful, traditional recipes have been very inspiring. Every recipe I’ve tried so far has come out wonderfully and learning about the nutrition/history behind the dishes make them even more meaningful. I hope that you can keep the recipes and posts coming!

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog January 4, 2018 - 8:35 am

Thank you so much for the kind words, Amanda! You just made my day 🙂

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Sílvia February 19, 2018 - 4:35 am

Hello, I have just discovered ypour blog and I would like to get subscribed but I can’t find how.
Please, could you help me?
It is silvia@centromayor.es
Thanks,
Sílvia.

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Elias April 2, 2018 - 1:10 pm

Your recipes, pictures and attitude is lovely! I’m a Swede, but have previously been living in Belarus and Russia, and it’s sometimes hard to explain to my Swedish friends that the Eastern Slavic kitchen can actually be both healthy and delicious! I guess it’s the high consumtion of booze in post Soviet countries that eradicates this… When I prepare food using your recipes, it’s a possibilty to show the opposite and to widen peoples’ perspective of the Soviet times!

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Pam May 9, 2018 - 11:10 am

Valeria, I am so glad to find your blog. I have recently learned about wheat and am trying to stay away from it. I googled Spelt buns because 3 of my friends and I are getting together at the end of the month and we are going to have more of a junk food weekend. One item is vegetarian hot dogs and I was really struggling over whether to just eat the regular buns and go back on my meal plan afterward or to stick with it as far as wheat products go. After reading your “about” section and looking at your recipes; I decided to make and take my own buns. I have noticed a huge increase in energy staying away from modern wheat. I also found your cholesterol results interesting. Good choice on getting off the statins as they are not proven to work and they cause muscle weakness and muscle wasting. Thank you!

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Deb July 11, 2018 - 3:07 pm

Thank you for keeping things simple! There is so much history and knowledge that is lost as generations pass. Keep on educating us, we really appreciate it!

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Josephine October 17, 2018 - 5:02 pm

Wow am I ever glad to find your blog. I’m thinking I’m just going to make a meal plan off your recipes here 🙂 Feels like I’m on a similar learning path as you. Came here after looking for einkorn recipes. My pre-ferment dough for the sandwich loaf is fermenting as I type 🙂 Can’t wait to try your other recipes too.

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sanjay bhalla June 13, 2019 - 7:12 am

I am so pleased to have accidentally locate you on net. will start to make Washed Ghee Cream immediately. We have the finest Ghee here from the Grass Fed Bos Indicus Cows & i have some beautiful hand made Kansa utensils from Nepal. sanjay Bhalla, delhi, India

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Stephanie K. Molsbee September 5, 2019 - 2:02 pm

I was reading your post on making Kefir. I’m new to it. After removing the grains, I have been collecting it in a large glass jar and refrigerating it. It is a bit tangy. I saw you say to leave on counter for another 24 + hours before refrigerating to cut down on the tanginess. Since it has been refrigerated, can I still place on the counter for 24 hours then place back in frig?

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Stephanie September 7, 2019 - 12:27 pm

I made the kefir butter from the recipe on your site. It’s awesome. I also LOOOVVVVEEE the buttermilk from it. I have a question that I hope you can answer for me. Now that I have kefir buttermilk, I would like to keep a supply of it…. I don’t want to have to make it from the butter( as I don’t need that much butter)…. can I just keep adding kefir to the jar of buttermilk? Would this keep the buttermilk going?

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Sonia and Steve Clark September 9, 2019 - 11:52 am

Wonderful website. Thank you for sharing your wonderful food.

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Martha September 10, 2019 - 8:54 am

Almost all of your recipes are unfamiliar to me but your blog is an inspiration! I hope you continue posting; I will continue to read, learn, and hopefully make some actual dishes from it!

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Jennifer September 19, 2019 - 7:35 pm

Privyet Valeria! Thank you for your wonderful site. I am so happy to have discovered it just recently. I too am working to keep wheat comfortably in my diet with the use of wild yeast/sourdough. Also, I have been working on preparing many Russian dishes using old-world techniques. I am curious to know if you have ever made piroshki without packaged yeast? I looked over your spelt hamburger buns and wondered if it would work. I would be so elated if you had any suggestions as this is one of my Russian husband’s favorites.

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog October 21, 2019 - 8:57 pm

You could absolutely make any dough without store-bought yeast. I do that with my spelt buns sometime too. This dough is a bit more wet so might be harder to roll and pinch but you can always add extra flour. Basically, just add a tablespoon or two of starter instead of the yeast and let it rise 8-12 hours. You may or may not need to use more flour. I more often go by feel than measurements. I have Swedish cardamom rolls someplace on the blog and that dough can easily be used with piroshki, just adjust the sweetness. Some people like their dough plain (savory), some like it sweet even with savory fillings. It all depends on what your hubby prefers. This recipe has good plain dough that can be used with piroshki too.

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Stephanie October 8, 2019 - 2:46 pm

Valeria,
I’m wanting to make the baked milk recipe. I make kefir and have what I call kefir sour cream. Can I use my kefir sour cream in the recipe?

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog October 21, 2019 - 8:05 pm

You can definitely use that, yep

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Shar October 13, 2019 - 6:56 pm

So glad to have found your blog!!!

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Amy Halloran November 2, 2019 - 5:43 am

I got introduced to your blog by the beautiful ride cakes! I’m so glad to have found you, and I wanted to let you know that it looks like the box recipe says 1.4 cup water rather than 1/4

Thanks for making a wonderful blog. I look forward to reading more recipes

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Madeleine Greey December 16, 2019 - 5:30 pm

Wonderful blog full of beautiful photos and terrific information. thank you

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Amit December 12, 2020 - 5:40 am

Wonderful blog

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Sharon January 7, 2021 - 11:49 pm

Hi Valeria, I have just made your RUSSIAN LACTO FERMENTED MUSHROOMS and wondered in the fermentation stage 7 to 10 days do I keep them covered with a tea towel or with the lid of the container I am using? I am soooo looking forward to them. Cheers Sharon in Australia.

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Tatiana January 12, 2021 - 5:50 am

Дорогая Валерия,
I often visit your blog, and today I stopped by to look at your kefir post (trying to troubleshoot my grains). I saw something new: your beautiful watercolors! I also read your 2020 Update and wanted to beg you not to take down your blog, there is no equal blog out there, trust me, I’ve searched! I sometimes read comments to recipes on various sites, and I agree with you – there are so much idiocy out there, idiocy that is vocal and arrogant. But on behalf of everyone who does appreciate your work, loves your blog, and doesn’t use cricket flour in recipes (whatever it is) – please, don’t delete your blog! I love reading your childhood stories (I also moved here ~20 years ago from St Petersburg), I love how detailed your recipes and instructions are, how artfully the food is plated and photographed, and I appreciate the amount of background and research you put into your posts (I am a life sciences researcher). As a bonus, there are no annoying jumping ads and endless scrolling through ginormous photos of a plate at various angles to get to the freaking recipe. I have recently deleted my Facebook account for much the same reasons as you described, although my account was personal and I had a handful of “followers”, people whom I actually know. I couldn’t even see posts from my husband until Facebook is finished shoving ads down my throat. Well, not to take any more of your time… Thank you for your blog!

Татьяна

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog January 12, 2021 - 8:37 am

You just made my day, Tanechka! Good to see there are other people like me out there.. Thank you for the kind words! 🙂

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Надежда September 24, 2021 - 9:05 am

Здравствуйте, Валерия!
Yes! There are people out there who feel just like you. I didn’t write this earlier only to be respectful and not bother you.
I have only found your blog this summer, and I feel like I found a friend. Thank you for the beauty, the insights you share and priceless recipes!
I wish I could make your day – because your site made a lot of my days.
Thank you very much!

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BIRGIT BONANNO February 3, 2021 - 6:02 am

Hi there Valeria, I am obviously not a frequent visitor to your blog or your social media outlets. Otherwise I would have noticed your 2020 update and your absence from Instagram a lot sooner. I did try a few of your recipes with great success. Your Einkorn Spelt bagel recipe brought me to your website today. I am hoping you will keep the website up. There are more things I would like to try. You clearly know what you are doing which makes using your recipes a joy. The brightness of your photographs add to the appeal of your website. The fact that there are no ads to battle thru is the best.
I usually don’t put my two cents in on anything I find online but the lack of comments to your 2020 update made me want to write. KUDOS TO YOU!!! I COULDN’T AGREE WITH YOU MORE. I hope more people were able to reach out to you thru other means and tell you the same thing. The world needs more people with your attitude.
Thank you for making my day. Off to the kitchen I go ….

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Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog February 3, 2021 - 8:09 am

Thank you for the kind words, Birgit! It’s good to know that there are still people out there who are able to think for themselves 🙂

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Katie March 4, 2021 - 10:39 am

Are you opening a restaurant in Clayton, MO? I saw a sign and got very excited!

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Lena May 9, 2021 - 9:46 pm

Hi Valeria ,glad to found your blog! Exactly what l was looking for for so long! I have a similar story,l was born in Kasachstan,we had our own cow ,a pig and chickens,a vegetable garden in the fronr of the house and a potatoefield behind the house. The lifestyle was very self-sufficient and a lot of work. Then we moved to Germany and like you said we saw this bewildering array of convenience food. Luckily for us mum stayed traditional in her cooking.
When on my own l tried out low-fat/highcarb too but it never felt right. And after l while l felt a heavy feeling in my stomach after bread or baked goods,l started to look for a better option because l never can give up bread,that lead me to wholegrains, freshly ground and later sourdough and ferments. Imagine my delight when l stumbled upon your site, l could cry with joy, exactly what I was looking for… Traditional cooking with Russian heritage,please keep going!
Can l subscribe,l don’t want to miss anything?!

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Kat March 31, 2021 - 11:47 pm

Valeria,
I too hope you keep your website up although I understand your frustrations. I have rolled my eyes many times at some of the questions asked in the comments.
I believe the American food industry has done enormous harm to this country as well as other countries, but I get hope for better health – and ideas – from learning about traditional foods. I really love all of the history and science you include with your recipes and I love trying to make some of them myself. And your photography is beautiful!

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Heather Chaplin April 12, 2021 - 10:52 am

Hi Valeria, I have only just discovered your site and I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading your recipes. I have been a keen home cook all of my life (now 63), but have only started to work with sourdough since August 2020. I love preparing recipes from around the world and I have a strong interest in Russian and Eastern European cuisine, not least because it seems to suit me from a dietary perspective.
Like you, I am very disenchanted with social media. It can be useful on occasion, like crowd-funding for a good cause, but often it just takes up time that none of us have! I just wanted you to know that your work has made a big difference to people like me. The positive comments on your site show how much your blog has been valued. Well done and thank you!

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Maggie Lyn June 18, 2021 - 6:35 am

Finding your site made my day! So inspired and looking forward to trying all these *priceless* ancestral recipes. You are a wisdom keeper and the collective is Grateful. Could not applaud you more for not putting up with entitled idiots on the internet. Wishing you all the best from Sweden 🌈

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Masha June 26, 2021 - 9:06 pm

Just wanted to add my support to the voices encouraging you to keep this site up. I too grew up in the former USSR but my mother always wanted to imitate Americans and while she made some traditional dishes, a lot of cultural knowledge got lost. I am trying to rediscover it for my own children and your blog has been a lifeline for that (ferments are delicious and make for easy meals, I don’t need to read the millionth reason for why they are so healthy!). Even if it is just the occasional recipe, I hope you continue posting. And your 2020 update concerns? Couldn’t agree more.

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Masha June 26, 2021 - 9:09 pm

And your art is lovely! Thank you for sharing it with us.

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Elly Hester July 26, 2021 - 12:55 pm

I’d like to receive your mailings again. It says I’m on the list, but I’m not sure I’m getting them. Thank you!!!

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Inna July 31, 2021 - 4:22 pm

I am glad I found your blog. I was looking for solod recipe, one thing after another, I subscribed to your blog. I so agree with what you have said. I am from Ukraine, been in the US for 20 years and try to make my own food, soap, lotions because I simply do not trust mass produced things anymore. And I do enjoy the process.

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Darrell Varga August 14, 2021 - 1:37 pm

Hello,
I share your thoughts on food. You may be interested in my feature documentary “Bread in the Bones” – not for recipes but for the poetry, pleasures, and politics of bread. It is available on iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/movie/bread-in-the-bones/id1557328764

More info: http://www.breadinthebones.com

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Angela October 2, 2021 - 3:59 pm

I am interested in using alternative flours, especially kamut. I couldn’t find a recipe for how you make a kamut starter and how to feed it. Can you provide that information please? It would be greatly appreciated.

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Mel December 10, 2021 - 6:59 pm

I’m so sad to see you not adding any new content, but completely understand your reasoning after reading your update. I lost your website so I was so happy when I found you again on Pinterest. I hope at some point you bless us again with new recipes – I love the traditional cooking you do. Heck, turn off comments forever :))

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Elizabeth December 15, 2021 - 7:47 am

Dear Valeria, I LOVE your Russian recipes… I am trying to find an email address here, but can’t. Could you give me some titles of Russian cookbooks in English? Writtten for non Russians wanting to cook oldskool Russian dishes? Not ‘Americanized’ versions of the dishes. Love from Belgium, Elizabeth

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Alla April 27, 2022 - 4:09 pm

Hi Elizabeth. I came across your question about a cookbook. Here is one: Book of Tasty and Healthy Food, Iconic Cookbook of the Soviet Union, originally published in Russia in 1939. The book is in English, published in 2020. ISBN-10: 0615691358; ISBN-13: 978-0615691350

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Natasha Vinnichenko December 30, 2021 - 9:52 am

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful blog—I love not only your recipes but also your “voice.” (I haven’t yet tried any recipes because I just discovered you a few days ago.) Fermentation rules!

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Marian April 26, 2022 - 7:02 am

Just found your blog (a search for Syrniki brought me here) and am so inspired by the recipes. To me, this is the ideal food blog site. It has original and wonder-inducing recipes accompanied by your unique and artful expression. Your paintings are beautiful too. I get how you are fed up with the woke crap and the inability for so many people to think for themselves. That’s why the world is in the mess that it is. Just a bunch of lemmings marching over a cliff. But there’s a lot of awake people too who can truly appreciate great art when they see it. Just wanted to send my acknowledgement and appreciation of the work you put on this site.

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Olya Mokina April 28, 2022 - 7:57 pm

Hello Valeria!
I love to read your posts, I love the recipes!
And love your update!
Olya.

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Alla June 21, 2022 - 2:35 pm

Dear Valeria,

I know that you are no longer an active blogger here, but I just wanted to express my appreciation for your blog and the wonderful recipes you’ve shared. I use your recipes often and some of them are really my family’s favorites. As I write, my Borodinsky bread is going through the final proofing stage, and my bread kvass is ready to be bottled. My Dad always looking forward to the Korzhiki, whenever I bake them, just to name a few. I lived in MA for over 30 year and have been following your blog for years, but just never commented on it. So big heartfelt THANK YOU!
By the way, your paintings are very beautiful!

Alla

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Justin November 15, 2022 - 7:59 am

Hi to Valeria and Alla,

Just wanted to throw my comment in here as well. I found the site about one week ago via a comment on Reddit about kvass making. I have spent several hours here since! I’ve been exploring your recipes, from fermented buckwheat porridge, beet kvass, bread kvass, mushroom potato salad, and I’ve got a rye bread starter going, too. Cooking is a passion for me and being able to explore Russian cuisine and culture via food has been exciting. On the chance Valeria still checks on her blog comments, I wanted to say *thank you*. It is very much appreciated.

All the best,
Justin

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Lili October 21, 2022 - 3:11 pm

Thank you for beautiful Russian culture xxx

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Rolf March 3, 2023 - 3:59 pm

I just want to say that your “Update 2020” made my day! My wife sent the link to me. It gives me hope that all is not lost. ;^)

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