Sochi Winter Olympics party: The food

CaviarNothing says Russian class like some caviar with crackers—and it’s the perfect way to celebrate that these Olympics are the most expensive in history. Caviar is probably the first thing to come to mind when you picture traditional Russian cuisine, and they like the roe (that is, fish eggs) of both sturgeon and salmon. Sturgeon roe is black, gray or brown, while salmon is red.If you’ve got money to blow on your party and want to spend several hundred dollars on an appetizer, feel free to order up on sturgeon caviar. Fortunately, red caviar is far less expensive. A $15 4-ounce bottle can be picked up at finer supermarkets. Experts say to plan for about 2 ounces for every four guests.Serve the caviar with crackers, or, to get very Mother Russia, some Russian black bread—known around the colonies as pumpernickel.Chicken KievChicken Kiev (the capital of former Soviet republic the Ukraine, mind you) is a very popular Russian chicken dish that also pleases traditional American palates because of its similarity to—get excited—fried chicken.Essentially, chicken Kiev is a chicken breast folded around a mix of butter with different herbs and spices, then rolled in breadcrumbs and then fried in some oil in a large skillet.Chicken Kiev is great for a planned out, sit-down dinner Olympic party. It doesn’t require a Russian grandmother/expert chef to make (there are plenty of recipes available online), but it does take some time to prep. The butter mixture and chicken breasts have to be refrigerated at several points, so prepare for that time.Beef StroganoffWhat’s great about Russian food is that so much of it is savory and perfect for the cold winter, and a lot of it aligns with what we Americans love. Another classic Russian dish for a sit-down Winter Olympics dinner party is beef stroganoff.Stroganoff is basically meat and gravy served over noodles. Like chicken Kiev, you can find plenty of recipes online, or you could also probably ask your mother for one. This dish doesn’t require a whole lot of prep – just make sure you get quality beef or flank steak and good mushrooms.This article is part of a series on family, friends and football sponsored by King's Hawaiian.(alwaysthelifeoftheparty.com)ANN.Az