Maslenitsa is one of the Slavic peoples favorite and merry festivals. Maslenitsa is a preparation for Lent week. Meat is traditionally forbidden but fish, diary and butter are allowed. The Russian word for butter is “maslo” hence it appears Maslenitsa. Maslenitsa is the time to say farewell to winter and hello to the coming of spring. In heathen beliefs hot yellow pancakes symbolized the sun. From high antiquity the Slavs made blini (the Russian for pancakes) as symbol of the sun and they believed in eating the blin to eat a bit of the sun.
Blini are made every day especially much from Thursday up to Sunday during The Wide Maslenitsa. It is required to visit and receive guests when Maslenitsa. Each mistress of the house has her own particular blini recipe. There is a great variety of blini to amaze visitors in all restaurants. Restaurants serve blini topped with fish, honey, jam, and lots of butter and blini with caviar for gourmet treat. One can taste mead and “zbiten” (a hot drink made of water, honey and spices).
The last day of Maslenitsa, the Sunday of Forgiveness, is the very merry-making. There is The Winter’s dummy installed on that day in many parks. It was burned in grand manner.
Daredevils are trying to climb up a high smooth pole to get prizes fixed to the wheel on the pole top. This wheel symbolized the Sun.
After that sounds of folk music invite everybody to break into a dance.
Blini are made straight outdoors. You can be full up with hot blini and warm oneself (for a while). It is considered being quite necessary to eat as much as you can and make merry before long fasting.
I really like to eat pancakes, and I can share my recipe.
