Cupid’s arrow is about to strike the hearts of lovers once again. Yet as every woman knows, cupid is secondary if you can keep your honey’s stomach satisfied. This year, skip the Valentine’s Day dinner date and go straight for a romantic breakfast with your amour. Treat your partner to a luxuriously tasty creation of Russian mini blini with black caviar and fresh red mimosas with retro “Sovetskoe” champagne.

A quick detour into “Sovetskoe Shampanskoe”. This semi-sweet bubbly is a sparkling wine native to Russia. It’s first incarnation was concocted by a Russian aristocrat named Lev Golitsyn. Originally named “Novyi Svet” (New Light) it quickly gained popularity among the Moscow elite of late 1800’s. And even won a blind taste test in a prestigious Parisian competition, earning it the coveted “Grand Prix de Champagne” prize in 1900

During Soviet times, “Sovetskoe” was a generic … and pretty much the only brand of sparkling wines, or “shampanskoe” (champagne) as it was better known.

To whip up mimosas with a Russian twist, combine fresh squeeze blood orange and pomegranate juice with “Sovetskoe”, for a red bubbly of love. Blood oranges are supercharged with antioxidants. And that distinctive red color is the result of higher levels of anthocyanins, a natural antioxidant, than in regular oranges.
Elusive and delicious, black caviar is superbly romantic! The tiny black roe eggs have been revered as a symbol of fertility for centuries. Many cite the myth of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love born from sea foam, as the source of caviar’s aphrodisiac powers. While some may believe that caviar can enhance romantic instincts, one thing is certain – eating it IS an exotic experience. The little gems burst on your tongue with subtle salty goodness, and melt away almost instantaneously. Paired with the nutty flavor of buckwheat blini, black caviar becomes an experience. Just a few spoonfuls will have your lover begging for more!Enjoy this traditional recipe for buckwheat mini blini!

Ingredients:

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min

  • 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 egg, separated

Instructions:

  • In a large bowl, mix flours, salt and instant yeast, and make a well in the center.
  • Pour in milk, mixing until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Stir cooled melted butter and egg yolk into batter. In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.
  • Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop quarter-size dollops of dough into pan without crowding.
  • Cook for about 1 minute or until bubbles form and break. Turn and cook for about 30 seconds. Cover blini and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.
  • Serve with black caviar and sour cream.