Tastes of childhood: Pancake Day held at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye
Pancake Day was held at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye, marking the final event in a series of three celebrations dedicated to New Year national culinary traditions. Chefs combined classic recipes with Far Eastern influences and flavours loved by people across Russia.
Pancake Day, a symbol of the sun and prosperity, concluded the trio of holidays held at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye since the start of the year, alongside Gingerbread Day and Dumpling Day. Participants shared memories of the pancakes they had eaten in childhood. Brand chef of the "Yeda i Tochka" ("Food and Point") chain, Maxim Prokopyev, spoke about his grandmother’s pancakes. She was also a cook.
"Of course, my grandmother never made pancakes like these, with baked milk and mandarin sauce. I prepared the baked milk myself by adding regular milk to caramelised sugar. The mandarin sauce took some effort: I hand-separated 2.5 kilograms of fruit into segments and removed the white membrane," Maxim Prokopyev said.
The programme also featured dishes inspired by Far Eastern cuisine. For example, Konstantin Dodu, chef of the buffet at the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye region, demonstrated how to prepare pancakes with venison. Meanwhile, the founder of Omelette Station, Azamat Mukhamedov, prepared a "Sea Pancake" with crab filling.
"I find it very interesting to reveal Far Eastern cuisine and share its secrets with the public. Dishes like these are created in the following way: first you immerse yourself in the tastes of childhood, then decide which local accent to add, combine it with familiar flavours, taste it, and if you like it, you reproduce it and share it with others," Azamat Mukhamedov said.
The National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye plans to hold culinary celebrations throughout 2026, including events dedicated to Rhododendron Day and the Pollock Festival.