66. Blini Anyone?

I don’t usually tell readers about a $40 event, but this time, it sounded so great, I couldn’t resist. The Russian Canadian Cultural Aid Society is hosting a festival to celebrate Maslenitsa. This is a tradition of over a thousand years. It is a farewell to winter and a welcome to spring. How can I not hope for the end of cold weather?

Maslenitsa takes place the last week before the start of the Great Lent, during which no meat products are consumed. You can eat blini all year round but they are special during this holiday.

Blini are Russian pancakes, round like the sun, that hopefully will be shining longer and longer with each coming day. They could be filled with red or black caviar or sweet preserves or whatever. They are topped with sour cream and butter.

Toronto Russians will be celebrating on Sunday, February 13 at 1:30pm, 206 Beverly Street south of College, east of Spadina. There will be Russian performers, singers, dancers, and games. The $40 includes appetizers, dessert, beverages, and wine. For tickets, phone 905-278-5750 or 416-736-4940. Other Torontonians are welcome. I hope to see you there. I am very fond of Russian music and the blini sound great. (I just learned that the singular is blin.)

Not having gone to such a festival before, I don’t know what will happen.