The Fairy Tale Cafes of the USSR -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

with the Nikstukas Cocktail and Potato Horns

The photo above is of the Solnyshko (Baby Sun) Café in the far northern Soviet city of Norilsk. It was one of many such "fairy tale" cafes across the Soviet Union that catered to children and youth.

In 1982 the magazine Sputnik translated an article that appeared about these cafes in a publication called Krestianka into English.

It focuses on one in Vilnius, Lithuania but also mentions that:

There are similar cafes in many towns throughout the country. Artists have created unique interiors taking into account children's interests and tastes - the walls are often covered with illustrations of well-known fairy tales.

In addition to the short article and photos we have also included the two recipes it had for the very sweet Nikstukas Cocktail and for Potato Horns which were covered in a mushroom gravy, both of which were favourites at the Lithuanian café.

A waitress takes orders at the Nikstukas Cafe in Vilnius, Lithuania

Nikstukas Cocktail

For one serving:

40 grams of raspberry syrup

80 grams of apricot juice

40 grams of grape juice

Place several ice cubes in a tall wine glass and pour in the raspberry syrup, apricot juice and grape juice in that order.

Potato Horns

For eight horns:

PASTRY:

3-4 potatoes,

1 tsp. flour,

1/2 an egg,

salt to taste

FILLING:

100 grams chicken giblets or veal

1-2 tsp. butter

1/2 egg

1/2 onion

1/2 tsp flour

salt and pepper to taste

BREADCRUMB MIXTURE:

2 tbs. breadcrumbs

1/2 egg

2 tbs. lard

SAUCE:

8 tbs. mushroom bouillon

2-3 tbs. sour cream

1 tsp butter

1/2 tsp flour

4-6 fried mushrooms

1/2 an onion

bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Boil and mash the potatoes. Add egg, flour and salt and mix well.

Grind the boiled chicken giblets or veal. Add finely chopped and lightly fried onion, lightly fried flour, egg, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.

Make small pancakes from the potato mixture. Place the filling in the center of each and roll forming a horn. Dip in the breadcrumb mixture and fry in lard until golden brown. Cover with the mushroom sauce.

To prepare the sauce: add flour to hot mushroom bouillon and stir until flour dissolves. Boil for 15 minutes, strain to remove lumps. Add finely chopped onion, mushrooms, salt, bay leaf and pepper, and cook for another 15 minutes. Then add sour cream, bring to a boil and remove from heat.