Tongue in Aspic

There are many folk tales which mention one or another of the traditional Russian dishes and one fable goes like this.

Once a nobleman set to thinking about what the best thing and the worst thing in the world could be. He thought and thought, but got no nearer to an answer; so he called on his servant to help him. The nobleman ordered him to go to the market place and buy the worst thing in the whole wide world. Off went the servant and he soon re­turned.

“Well, did you buy it? ” asked the nobleman.

“Yes, my lord, ” replied the servant and, opening his basket, he took... an ox tongue from it. “Think about it, my lord, ” he said. “What in the whole wide world could be worse than a tongue? People use their tongues to slander and deceive, to declare war. Wagging tongues are the cause of all arguments. There's nothing worse than a tongue.”

“You're right, ” agreed the nobleman. “Now go to the market place and buy me the best thing in the whole wide world.”

Very soon the nobleman saw the servant returning.

“Well, did you buy it? ”

“Yes, my lord, ” said the servant and he took from his basket... another ox tongue.

“Another tongue! ” exclaimed the nobleman. “But you've just brought me a tongue, saying that it was the worst thing in the world.”

“I know, ” said the servant, “but now look at it in another way, my lord. Is it not the tongue that utters words of love, of gratitude? Is it not the tongue that lets us sing? Could there be anything more delicious than tongue in aspic? ” and the servant looked slyly at his master, who was very fond of his food. And the nobleman agreed that there really was nothing better than a tongue.

If you try making tongue in aspic, you will find that the sly servant was indeed a connoisseur of good food.

Take a fresh ox tongue (about a kilogramme in weight) and boil with parsley roots. Then chill it. Make a transparent jelly from the stock obtained. Simmer the stock for 3 to 5 minutes, add 20-25 grammes of soaked and pressed gelatin, bring the stock back to the boil, stirring all the time until the gelatin has dissolved. Strain the stock.

Slice the tongue thinly, put the slices in a dish and gar­nish with sprigs of parsley, sliced carrot and cucumber, and pickled berries. Fix them in place with some of the jelly. Then pour an even layer of jelly over the whole and chill. The tongue is ready when the jelly is firmly set. Serve it with a sauce made from horse radish and sour cream, horse radish and vinegar or some other piquant sauce.

 

IV. Match the following English expressions with their Russian equivalents:

1. the best thing and the worst thing in the world 2. to slander and deceive 3. to look slyly 4. to boil with parsley roots 5. to strain the stock 6. to slice the tongue thinly

1. хитро смотреть 2. на свете самое хорошее и самое плохое 3. клеветать и обманывать 4. нарезать язык тонкими кусками 5. кипятить с корнем петрушки 6. процедить бульон

V. Match the English words with their definitions:

To deceive, to declare, to order, to utter, to simmer, to boil, to strain.

Definitions

Word

1. to cook in a water at 100˚ C 2. to cook gently in liquid at or just below boiling point 3. to cause someone to accept as true or good what is false or bad, usually for dishonest purpose 4. to make known publicly or officially, according to rules, customs etc. 5. to direct, to instruct, to tell or to ask 6. to make a sound or produce words, sometimes with difficulty 7. to separate a liquid by pouring it into a container

 

VI. Find in the text the sentences with the following words and translate them:

Sauce, tongue, stock, dish, jelly, sprig.

VII. Answer the questions:

1. Are there many folk tales which mention the traditional Russian dishes?

2. What did the nobleman order his servant to buy at the market place?

3. What did the servant buy at the market place?

4. Why is the tongue the worst thing in the whole wide world?

5. Why is the tongue the best thing in the whole wide world?

6. What ingredients do you need for making tongue in aspic?

7. How can a jelly be made?

8. When is the tongue in aspic ready?

9. How can the tongue in aspic be served?

 

VIII. Tell the famous Russian fable about the tongue?

IX. How can tongue in aspic be made?

Take …

Make a jelly …

Slice …

Fix …

Pour …

Serve …

 

X. Translate the recipe from Russian into English: