Today, we have a very wide range of products available in stores. Even if you pop into the bakery section, your eyes will simply run wide from the number of available types of bread. And if you look into the dairy section, you can find various types of milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt. During the Soviet era, people had access to much fewer products, but Soviet technologists created many unusual products, many of which we see in stores today. Let's find out about 5 unique culinary inventions that can still delight us with their taste.
Soviet stores are the birthplace of unique products that exist to this day. Photo: yaustal.com
Contents
- 1 Soviet drink “Baikal”
- 2 Soviet hematogen for children and adults
- 3 Soviet doctor's sausage
- 4 Soviet birch sap
- 5 Soviet “Bird's milk”
Soviet drink “Baikal”
“Baikal” is a Soviet carbonated drink created in 1976 as a response to Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Unlike its Western counterparts, “Baikal” had a unique taste due to natural ingredients: herbal extracts such as sage, wormwood and hops, as well as essential oils of eucalyptus and laurel. The drink's recipe remained a state secret for a long time, which added to its special status.
Girl with bottles of “Baikal”. Photo: rbth.ru
Today, you can find many sodas with the name “Baikal” on store shelves, but their taste often differs from the original recipe that is remembered from Soviet times.
Soviet Hematogen for Children and Adults
Hematogen is a sweet iron-containing treat that many Soviet children considered a favorite dessert. It was originally created to increase iron levels in the blood, using bull's blood, condensed milk, and honey. Although hematogen appeared in the early 20th century, mass production began in the 1920s, and in the Soviet Union, the product became a real hit among children and adults.
Hematogen for Children. Photo: novate.ru
Today, hematogen can still be easily found in pharmacies and stores, but its recipe has changed. Modern bars are produced with the addition of nuts, dried fruits and even chocolate, which makes it even tastier, although the composition often causes controversy about its benefits.
Soviet Doctor's Sausage
“Doctor's” sausage is another famous product invented in the USSR. It was first produced in 1936 as a dietary product to restore people's health after starvation and illness. The sausage was distinguished by its delicate pale pink color and reduced fat content, which made it useful for weakened patients. The main ingredients – premium beef and lean pork – provided a mild taste and light texture.
It is believed that such delicious Doctor's sausage as in the USSR is no longer made. Photo: taganrogprav.ru
Interestingly, “Doctor's” is still popular and can be found in special sections of supermarkets. Although the recipes may vary slightly, this sausage remains a symbol of the Soviet era and continues to delight with its taste.
Related article:Is it true that sausage in the USSR was better than it is now?
Soviet birch sap
In the USSR, birch sap was one of the most popular drinks and was sold everywhere, both canned and on tap. It cost literally pennies, which made it accessible to everyone. However, despite the name, not all “birch” sap was 100% natural. Real sap, extracted directly from the tree, had a slightly cloudy color, a fresh taste with a light woody aroma and was available only to residents of villages and northern regions.
Industrial sap, which ended up in stores, was transparent and slightly yellowish, with a sweeter taste. Many assume that sugar, water and citric acid were added to it to improve the taste.
Even the label says that sugar is added to birch sap. Photo: travelask.ru
Today, birch sap can also be found on sale, but, as in the past, most drinks are just its industrial version, far from the natural original. For real juice, you should go to the outback, where you can still try it fresh.
Everyone should know about this: What is birch sap and how is it good for our health
Soviet “Bird's milk”
“Ptichye Moloko” is a cult Soviet dessert that originally appeared as candies with a delicate whipped filling covered in chocolate glaze. They were inspired by the Polish candies ptasie mleczko, and the first version in the USSR was developed by the Vladivostok confectionery factory in 1967. Later, in 1978, the famous “Ptichye Moloko” cake with soufflé and chocolate glaze appeared in Moscow, in the “Prague” restaurant, becoming the first cake in the USSR to receive a patent.
Soviet Bird's Milk Candies. Photo: ar.culture.ru
We have many articles on the topic of the USSR. You can find them in our Zen channel!
Although Bird's Milk candies and cakes can be found on sale today, modern versions differ from the originals of Soviet times. Many recipes have been changed to reduce production costs and increase shelf life. Details about the popularity of this dessert in the USSR can be read in the article “Why Bird's Milk candies and cakes were popular in the USSR.”