This week we talked about the many historical moments that brought Russians to San Francisco over two centuries, including the fur trade, the Gold Rush, the Russian Civil War, and Soviet religious repression. We learned that the Russian Hill neighborhood was named for a small Russian cemetery that was discovered atop the hill during the Gold Rush, and that Little Russia is in the Richmond District, where some of our Harvey Milk students and staff now live.
In the classroom we watched a Russian American food entrepreneur named Anna Tvelova share her experiences coming to San Francisco and starting a business selling pirozhkis, a stuffed yeast-leavened bun that is baked or fried.
In the kitchen students made a vegetarian filling featuring cabbage, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, smoked paprika, and dill, then rolled out the dough, topped each circle with filling, sealed them, and fried the pirozhki like pros. Some were a little tentative around working with hot oil, but in the end the third graders showed they are incredibly capable and safety conscious.
While making the pirozhki, students dreamed up their own fillings. The dough we used is equally delicious filled with something sweet (like apples, cinnamon, and honey) so we hope many will try the recipe at home!
