Olivier salad has become an inseparable part of the New Year's table, known for its history and unique taste. Many perceive Olivier as an inexpensive and hearty dish, but its creation and history are worth studying, and there are many interesting events related to it.
Lucien Olivier's Creation
According to the most common version of the creation of Olivier salad, in 1860, French chef Lucien Olivier created a special dish for the aristocracy. This salad included duck, pheasant meat, calf tongue, lobster neck, complex sauces, and black caviar — expensive products. The chef's goal was to make the salad new, familiar, and unusual. The dish became so popular that people traveled long distances to taste it at the "Hermitage" restaurant in Moscow. This salad could only be prepared there because its recipes were kept secret by the chef, and the ingredients were expensive.
The Apprentice's Mistake and the Updated Recipe
One day, Lucien Olivier's apprentice made a mistake when preparing the salad by layering vegetables awkwardly. Displeased with this, Olivier told the apprentice to "mix everything together." Soon, the salad prepared in this way was liked by the apprentice and then by the chef himself. Thus, a new version of the salad was born.
Changes in the Composition of the Salad
Lucien Olivier's original recipe was so expensive that it was available only to a very few, and actually only to the elite. Thus, a new, more affordable version of the salad appeared during the Soviet era, which was not contrary to political ideology. After the October Revolution, the expensive ingredients of the salad were banned, and they were replaced by simpler products — sausage, mayonnaise, potatoes, and vegetables. Thus, the "Stolichny" salad was born, which was very simple to make, using everyday ingredients found in every household. These changes made Olivier salad a mass dish, found in every home.
The Popularization of the Salad and Its Symbolism During the Soviet Era
Olivier salad quickly became a symbol in the Soviet Union. It started appearing on all holiday tables, official banquets, weddings, and birthdays. According to surveys conducted in 2010, in Russia, preparing Olivier salad for New Year's and other holidays became an inseparable part of the tradition.
Interesting Facts and the Symbolism of Its Creation
This salad also became an inseparable part of the New Year's celebrations in Uzbekistan. In both small and large households, cafes, and restaurants, Olivier salad is prepared in various ways, but it remains the main dish on the New Year's table due to its delicious and simple preparation.
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