Who knew you could transport yourself to Russia without leaving Central Florida?

Tucked in a plaza north of Full Sail University in Winter Park is Lacomka Russian Deli & Bakery. It's as authentic as it gets. Everything is in Russian - the packaging, the sodas, frozen goods, pastries. (Everything, well, except English "explainers" on the menu.)

Employee Kristina Kovalev demoed a few dishes familiar to anyone with Russian blood. We started with the "Shuba salad."

"It means fur coat," he said, reacting to my surprised expression. "Yes, it’s a herring undercoat, and because it has lots of layers, and because there’s lots of layers, Russians usually wear lots of layers."

Nothing "furry" about it, as it's a mayo-based, rectangular salad layered with everything from cooked potatoes and herring to carrots and beats.

“It’s a traditional dish that you see on practically every table on every traditional holiday, wedding, New Year's," she said.

We also played with crepes. It's hard to stuff 'em with something that does not work, but when Nutella's involved, we found a winner.

Let's cook!

Lacomka Russian Deli & Bakery's "Strawberry Nutella Crepes"

Any online crepe recipe will work for this dish.

Ingredients:

6 cups milk
8 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Lacomka’s “Palermo organic olive oil” + extra to grease skillet
5 cups ‘Russkoe Pole’ flour (Russian flour)
Jar of Nutella
Sliced strawberries
Nonstick skillet heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (or a crepe maker)

1. Combine milk, eggs, salt, and oil in a mixer and mix on medium until everything is evenly
mixed.

2. Slowly add flour, 1/4 cup at a time to ensure even mixing.

3. Strain the mixture to avoid any clumps in the batter.

4. (A) Pour enough batter to lightly cover the heated skillet. (A little goes a long way).
    (B) Using a crepe maker, dip the heated and greased crepe maker into the batter

5. Once the crepe batter cooks through, quickly add and spread Nutella on one side of the crepe.

6. Apply thinly sliced strawberries to Nutella

7. Fold the empty side of the crepe over the strawberries and Nutella.

Lacomka Russian Deli & Bakery's “Shuba salad”

Ingredients:

Boiled potatoes
Lacomka’s herring in brine
Hard boiled eggs
Boiled carrot
Boiled beets
Russian mayonnaise (we used Mr. Ricco organic olive oil)
Parsley (optional)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

1. Using a grater, coarsely shred the boiled potatoes. Potatoes need to cover the
bottom of dish completely. Apply a mayonnaise on top the potatoes. Salt and pepper to
taste.

2. Chop herring into small cubes and generously evenly layer herring on top of the
shredded potatoes. Apply mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Evenly shred boiled eggs, enough to cover herring. Apply mayonnaise. Salt and
pepper to taste.

4. Evenly shred boiled carrot, enough to cover eggs. Apply mayonnaise. Salt and
pepper to taste.

5. Evenly shred boiled beets generously. The more beets, the more flavorful this salad
will be. Apply mayonnaise generously. Garnish with Parsley.

6). For most flavor, allow to sit in a refrigerator for a couple hours before eating.