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Russian Zakouski

"What is in Russia called zakouski," says M. Dubois, in his able "Cosmopolitan Cookery," "is nothing but those cold hors d'oeuvres which the Russians are accustomed to take before sitting down to dinner. These dishes are generally composed of sandwiches (canapes) prepared with herrings, smoked salmon, anchovies, caviare, eggs boiled hard and chopped. But besides these canapes, commonly some soused or pickled fish is served, or crayfish tails, little tartlets, pickles, ogursis, smoked breast of goose cut into thin slices. "All these dainties are served on a little table, where also several kinds of liqueurs and little glasses are kept ready; the liqueurs generally being Dantzig brandy, arrack, kummel, and cognac. The zakouskis are partaken of but a few minutes previous to taking dinner, but without sitting down. In the Petersburg hotels the zakouski table is a fixture."