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Feature
RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES
BOOKMARKS www.mariasharapova.com Everything about Masha Sharapova
SECTION SPONSORED BY ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA, RUSSIA
www.russiaprofile.org Unwrapping the mystery inside the enigma
www.kremlincup.ru/index-eng.html Kremlin Cup tournament
One of the world’s best known tennis players lives in the USA, but roots for Russia Michele A. Berdy’s
kitchen
Mighty Masha
Beyond borscht
and blinis
Maria Sharapova is yet
If you are ever invited to a Russian party, don’t
gasp when you see the table. It will be covered
with dozens of salads, cold meats, smoked
to play for her home country
fish, pickled and marinated vegetables and
mushrooms, pots of mushrooms bubbling in
cream sauce - and much, much more. Don’t faint
- and don’t eat your fill. These delights are just
the “zakuski”, the starters.
Maria Sharapova is in the excited to see the Russian flag at There are still courses to come.
spotlight once again. Known the Olympics. So I’m really look-
as “Masha” in her home ing forward to my trip to Russia.
country, she is Russia’s top Last year, I was not physically
and the world’s number two ready for it, but now I am.”
5
firsts on
There is invariably one dish on every Russian
the ladder
holiday table: a rich and piquant potato salad
called “Salad Olivier” invented by the chef Lucien
to fame Olivier in the 1860s for his chic new Moscow
female tennis player, and On the evening of the Federation restaurant, Hermitage. The salad was a sensation
as such often finds herself Cup semifinals against the Amer- and promptly imitated at dozens of restaurants,
subjected to international icans in Vermont, U.S., she was
media scrutiny. However, the asked specifically about her par-
present controversy is not ticipation: “Won’t your decision to 1.
FIRST RACKET

but no chef could quite capture the secret. Chef
Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Olivier took his recipe to his grave, but in 1904
Russia's former No.1 his sous chefs reproduced it from memory: two
due to the fact that she is the play for the Russian team be in- player and his father Alexander, grouse, one veal tongue, 1/4 pound pressed
world’s highest paid female fluenced by the fact that Russia a friend of Sharapova’s father caviar, a half pound lettuce, 25 boiled crayfish,
athlete, nor the fact that she is competing against the coun- Yury, gave little Masha her first a half jar of pickles, a half jar of soya beans, two
was awarded multi-million- try where you live? Evil tongues junior tennis racket. fresh cucumbers, 1/4 pound of capers, and
dollar contracts having won claim that your American agents five hard-boiled eggs, dressed in a sauce of
Wimbledon in 2004 and the will never let you play against the
US Open in 2006, and not even United States.”
because she is one of the most Masha replied: “Oh no! It’s just 2.
FIRST COACH

mayonnaise made with French vinegar and olive
Yury Yudkin from Sochi oil, and garnished with slivers of white truffle. If you
was her first coach. In think that’s just a bit complicated - not to mention
charming and attractive young the opposite! I’d be thrilled to the 1960s, he taught the first expensive - Russian cooks agree with you.
women both on and off the play! It’s better for me — I man in space, Yury Gagarin, to Today it is made with potatoes, pickles, onions,
tennis court. wouldn’t even have to fly far. play tennis. boiled meat, and sometimes boiled carrots
Only one thing can stop me: rec- and canned peas, and dressed with creamy
ommendations from doctors
ALEXANDER ERASTOV
who will scan my shoulder.”
RG
But Sharapova neither came to 3.
FIRST SPOTTED mayonnaise. It’s a great alternative to traditional
Martina Navratilova, potato salad.
the Czech-born Ameri-
The issue is Sharapova’s repeat- Moscow nor played in the July can tennis star, encouraged
ed refusals to play for the Rus- semifinals against the Ameri- Masha’s tennis career. She saw
sian team in the Federation Cup. cans. She was put on the team the little girl at a contest of
Despite her presenting valid ex- sheet but then claimed she could young talents in Moscow and
cuses for bypassing the tourna- not play because of her injured advised her parents to take her
ment, the press just won’t let her shoulder. to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis
off the hook. The international press contin- Academy in the United States.
Although she has often ex- ues to wonder whether Sharapo-
va will play for Russia in the 2008
Olympics in Beijing. Some com-
mentators say that in Russia, 4.
FIRST DOLLARS
When Yury Sharapov
arrived in the United
Masha is being accused of self- States with his daughter, Ingredients
ishness and of putting her per- he had a mere $200 in his
sonal interests before those of pocket. Some claim he had 4 large waxy potatoes, boiled in their jackets, cooled and
GUS RUELAS_EPA
her country, and state that the $700, but does it really peeled • 2 large marinated or salted pickles • 3-4 green
Russian tennis community has matter? onions • 1/2 pound boiled and cooled beef, veal, chicken,
declared war on her. turkey or tongue • 2 tbsp flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely
Masha is upset by this. “It is im-
portant to me that people realise
that some reports about my sta- 5.
FIRST IN chopped • 3/4 cup creamy mayonnaise, preferably made
FOOTWEAR with olive oil • 1-2 hard-boiled eggs for garnish • Optional:
The sneakers 1/2 cup canned peas; one carrot, boiled and cooled
tus with the Russian Fed Cup with gold inlays
team during the past two weeks made especially for Preparation
are false. Here are the facts. Sharapova for
“I have been in contact with Wimbledon in 2005 Chop all the ingredients into small cubes and mix
Shamil Tarpishchev (President cost about $900. together well, being careful not to crush the potatoes.
of Russian Tennis Federation) Mix in the mayonnaise; salt to taste. Place the salad
"You know, when
through my father who is in Mos- in the refrigerator for at least four hours so the flavors
cow, and he has assured us that meld. To serve: mound the salad on a dish and garnish
I hear the fans yell
he was misquoted by some of
“Of course,
with slices of hard-boiled egg and parsley sprigs.
'Masha' rather
the Russian media. He never
said that I would not be invited to
America
The Moscow restaurant Red Square has searched
than the interna-
the final. He repeated that I am al- has had through the archives of the State Historicy Museum and
tional 'Maria', I’m
ways invited to play for Russia.
“I have told Shamil and the Rus-
a lot of in-
recreated the best of Russia’s pre-Revolutionary cui-
overwhelmed with
sine. You can find their updated version of the original
sian Tennis Federation that I will
fluence on
1904 recipe at www.redsquare.ru.
emotion. I unders-
make myself available to play in
me. I’ve lived
tand that Russian
the finals if they need me. My in-
jury created a problem, and I un-
here since
people call me
derstand and respect that many I was seven.
by that name and
of my Russian team-mates who
competed in the first two rounds
I have many
that’s great!"
should get the first chance to play
friends in
in the finals. I told Shamil that I
the U.S. But
pressed a desire to play for Rus- would respect his decision on
sia, she hasn’t actually done so. the players he chooses for the fi-
I’d like to
Last January, she told Rossiys- nals. I congratulate the players on visit Rus-
kaya Gazeta, “I’m willing to play. the recent victory and, whether I
I have always said I want to play am chosen to play or not, I will be
sia more
for Russia. As a kid, I was always cheering for Russia.”
often.”
EPA
This month
Fighting in Moldova stopped The end of the ‘Great Game’… for a time Beslan Tragedy: a Lesson for the Future
in Russia
Russian peace-makers leave In 1907 two empires tried to agree on Afghanistan Anti-terrorist measures continued in Ingushetia
Hostilities in the former Soviet republic of Moldova, and Iran The drama with more than 1000 schoolchildren
which led to the loss of hundreds of lives, come to an Russia and UK sign an agreement on the division of and teachers taken hostage by 21 terrorists in
end thanks to Russia’s mediation. The fighting start- spheres of influence in Asia (primarily in Iran and Af- the town of Beslan (Russian North Caucuses)
EVENTS
ed on March 2, 1992, when the Moldovan army tried ghanistan). The agreement was needed in order to culminated in an unplanned rescue operation
to reestablish control over the separatist region of strengthen the coalition of Russia, Great Britain and by security forces. 331 people died as a result of
THAT MADE
Transdnestr, populated mostly by ethnic Russians France in view of the impending war with Germany this cruel terrorist act. Political consequences of
and Ukrainians. Units of the Russian 14th army inter- and its allies. Under the deal, Russia promised not the Beslan tragedy included further centraliza-
HISTORY
August 4, 1992
vened and stayed to ensure the peace held. The army to encroach on British interests in Iran and not to get
Sept. 1-3, 2004
tion of power within Russia and tougher mea-
is now leaving the area. The Nato countries made the
August 18, 1907
involved in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. One hun- sures against terrorism in the neighboring au-
complete withdrawal one of the conditions for their dred years after the 1907 agreement, the problem of tonomous republic of Ingushetia, from where the
ratification of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Eu- rivalry between Russia and Anglo-Saxon powers in terrorists came to Beslan. These measures con-
BY DMITRY BABICH RUSSIA PROFILE.ORG rope (CFE). this part of Asia is far from resolved. tinue to this day.
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