Cooking class experience — learning Okroshka properly

I took a cooking class specifically to learn how to make Okroshka correctly. The instructor explained why salted herring is used the way it is — something I'd never understood from just eating it. The hearty and warming result when you make it yourself is different.

the Russian tea tradition using a samovar is centuries old and central to social hospitality. We learned how a dacha summer kitchen shapes the way this dish is eaten. The class ended with the meal and a glass of vodka. I've made it three times since and each time it improves. Highly recommend the cooking class approach.