zakuski

British  

/ zæˈkʊskɪ /

plural noun

1. Russian cookery hors d'oeuvres, consisting of tiny open sandwiches spread with caviar, smoked sausage, etc, or a cold dish such as radishes in sour cream, all usually served with vodka

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Etymology

Origin of zakuski

Russian, from zakusit' to have a snack

Example Sentences

Step 1 is to cover every square inch of the table with zakuski, the Slavic word for bite-size Russian drinking food, such as caviar with blini.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2018

Imagine the relief that would suffuse you if, while nibbling zakuski with a group of oilmen from Kazakhstan, you knew to call their largest city Almaty — rather than its Soviet name, Alma-Ata.

From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2014

For zakuski we have salo, lovely lard strips: “I would like to toast to the pig that gave its life to be wrapped around a scallion in SoHo. What a sad end.”

From Slate • Jan. 8, 2014

The zakuski events were a hit, and brought in generous individual donations.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2013

The long tables once laden with caviare and other zakuski were bare.

From Russia in 1919 by Ransome, Arthur