Shawna Deeley was a cook at The Village Cafe in Bradford when the pandemic forced its shutdown last year. After learning that the cafe would not be reopening, Deeley and her husband, Bill Yulov, decided to use their stimulus checks to invest in a brand new business venture — she now runs The Russian Dumpling Co. (find them on Facebook and Instagram @therussiandumplingco), a food trailer offering traditional Russian comfort options made from scratch. The concept, Deeley said, was inspired by Yulov’s family’s recipes — items include Russian-style pierogi with a few varying ingredient fillings, like potato scallion and cheddar, or sweet potato, mushroom and onion; as well as pelmeni, or Russian dumplings stuffed with beef, chicken or mushroom. Borscht, a traditional beetroot-based stew that can be served hot or cold, is also available with or without steak, along with carrots, cabbage, garlic and onion. Deeley said The Russian Dumpling Co. is one of the regular featured vendors at the Northlands Live drive-in concert series every Friday and Saturday at the Cheshire Fairground (247 Monadnock Hwy., Swanzey) and is also available for private events.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
I feel like I’m constantly walking around holding my spatula.
What would you have for your last meal?
I love Vietnamese pho. I used to live in Seattle and places that had pho were on pretty much every corner.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
I would say Moritomo [Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar] in Concord. They have really awesome sushi. There’s also a tiny place in Brookline called Juanita’s that does amazing Mexican food.
What celebrity would you like to see ordering from your food trailer?
Keanu Reeves. I feel like he’d be such a fun guy to talk to.
What is your favorite thing on your menu?
I think the chicken pelmeni is my favorite. They’re dumplings with ground chicken and herbs in them that are almost like little raviolis.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
I feel like I see a lot of little Mexican places all over the place now.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
We make homemade pizzas quite often. One of my favorite ones that we do has the lox smoked salmon. We put that on a pizza with cherry tomatoes and maybe spinach or arugula and it’s the bomb.
Sirniki (Russian farmer’s cheese pancakes)
From the kitchen of Shawna Deeley of The Russian Dumpling Co.
1 pound farmer’s cheese or cottage cheese
½ cup flour
2 eggs
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil or other cooking oil
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup raisins (optional)
Combine ingredients in a mixer or by hand, then form the batter into little cakes in a saute pan at low to medium-level heat. Serve with butter, honey, sour cream or your favorite jam or compote.
Food & Drink
Summer farmers markets
• Bedford Farmers Market will be Tuesdays, from 3 to 6 p.m., in the parking lot of Wicked Good Butchah (209 Route 101), starting June 15. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org.
• Concord Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, on Capitol Street. Visit concordfarmersmarket.com.
• Derry Homegrown Farm & Artisan Market is Wednesdays, 3 to 7 p.m., at 1 W. Broadway. Visit derryhomegrown.org.
• Milford Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 300 Elm Street in Milford. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.
• New Boston Farmers Market will be Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the corner of Route 13 and Meetinghouse Hill Road, June 12 through Oct. 9. Visit newbostonfarmersmarket.webs.com.
• Salem Farmers Market is Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Tuscan Village South (12 Via Toscana Drive, Salem). Visit salemnhfarmersmarket.org.
• Warner Area Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Warner Town Hall lawn. Visit warnerfarmersmarket.org.
• Weare Real Food Farmers Market will be outdoors on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 65 N. Stark Hwy. in Weare. Visit wearerfm.com.
Featured photo: Sirniki (Russian farmer’s cheese pancakes). Courtesy of Shawna Deeley.