In 1939, the famous "Book of Tasty and Healthy Food" was published in the USSR, containing a vast number of recipes from both Russian and foreign cuisines. However, the idea of such a book was not new. A hundred years earlier, "The Handy Book of the Russian Experienced Housewife," written by Ekaterina Alexeevna Avdeeva, the wife of an Irkutsk merchant, was very popular in Russia. She was well-versed in the subject and wrote about what she knew from personal experience. As a young woman traveling with her husband's trading caravans across Siberia, she often invented recipes on the go to delight her loved ones.

Ultimately, she compiled well-known and new recipes, as well as those she observed from local residents, in "The Handy Book of the Russian Experienced Housewife." The collection included chapters on breakfasts and snacks, drinks, soups and broths, cold dishes, dishes with sauces, desserts, pies, and pâtés, among many others. In addition to recipes, the book contained advice on household management, food storage, and tips for identifying low-quality goods. For example, to determine if butter is dyed with carrot juice, one should mash it with a wooden spoon in water: if the butter is dyed, the water will also change color.

The book became so popular that it was reprinted eight times. However, Ekaterina Alexeevna Avdeeva became famous not only for this culinary collection. She also wrote about home economics, handicrafts, and published ethnographic notes about Siberia. Furthermore, she recorded Russian folk tales and, according to some sources, was one of the authors of the tale about Kolobok. The tales recorded by Avdeeva were included in the "Folk Russian Tales" of renowned folklorists Afanasyev and Propp and were recognized as "the first authentic record from the mouths of the people."