Mr. Olivier came to prominence in the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow, where he created his namesake salad in the 1860's with much more luxurious ingredients, such as beef's tongue and aspic and even crayfish tails. Since then the salad has been humbled and has spread across to many other regions, where it's served in Mexico, Spain, Greece, and even Turkey. This salad enjoyed a place of prominence at all my Russian family's parties. It was such a staple in our household that I suppose I took it for granted, even as I regularly helped myself to seconds and thirds. Perhaps because I have it less often now, I've gained an appreciation for it. The crunchy, salty flavors punctuate the smooth, rich bites. This also has a lot less mayonnaise than one might expect from a "Russian salad," that's because I like mayonnaise, but I don't like my food swimming in it. - Naked Beet
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