Traditional Russian dishes: a list. Original Russian dishes: names, recipes
When we organize a Russian-style feast or go to a Russian restaurant, the menu will definitely include pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, pickled mushrooms, for the first - daily cabbage soup, Moscow borscht and fish soup, from delicacies - sturgeon, red and black caviar, game. Siberian dumplings, boiled potatoes, Guryev porridge, pancakes… And what did our ancestors actually eat?
Shchi and porridge are our food.
The usual food of Russian peasants was not very diverse. You need to cook quickly and satisfyingly, using what is grown with your own hands or collected in the forest. They ate little meat, although from time immemorial chickens, geese, cows, goats and pigs have been bred.
Our ancestors called shami any soup, and not just with cabbage, as it is now. Turnips, cabbages, and beets were grown in vegetable gardens. All this could be boiled in water or meat broth, whitened with milk or sour cream - that's the whole recipe. In the spring, sorrel or young nettles were used. For "nutritiousness" they added a "ceiling" of fried lard, and hemp oil was seasoned with food during fasting. In the XVI century. it was possible to try “borshch shti”, “cabbage shti”, “repyan shti”.
They often ate tyuryu - bread crumbled in small pieces into kvass, milk or water. Greens could also be added there, seasoned with vegetable oil. It did not require fire to prepare it, so it could also be made right in the field, where the peasants went to work for the whole day. In addition, in the summer heat, such food does not make you sleepy. From tyuri came today's okroshka.
But at first they called borscht a stew from hogweed (not one that can be burned). Then they began to cook it on beet kvass: they warmed it up in a pot, threw chopped beets, carrots, cabbage into boiling water and sent it to languish in the oven.
The most high-calorie in the diet were cereals. them in the 16th century. there were more than 20 species. Different cereals, different degrees of grinding made it possible to cook something new. Just like with cabbage soup, our ancestors did not bother themselves and the word "porridge" called any thick concoction of chopped foods.
Different porridges were popular in different provinces. For example, in Tambov there was the most millet. It was used to make not only porridge with water or milk, but also a kulesh with lard. In the Novgorod, Tver, Pskov provinces they prepared thick - thick barley porridge from whole grains.
Porridge has become an integral part of many holidays, ceremonies and rituals. She fed young people at weddings, workers after doing collective work. Newborns were greeted with "Babkin's" porridge, military successes were celebrated with "victorious", a truce was secured with "peaceful" porridge, and the deceased was commemorated with kutya.
Bread on the table - and the table is a throne, but not a piece of bread - and the table is a board
They ate a lot of bread. Peasants baked it from rye flour. Since this process is laborious, it was started once a week. The finished product was then stored in special wooden bread bins.
For a peasant, bread was so important that without it, hunger began, even if there was plenty of other food. In lean years, quinoa, bran, tree bark, ground acorns were added to the dough.
Bread was also an attribute of many rituals. Dear guests were greeted with "bread and salt", they took communion with prosphora, they broke the fast with Easter cakes, they saw off the winter with pancakes on Maslenitsa, they greeted spring with "larks".
Not only bread was baked from flour. Fritters, pancakes, gingerbread, rolls, cheesecakes often appeared on the table. Pancakes in the old days were made from buckwheat flour, loose, fluffy, sour. There were a great many pies, they were served with certain dishes: with buckwheat porridge - for fresh cabbage soup, sour - with salted fish, with meat - for noodles, with carrots - for fish soup.
In the seventeenth century there were at least 50 pie recipes. They differed in the type of dough: yeast, puff, unleavened; baking method: spun in oil, hearth. The sizes and shape (round, square, triangular, elongated), the way the filling was placed (open - pies) and closed ones changed. The filling could be: meat, fish, eggs, porridge, fruits, vegetables, berries, mushrooms, raisins, poppy seeds, peas, cottage cheese, chopped greens.
Good snack - sauerkraut
Winter in Rus' is long and harsh, which is why all kinds of pickles were so popular. Cabbage was pickled in barrels, apples, cranberries, lingonberries were added to it. Apples and cranberries were also soaked. When cucumbers appeared, they began to use them.
Mushrooms were especially revered. Milk mushrooms, mushrooms, chanterelles, honey mushrooms, volnushki - each region has its own. Some species, for example, white and mushrooms, dried more.
The berries were dried or mixed with honey for storage. There were also blanks in the oven, for example, raspberries could be laid out in an even layer on a cabbage leaf and sent to a cooling oven. The berries reached the desired condition, and then the dried leaf was removed from the resulting cake.
Potatoes and dumplings
Potatoes appeared in Russia only in the 18th century through the efforts of Peter I and did not immediately become the “second bread”. But when they tasted it, they began to grow it with pleasure, and gradually it replaced turnips from the diet. Thanks to the potato, it became easier to survive the crop failures of wheat and rye.
Pelmeni, on the other hand, got into Russian cuisine, presumably because of the Urals. There is no mention of them in any culinary book in Russia until the beginning of the 19th century. The earliest description of such a dish is found in the "Painting of the Royal Food" (1610-1613), which mentions manti with lamb.
Back in 1817, dumplings were exotic in the European part of Russia, although they were common in Siberia. There they were molded in huge quantities and stored in the winter in the cold. In 1837, Ekaterina Avdeeva wrote about "dumplings" as a word used in Siberia, that in Russia they are called "ears", which is made from pasta dough with chopped beef, also with mushrooms or fish.
Topic: Traditional Dishes of Russian Cuisine
Topic: Traditional Russian cuisine
Russia is the world's largest country, so if differs greatly from region to region. The same can be said about Russian national cuisine, which is rather varied and based on different cultural and historic traditions. Usually any national cuisine is formed under the influence of two main factors: religion, which prescribes eating certain kinds of food, and climate, which determines the availability of various vegetables, fruit, meat and fish products. Orthodoxy, which has traditionally been an official religion in Russia, doesn't forbid any food. But long fasts prescribing abstinence from meat and other types of animal source food, explain why Russian cuisine includes many vegetarian dishes. And long severe Russian winters help to understand why hot fatty soups and broths are so popular in this country.
Russia is the largest country in the world, so its different regions are very different from each other. The same can be said about the Russian national cuisine, which is very diverse and based on different cultural and historical traditions. Usually, any national cuisine is formed under the influence of two main factors: religion, which prescribes the use of certain types of food, and climate, which determines the availability of various types of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish products. Orthodoxy, which has traditionally been the official religion in Russia, does not forbid any kind of food. However, the lengthy fasts prescribing abstention from meat and other animal products explain why Russian cuisine includes many vegetarian dishes. And the long, harsh Russian winters help explain why hot, rich soups and broths are so popular in this country.
The most popular Russian soups, which are well-known all over the world, are borshch, shchi, and the cold summer soup okroshka. There are a lot of regional recipes for these dishes, but traditionally, both borshch and shchi are and are served hot with sour-cream and rye bread. Sometimes, for example, during a religious fast, meat can be substituted by fish or mushrooms. Borshch is always cooked with beet-root, which gives it a saturated red color, and shchi must be based on fresh or sour cabbage. As for okroshka, it is mainly cooked in summer. It is a cold soup, where instead of meat broth kvass is used. It contains cold meat (usually beef), boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, cucumbers and green onion. All the ingredients are chopped and mixed. Okroshka is usually served with sour-cream, mustard and horseradish.
The most popular Russian soups that are well known all over the world are borscht, cabbage soup and cold summer soup okroshka. There are many regional recipes for these dishes, but traditionally both borscht and shchi are cooked in strong meat or bone broth and served hot with sour cream and rye bread. Sometimes, for example, during a religious fast, meat can be replaced with fish or mushrooms. Borsch is always prepared with the addition of beetroot, which gives it a rich red color, and cabbage soup should be based on fresh or sauerkraut. As for okroshka, it is prepared mainly in the summer. This is a cold soup where kvass is used instead of meat broth. It contains cold meat (usually beef), boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, cucumbers and green onions. All ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Okroshka is usually served with sour cream, mustard and horseradish.
Pelmeni is one more famous Russian dish. Small balls from minced meat are wrapped into dough made of flour and eggs and then boiled in salted water usually with bay leaves. Pelmeni can be served with sour-cream, table vinegar or horseradish. The filling can be made of any sort of meat – pork, beef, lamb or chicken. a mixed minced meat, for example, pork and beef, or pork, beef and lamb. A vegetarian analogue of pelmeni is vareniki, which is more popular in Ukraine. Fillings for vareniki can be made of cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, berries and so on.
Pelmeni is another famous Russian dish. Small balls of minced meat are wrapped in an unleavened dough made from flour and eggs and then boiled in salted water, usually with the addition of a bay leaf. Pelmeni can be served with sour cream, table vinegar or horseradish. The filling can be prepared from any type of meat - pork, beef, lamb or chicken. However, the best dumplings contain mixed minced meat, such as pork and beef or pork, beef and lamb. The vegetarian analogue of dumplings is dumplings, which are more popular in Ukraine. The filling for dumplings can be made from cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, berries, and so on.
The most popular Russian national salads are vinegret, Olivier salad (abroad it is sometimes called Russian salad), and “dressed herring”. Vinegret is a vegetarian purely salad, which is cooked from chopped boiled vegetables (beetroot, potatoes, carrots), fresh or sour cabbage, pickled cucumbers and onion. Olivier and herring salads are mayonnaise-based and rather substantial. The first one is cooked from boiled vegetables, eggs and boiled meat (which nowadays is often substituted with sausages), and the second one is a layered salad made of pickle herring, boiled potatoes, carrots, beetroots and eggs. Sometimes the herring salad also contains apples.
The most popular Russian national salads are vinaigrette, olivier (it is often called “Russian salad” abroad) and “herring under a fur coat”. Vinaigrette is a purely vegetarian salad made from finely chopped boiled vegetables (beets, potatoes, carrots), fresh or sauerkraut, pickles and onions. It is fueled with vegetable oil. Olivier and "herring" - mayonnaise and very satisfying salads. The former is made with boiled vegetables, eggs, and boiled meat (which these days is often replaced by sausage), while the latter is a layered salad of salted herring, boiled potatoes, carrots, beets, and eggs. Sometimes herring salad also contains apples.
Of course, as blini should not be left unmentioned. of cooking and filling, blini can serve as a dessert or an appetizer. Blini are made of batter, which is poured on a hot frying pan and fried. Blini can be cooked of wheat, rye, oat, or buckwheat flour. They are served with run butter, sour cream, caviar, vinegar pickled mushrooms, berries or jam. Traditionally, blini have been cooked during the Maslenitsa festival,
Known all over the world, Russian cuisine throughout its existence, due to its diversity and abundance, has always amazed and surprised foreigners. Russian culinary art has a long history, during which it was replenished with a large number of delicious and hearty dishes that have become truly traditional for the Russian people, loved and revered today.
The food of the ancient Slavs was simple and uncomplicated, but at the same time it was hearty and high-calorie. In accordance with religious beliefs, the dishes were lean and modest, the first were much more, so many plant components were used: vegetables, grains, mushrooms, berries. The most popular vegetables were cabbage, radish, rutabaga, beets, and among cereals - millet, oats, rye, lentils and wheat. Meat (mainly beef or pork), fish, milk and dairy products (cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk), eggs, honey, nuts were also used for cooking.
Main dishes of Russian cuisine:
First meal:
cabbage soup
Shchi is a liquid hot dish based on sour or sauerkraut, which was present on the table of our ancestors for many hundreds of years, and was eaten both in royal mansions and in poor huts. There are several dozen recipes for Russian cabbage soup, which can be both lean and meat. They were prepared in a Russian oven, where they had to languish, infuse and acquire a bright, rich taste and aroma. They ate them with black, rye bread, whitened with sour cream, sour milk or yogurt.
Rassolnik
Rassolnik is an old first course based on pickles and brine. Its prototype is the ancient Russian dish kalia - a thick spicy soup based on cucumber pickle with the addition of pressed caviar and pieces of oily fish. Over time, fish was replaced by meat (beef, pork, various offal). Pickle is served hot with greens and sour cream.
ear
Ukha is a fish-based liquid dish. There were a huge number of recipes: double, triple (named from the number of fish laying), fishing, barge, team. The classic version of the Russian “white” fish soup assumed the presence of sticky, soft and slightly sweet fish, giving a clear fish broth, perch, ruffs, pike perch or whitefish are suitable for this, parts of such fish as catfish, tench, ide or burbot were added there. For the "black" fish soup, asps, carp, chubs, crucian carp, carp, rudd were used, for "red" or "amber" - fatty types of red fish (salmon, sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon).
Second courses:
As a second dish, our ancestors were dominated by porridge, which was considered the main attribute of the daily diet, hence the saying "Schi and porridge is our food." For their preparation, crushed grain was taken, which gave the dish a delicate texture and accelerated the cooking process. Butter (butter or ghee) was added to the finished porridge, sweetened with honey, berries and fruits.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat, which came to us from other countries and became widespread in Altai, as evidenced by many references in the annals, has become one of the main and beloved dishes in Rus' - buckwheat porridge. History does not give an exact answer about the place of origin of buckwheat, but the fact that buckwheat porridge has become a habitual food for ordinary Russian people for many centuries is evidenced by its numerous names from word forms in Russia, no matter how they called it: both buckwheat and buckwheat, and beyond the expanses that have become native, in Europe, they generally called it “Russian bread”.
Guryev porridge
One of the most famous porridges of Russian cuisine is Guryev porridge, which bears the name of the 18th century finance minister, Prince Guryev, who was known as a great admirer of this porridge. This porridge is prepared on the basis of semolina, with the addition of foams removed from heated milk or cream. Layers of semolina and foam sprinkled with nuts are baked in the oven, candied fruit or fresh berries, nuts and jam filling act as decoration.
Pancakes
The original Russian delicacy, golden, fragrant and appetizing, symbolizing the spring sun, bright and warm, which our ancestors loved and respected, are classic Russian pancakes cooked with yeast. For their baking in the old days, yeast dough based on buckwheat, wheat, millet or barley flour was used. For the ancient Slavs, pancakes were a funeral, ritual food that was eaten at a wake, and pancakes were also the main attribute of the Maslenitsa holiday and symbolized the hot, red sun. Pancakes were baked in special small frying pans, served poured with melted hot butter.
Dumplings
Another well-deserved masterpiece of Russian cuisine is considered to be dumplings (Udmurt "pelnyano" - bread ear), which have ancient roots of the Finno-Ugric, Turkic, Chinese and Slavic peoples. They consist of unleavened hard dough (flour + water + eggs) and minced meat (chopped pork + beef + lamb + onions, salt and pepper). Circles are cut out of thinly rolled dough, put the filling there and pinch the edges. Dumplings are boiled in salted boiling water and served with sour cream or poured with melted butter.
Third courses:
Russian national drinks have long been considered kvass, sbiten and kissel.
Kvass
Kvass is a traditional sour, cold drink of the ancient Slavs, made on the basis of flour, malt, rye or wheat bread, subjected to a fermentation process (yeast, sugar and raisins were added) with the addition of herbs, honey and other ingredients. In the times of ancient Rus', kvass was an everyday drink, revered by both peasants and nobles, its presence in the house was considered a sign of well-being. By the 15th century, there were about 500 varieties of kvass in Russia.
Sbiten
Unlike kvass, which was consumed mainly in summer, in winter, our ancestors preferred to drink sbiten, it is an old hot drink of the ancient Slavs, prepared on the basis of honey, water and molasses with the addition of mixed spices (cinnamon, mint, hops and cloves) and medicinal herbal preparations. Previously, sbiten was very common in public and home catering, until it was replaced by such an "overseas" drink as tea.
oatmeal jelly
Another primordially Russian drink is considered Russian white jelly, it is a sour-tasting gelatinous, jelly-like food made on the basis of such cereals as oats, wheat, rye, hemp, peas with the addition of starch. Oatmeal kissel among the ancient Slavs was considered a delicacy, it was eaten hot with the addition of linseed or hemp oil or cold, frozen, pouring it with milk or jam. To sweeten the sour jelly over time, they began to add honey, berries, jam and fruits to it, which gradually turned it into a dessert.
Dishes of Russian cuisine gained great world fame at the end of the 19th century, when in just a few decades they gained love and popularity among European connoisseurs of gastronomic art. Since that time, Russian cuisine has been considered one of the most delicious and diverse in the world, foreign chefs prepare traditional Russian dishes in the best restaurants around the world and try to comprehend all the secrets of Russian cuisine.
The dishes of Russian national cuisine have a rather rich history and a large assortment. The composition of dishes of modern Russian cuisine is quite diverse, and, as a rule, their recipes involve several different cooking options, ranging from the simplest to the most complex and multi-component ones. Having a centuries-old tradition, the national cuisine of Russia combines both traditional native Russian dishes and those borrowed from other peoples.
Traditional Russian cuisine
Due to the fact that for cooking in peasant Russia they used mainly a Russian oven, the main methods of heat treatment of products were boiling, languishing, stewing or baking. Fried dishes were an exception, since the design of the closed Russian oven did not allow obtaining the temperatures necessary for frying. Features of Russian cuisine in its traditional old version are in a wide variety of liquid, stewed or boiled dishes, or dishes from baked meat, fish, poultry.
The main or first course of Russian cuisine are soups or stews. Among the first courses, cabbage soup, borscht, pickle, hodgepodge, fish soup, mushroom and vegetable soups, okroshka, and botvinya are most widely used.
Russian cabbage soup and borscht are the most popular all over the world. Shchi is prepared from fresh or sauerkraut, nettle, sorrel. In modern culinary guides, you can find several dozen different types of Russian cabbage soup: with meat, fish, poultry, mushrooms, etc.. Borsch, beetroot cabbage soup, is also considered to be a very popular and widespread Russian dish.
As a rule, porridges were used as second courses of Russian cuisine. Porridge was considered an indispensable attribute of any table at any time, there was even a saying: cabbage soup and porridge are our food. The prevalence of cereals was determined, firstly, by the variety of grain crops growing in Russia, and secondly, by the simplicity of their preparation.
Crushed grain was often used to prepare porridge, which made it possible to reduce the cooking time and obtain a product with a more delicate texture. Kashi was seasoned with butter and melted butter, honey, berries and fruits. After the appearance of potatoes in Russia, it gradually gained popularity and became the “second bread”. Recipes for cooking baked potatoes, as well as "jacket potatoes", along with porridge, are still an important part of Russian national cuisine today.
Boiled or baked fish, boiled or stewed meat, and poultry were served with cereals and potatoes used as side dishes. Fish or poultry were most often cooked whole, beef, lamb, pork and meat of large wild animals were served in large pieces, since meat products were not allowed to be chopped during the cooking process.
There are features of Russian national cuisine that are not widely used in the culinary preferences of other countries. These are marinades and pickles - Russian pickles. The most characteristic of them are sauerkraut, pickled or pickled cucumbers or mushrooms. Not a single festive feast of the Russian people is complete without pickled, salted, pickled mushrooms, vegetables and fruits. Recipes for the most successful cooking options for these snacks are often inherited from parents to children.
It should also be noted popular recipes for Olivier salads and vinaigrette. The latter is called "Russian salad" all over the world. Vinaigrette is a Russian invention. Pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut are used for its preparation. Olivier salad can also be considered an attribute of Russian national cuisine, since it is prepared almost exclusively in Russia. The same characteristic feature of the Russian festive feast, like Olivier salad and vinaigrette, is jelly.
Russian national drinks
The national cuisine of Russia includes such popular drinks as kvass, fruit drink and kissel. Existing recipes for kvass include several dozen options for its preparation. Morse and jelly based on fruit or berry decoctions are also a nice addition to the festive table. You can also mention the oldest Russian low-alcohol drink - mead (or honey mash), as well as many different liqueurs and tinctures popular in Russia. However, most often foreigners remember Russian cuisine when they see black caviar, pancakes and Russian vodka.
Culinary dough products
Initially, Russian pastries were made from yeast dough prepared in the sourdough method. Yeast dough for dough in Russia began to be used much earlier than in many other countries. Pies and pies, pies, kurniks, kulebyaks and many other products were baked from different types of such dough. The filling was various varieties of fish, meat of domestic animals and game, mushrooms, berries, vegetables, fruits, cottage cheese.
Russian culinary specialists began to use unleavened dough much later. Therefore, the range of products from it is relatively small: noodles, dumplings, dumplings, pancakes.
Pies were always served with the first courses: soup, fish soup, cabbage soup. Kurnik and loaf were traditionally baked for the wedding table. Drying and bagels, kalachi, koloboks, cheesecakes, carpets, donuts were served for "sweet".
An important component of the Russian table is the traditional Russian gingerbread. Before the advent of sugar, gingerbread, like other sweet dishes, was cooked with honey. Therefore, gingerbread was originally called honey bread. Later, when various spices delivered from India and Eastern countries began to be used for dough, honey bread became known as gingerbread.
Gingerbreads were baked mainly for the festive table, since many of the ingredients of the gingerbread dough were among the expensive products. Large printed gingerbread has long been considered a good gift for various holidays, weddings, birthdays, name days. For special occasions, huge gingerbread weighing up to 5 kg was baked. Gingerbread with letters became the first alphabet for children.
Gingerbread made with various fillings and seasonings. In addition, gingerbread was of various shapes: oval, round, rectangular, figured - and sizes. After the widespread use of sugar in the diet of Russian people, gingerbread began to be covered with sugar icing. In different regions of the vast country, there were special recipes for making gingerbread. The most famous were and remain Tula gingerbread.
The Orthodox Church has made its contribution to the formation of Russian culinary traditions. Numerous fasts, during which it was impossible to eat meat, dairy, fish dishes, made pastries with mushroom, vegetable and fruit and berry fillings an indispensable component of nutrition. For many religious holidays, special types of pastries were prepared, for example, Easter cakes and Easter cakes to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.
Famous Russian pancakes and bread
Separately, it should be said about the world-famous Russian pancakes. They have long been the hallmark of Russian national cuisine. Traditional Russian pancakes were baked from yeast dough and were quite thick. Later, with the advent of European traditions in Russian cuisine, they began to bake thin pancakes.
They were eaten with honey, vegetable oil, sour cream, jam. In addition, pancakes were stuffed with meat, cereals, cottage cheese, mushrooms, vegetables, berries and fruits.. Pancake pies with various fillings were made from pancakes. Although pancakes were often baked, over time they became the main festive dish for Shrovetide. Small pancakes (fritters) were prepared from sponge dough. Various fillings were added to the dough for fritters, creating a wide range of flavors for this product.
Traditional Russian bread has always been black bread made from rye flour. Bread was one of the main dishes, it was consumed a lot, especially with stews, cabbage soup, okroshka, fish soup and other first courses. Rye bread is mistakenly considered food only for the common people. In fact, black bread was served at the table in merchant, boyar, and noble houses.
White bread made from wheat flour began to be baked much later than rye. It became the food of the mostly urban nobility. Many Russian landowners preferred traditional Russian cuisine, despite the misconception that Germans and French were the cooks in the landlords' homes everywhere.
In addition to rye and wheat flour, Russian cuisine used other cereals for baking. Agriculture was the main occupation in Rus'.
The respectful attitude to the hard work of the farmer is reflected in many rituals, customs and traditions of the Russian people. Guests have long been greeted with bread and salt, the bride was showered with grain at the wedding, the farewell to the deceased did not pass without a funeral kutya.
The process of formation and development of Russian cuisine stretched for several centuries. Every now and then, references to it pop up in the annals of the 10th-15th centuries. and in various historical documents. Classics liked to write about her in their immortal works. It has been carefully studied by ethnographers. And all because she is original and incredibly rich. Developing along with its people, it reflected not only their way of life and customs, but also history. And all the time it was improved, replenished with borrowings and expanded.
Today, the phrase "Russian cuisine" is associated with cabbage soup, crispy pickles and pickled mushrooms, fragrant kulebyaka and pies, as well as unique tea from a samovar.
But even 1000 years ago everything was a little more modest...
History of development
Scientists identify 4 stages in the formation of Russian cuisine, each of which has its own characteristics. This:
- 1 Old Russian, dating from the 9th-16th centuries;
- 2 old Moscow - it fell on the 17th century;
- 3 Peter-Catherine - refers to the XVIII century .;
- 4 Petersburg - combines the traditions of the late XVIII century. and lasts until the 1960s.
Old Russian period
It was dominated by bread and flour products. In honor of the ancient Russians were pancakes, flour jelly and rye pies. And the filling for them was vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, different types of meat and fish, porridge. Already at that time, dear guests were greeted with a loaf and salt.
By the way, it was porridge in Rus' that was considered a symbol of well-being and prosperity. The word "porridge" was used to refer to ancient Russian wedding feasts. And on the tables of the Russians there was always buckwheat, barley, barley, oatmeal, oatmeal or millet porridge.
In addition to it, the diet of that time included vegetables in large quantities - cabbage, turnips, radishes, peas, cucumbers. Here they liked to feast on fruits and berries. In addition to them, the sweet tooth was held in high esteem by honey, on the basis of which delicious syrups and jams were created. Even then, the hostesses baked gingerbread with them.
From the 11th century spices were used in Rus': bay leaf and black pepper, cloves, ginger, cardamom and saffron.
Up until the 17th century. meat and milk were practically not eaten here. And if they did, they made cabbage soup and gruel from meat. They drank stewed or raw milk, made sour cream and cottage cheese from it, and did not know at all about the existence of cream and butter until almost the 16th century.
Around the same period, national Russian drinks appeared - kvass, sidera and hops. In 1284 beer was brewed for the first time. And in the XV century. real Russian vodka was made from rye grain.
In the XVI-XVII centuries. Old Russian cuisine was enriched with noodles and dumplings, borrowing them from the peoples of Asia.
Staromoskovsky
17th century was marked by the division of the kitchen into the one that she preferred to know, and the one that ordinary people were content with. And if earlier these differences were expressed only in the number of dishes, now special attention was paid to quality. And all because newfangled dishes and culinary techniques began to seep into the traditional cuisine.
Since then, more fried meat, which was previously considered tasteless, began to appear on the table of the nobility. As well as ham, boiled pork, corned beef, roast lamb, game and poultry. At the same time, hodgepodge, rassolnik and main delicacies, such as jellied red fish, salted fish, and black caviar, were tasted.
In addition, the Russian people began to actively borrow the products of the Astrakhan and Kazan Khanates, Siberia and Bashkiria, which had recently joined the state. These were raisins, figs, watermelons and melons, apricots, lemons and tea. (Although some sources claim that in some regions lemons have been consumed since the 11th century.) And hospitable hostesses began to adopt recipes for delicious pies, gingerbread, all kinds of jams and apple marshmallows. Although, according to some sources, the latter was being prepared in certain regions of Rus' since the 14th century.
Thus, the 17th century characterized by the flourishing of traditional Russian cuisine and the simplification of simple peasant cuisine.
Petrovsko-Ekaterininsky
Following the old Moscow era, a new one came - the era of Peter the Great. It is distinguished from others by a more active borrowing of Western culinary traditions. And now the nobility more and more often brings not only overseas products and recipes, but also "writes out" foreign chefs. They enrich Russian cuisine with pates, casseroles, rolls and cutlets, complement it with hitherto unknown dairy, vegetable and pureed soups and decorate it with sandwiches, butter and real Dutch and French cheeses.
They also replaced the name of the original Russian "stew" with "soup" and taught how to serve it correctly - in pots or cast iron.
Petersburg cuisine
This period coincided with the appearance of the “window to Europe”. It was through him that traditional French, German, Italian and Dutch dishes began to enter Russian cuisine. Among them: chops with and without bones, escalopes, entrecote, steaks, potato and tomato dishes, which were just delivered at that time, as well as sausages and omelettes.
At the same time, they began to pay special attention to table setting and decoration of the dishes themselves. Interestingly, in the process of mastering this art, many salads, side dishes and even vinaigrette appeared.
A distinctive feature of this period is the variety of snacks that were served to the nobility. Fish, meat, mushrooms and vegetables have significantly diversified Russian cuisine and made it fabulously rich and even more delicious.
Russian cuisine: our days
In subsequent years, the traditional cuisine of Russia was only enriched. Talented chefs appeared, whose names are known far beyond the borders of the country. Traveling all over the world, they master the latest culinary technologies, thanks to which they can prepare the most unusual and original dishes. And combine in each of them the incompatible. For example: ice cream from Borodino bread, foie gras borsch with flambé, cocktail salads, lamb with kvass sauce, crayfish neck with vegetable caviar, etc.
The highlight of Russian cuisine
National Russian cuisine has borrowed newfangled dishes and overseas culinary traditions for many centuries. Nevertheless, this did not prevent her from remaining original and original. Having tasted juicy chops, entrecote, and julienne, the Russian people did not change their habits.
And he did not refuse cereals and soups, which over time only became more diverse. Did not change the tradition of serving dinners. As before, the first thing they bring is hot - soups, borscht, hodgepodge or cabbage soup. On the second - a side dish with meat or fish. And on the third - a sweet drink - juice, compote, fruit drink or tea. And remained one of the most hospitable nations in the world.
The main methods of cooking in Russian cuisine:
No matter how rich and varied Russian cuisine is, it is still based on traditional dishes recognizable in every corner of the globe, namely:
cabbage soup. They say that this dish appeared in Rus' in the 9th century, at the same time as cabbage. It is a multi-component soup. Shchi is prepared with sorrel, fresh or sauerkraut, meat (sometimes fish or mushrooms), spices, and a sour dressing based on sour cream or cabbage pickle. Throughout the history of its existence, its composition has not changed much, except that the bouquet of spices for cabbage soup has been expanded.
Kulebyak. It differs from ordinary pies in the presence of a complex filling - from 2 to 4 types of minced meat, separated by thin pancakes. Moreover, its volume is necessarily equal to at least half the volume of the test. The first kulebyaks were made from yeast dough and layers of cabbage, eggs, buckwheat porridge, boiled fish, onions or mushrooms and adorned the tables of both the nobility and ordinary people.
Kutya. Funeral dish, which is wheat or rice porridge with honey, poppy seeds, raisins and milk. Prepared and served on Christmas Eve and Epiphany, sometimes at wakes. It is believed that Kutia takes its roots back in pagan times, when with its help they honored the memory of their ancestors. By the way, in Rus', any porridge was called the "foremother" of bread.
Noodles are a borrowed pasta product that is incredibly popular all over the world, including Russia. The very first noodle is called Chinese, it appeared in the 2nd millennium BC.
Kissel. This drink is at least 1000 years old. Initially, it was prepared from oats or wheat, later - from berries. Memories of him also appear in The Tale of Bygone Years.
In the tenth century during the siege of Belgorod, famine began in the city. And when the townspeople had already decided to surrender, one old man ordered to find the remains of oats and wheat, make jelly out of them and pour it into a tub dug into a well level with the ground. Honey was poured into another such tub. And then they invited several conquerors to taste delicacies from the wells. After a few days, they retreated, deciding that the Russian people were fed by Mother Earth.
Ukha is a hot fish dish. Each region has its own recipe for its preparation. For example, on the Don they like fish soup with tomatoes.
Stroganina is a dish of freshly frozen raw fish served in the form of shavings with a mixture of salt and pepper. Very popular in Siberia.
Salad "Olivier" - a national New Year's dish, named after Lucien Olivier, who invented it. The traditional Russian recipe consists of "Doctor's" sausage, boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, pickled cucumbers, green peas, boiled carrots, mayonnaise and greens.
Tea from a samovar. They say that such a drink had a special taste, which was achieved both through the use of the samovar itself, and thanks to the unity of the family, which gathered in the gazebo or on the veranda in order to taste it.
Pies are baked pies with different types of fillings - fish, meat, carrots, eggs, onions and rice and small holes on top.
Pickled mushrooms and pickles are a delicacy that has existed for several centuries.
Vinaigrette is a national Russian dish of beets, potatoes, carrots, green peas, pickles, onions, vegetable oil and spices, although borrowed.
Gingerbreads are flour products that originate in the Old Russian period.
Apple marshmallow is a traditional delicacy that has been prepared since the 14th century. with honey and apples. Modern recipes have been improved and may contain cinnamon, berries, etc.
Bread and salt is a treat - a kind of symbol of Russian cuisine. Today it stands for hospitality. And in ancient times, it was endowed with magical significance. Bread personified the wealth and well-being of the family, and salt protected it from troubles and bad weather. Previously, they appeased the brownie with bread and salt at the entrance to a new house.
Soup, or stew, as they used to say in Rus'. In fact, this is the national dish of Russian cuisine. Previously, it was only vegetable, later meat was added to it. Today there is a huge number of soups for every taste.
Soaked apples are a kind of homemade pickles. They were popular several centuries ago.
Sauerkraut is a dish that is obtained by fermenting cabbage. It is believed that it retains all its beneficial substances.
Useful properties of Russian cuisine
For the abundance of soups and cereals, Russian cuisine is considered one of the most useful. It is ideal for vegetarians and is revered all over the world. In addition, she widely uses all the gifts of nature - vegetables and fruits, each of which contains a huge amount of useful substances. A special place in it is given to fermented milk products, as well as sweet drinks - compotes, jelly and juices.
Today, the average life expectancy of Russians is 71 years, and, according to sociologists, it continues to grow.
- Plates appeared in Rus' in the 17th century. Prior to this, liquid meals were served in one large bowl, from which the whole family ate. Thick food, as well as meat and fish, were laid out on large pieces of bread.
- The rules of conduct at the table were strictly observed. During the meal, it was forbidden to laugh and talk loudly, throw food. Subsequently, one explanation was given to this - the reverence of a Russian person for food.
- A real Russian stove occupies a special place in Russian cuisine. Having existed for about 3000 years, it managed to perform many functions. They cooked food in it, brewed beer and kvass, dried fruits for the winter, used it to heat huts, slept on it, and sometimes also steamed in a large firebox, like in a bathhouse.
- It was the stove that gave the dishes of Russian cuisine an exceptional taste. A certain temperature regime was observed in it and uniform heating was provided from all sides. Due attention was also paid to the shape of the dishes - clay pots and cast-iron pots, which differed in the size of the bottom and neck. The latter provided excellent taste, amazing aroma and preservation of all the nutrients of cooked dishes.
- In the old days, the Russian table was always covered with a white tablecloth and decorated with bread and salt. It was a kind of sign that guests were welcome in the house.
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