Fish was also very popular, especially when dried, pickled and smoked. In the Soviet period, it has received a huge spread phenomenon of catering. The Shrovetide (Maslennitsa) holiday – Russia's own carnival festivities that precede the Lenten Fast – is inextricably linked with offering pancakes to guests. Russian Shuba salad - herring salad recipe, Orthodox Easter - the holiday came from the ancient times. Old Russian cuisine (9th-16th centuries). Отпариватели и кофемашины в Екатеринбурге! To join our club, please follow this link. Soups also played a large role in the kitchen of this time. In the late 18th century in Russia found shelter immigrants from France, fleeing the effects of the Great bourgeois revolution. In a hospitable home  they would greet a guest and welcome him/her to the table served with dishes. Combination of traditional Russain meals with dishes borrowed from abroad. The first known cook book in Russian history dates back to 1547, but it has only enumeration of dishes, without disclosure of components or a way of preparation. Fusion of different cuisines of various far-flung Russian regions, Soviet cuisine (1917-1991). Most of these came from the East; dishes consisting of noodles (with milk, meat, chicken or mushrooms) and ravioli, adopted from the Turkish and Tatar people respectively. Yet just some four years ago there were outlying Russian provinces who were using dried, crushed and powdered caviar as a substitute for flour during an outbreak of famine – because it was the cheapest substitute. A typical hearty lunch in a peasant family would traditionally have included one tureen of long-stewed cabbage soup, and another of boiled, crumbly porridge – of either buckwheat, wheat, millet or rye. About this popular dish today, as a salad, in those days, we did not even know existed. Among drinks popular were kvass (квас) and different wild berries' drinks. At the height of the Cold War, a well-known European food magazine suggested that the Russian cold soup okroshka was made from a blend of beer and vodka, while Russian borsch was habitually brought to the table in fetid condition. Then we have paid tribute to spices and condiments. French cooks suggested to cut meat, game and fish into pieces before cooking them, and introduced into Russian cuisine thick soups and lighter dishes with lesser amount of fat and wheat. Swans, cranes, black grouses, hazel grouses and partridges were dainties throughout all Russian history. These are the dishes that benefit most from an extended stewing – extended cooking for several hours at temperatures from 200°C to 80°C. Many dishes which are thought of as being Russian today have crept into the Russian repertoire of dishes from other neighbors, such as Finno-Ugric pelmeni, a dish similar to ravioli, or Turkic noodles. The food cooked in stoves was delicious because it was heated evenly from all sides. It was sometimes used in the preparation of different soups such as shchi or in different sauces. Food never mixed and prepared them each individually. Russia's fierce climate makes agriculture unviable for a large portion of the year. Best Russian cuisine Copyright ©  2010-2018 . 44 800 090 3365 All rights reserved. The Eastern Slavs, according to Ibn-Rustah, subsisted entirely on mare's milk. From the 17th century Russian cuisine was divided according to stratification. Russian food was also diverse in different parts of the country because of the different climates and nature of those parts. Russia stretches from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, neighboring many other countries. Borsch: A Definitive History and a Russian Recipe, Traditional Russian Pies: History and Recipe. Many of those preserved foods remain popular icons of Russian cuisine. Elaborate salads are generally kept for special occasions. From the old time appetizers were decorated with products that were part of the recipe except for berries and herbs. Besides, a variety of spices was imported to Russia in the 17th century and added tons of bakery food recipes. As the Old Russian saying goes «Каша - матушка наша, а хлебец ржаной - отец наш родной» - (Porridge is our mother, bread is our father). Even today, Russians still eat many of their meals consisting of only fish, vegetables and mushrooms. What you often get instead is an imitation – very possibly a tasty imitation, but still quite a long way from being the real thing. Russian soups as they are appeared in the 17th century: solyanka, rassolnik containing brines, lemons and olives. This might be called the Period of All-Russian National Cuisine. Russian "vareniki" or "pelmeni" with traditional sour cream are a killer meal that is quite heavy on proteins, carbs and fat. 2 HISTORY AND FOOD Russia has a history of a diet based on crops that can thrive in cold climates, such as grains (rye, barley, buckwheat, and wheat), root vegetables (beets, turnips, potatoes, onions), and cabbage. The medieval German traveler and author, Adam Olearius, who traveled across Moscovia, mentioned dishes such as roast mutton in cucumber pickle as an effective pick-me-up after excessive boozing. This website uses cookies. One of the most famous cooks of this period was Marie-Antoin Carem, who accomplished a great deal by expediting the return of traditional Russian meals to the tables of the Russian aristocracy. The skill of the cooks left an imprint on the further development of Russian culinary art. Farmers are beginning to grow nearly forgotten dishes like spelt and turnips – and if prepared by skilled hands, these traditional Russian ingredients can be found in well-known Moscow locations such as the LavkaLavka Cafe. Many dishes were cooked in a Russian oven; fish, vegetables and mushrooms... Moscow Cuisine (17th century). Most days throughout the year (from between 192 to 216 days) were considered Lenten, meaning that people could not eat food consisting of meat, eggs or milk during these days. During the reign of Peter the Great in the homes of the aristocracy becoming popular overseas get yourself a cook, Dutch, German or Swedish. The earliest mentions of Russia's national cuisine date back to the 10th century – in the writings of Arabic historian, astronomer and geographer Ahmad Ibn-Rustah. In the fields they planted different grains like rye, oat, wheat, barley, buckwheat and others. The range of soups is huge – borsch (beetroot soup), shchi (cabbage soup), solyanka (a spicy soup of vegetables and meat or fish), salamata, pottage, botvinia (cold soup of fish, pot-herbs, and kvas), etc. All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta. However, some recipes seem to be unfading: Russian pancakes (bliny), porridges (kasha), stuffed pies (pirogi), spice cakes and rye bread (black bread), the recipes of which almost have not changed throughout centuries. Meals became quite simple, mainly because people didn't want to spend a lot of time for preparation (they were too busy standing in lines). Special attention was paid to the preparation of dishes in these places and qualified cooks were employed to make quite decent food. We've got more than 1,7 million followers on Facebook. Fresh fish was a rarity and only the Tsar and rich boyars could afford the delicacy of having fresh salmon, sturgeon or pike. Christmas is followed by a festive season, also known as Oatcake Days – since they cook special oat pancakes made from oat flour. Russian breakfasts are hearty and filling, perfect to set you up for the day. To opt out of non-essential cookies, please click here. Rich variety of firsthand and regularly supplemented information on Russian culture: daily news of important events, articles on Russian arts, music, theatre, cinema, history, national traditions, cuisine, etc., as well as many-sided biographies of outstanding figures of Russian culture, and useful references to the best museums, reserves, and theatres of this country. Selected Works ", “Big Tours Online” Presents a Selection of Performances for Family Day, The Hermitage-Kazan Museum Becomes a Testing Ground for a Secure Visiting System, National Theater Week in the All-Russian "Big Tours Online" Project, Other Opportunities for Studying in Russia, Syrniki – Traditional Russian Curd Fritters – Recipe and Tips, Nenets Cuisine: What to Eat When Exploring the Russian Arctic, Legendary Soviet Cakes to Taste in Russia. Russian cuisine has developed over a long period, adopting different dishes from many different countries, but at the same time it has retained many of its own traditions. In due course, the Russian cuisine became more complicated and refined. You'll like it, and if you don’t there’s always vodka. The 17th century market the highest development of Russian cuisine that had already been extremely diverse. Soups from beer and vodka, black caviar and mare's milk – what is it that Russians actually eat and where to try authentic dishes? Tea (Чай) was first brought to Russia in the XVII century. At last we come to the food of the Soviet Period. They converted the cuisine technology - coined instead of Russian furnaces comfortable plate instead of pots and pans, even a meat grinder.Began to open restaurants and gain popularity. The construction of railways and better roads led to closer relations between different Russian regions. This strict adherence to Lenten rituals led to a very wide development of Lenten cuisine. Processing technology products was due to the presence of Russian stoves. When copying materials active link to the source is required. The pies made with fish fillings are really only known in Russia – coulibiac, fish pasties, and rasstegai, open-top brioches. If forced to describe a Russian brick stove in modern technical terms, then it's sadly inefficient – not more than 30 percent of the fuel is converted to usable heat. Aristocratic meals were more sophisticated and diverse, and the folk ate simple, but also tasty food. Of course it was influenced by natural and geographical conditions. Russia was trading with western countries and was a passing way to China. Vegetable dishes were very popular in Old Russia, and not only during Lenten periods. In just the same way, the cooking of other peoples who live in Russia has been augmented at the expense of authentic Russian dishes. The next stage of development of the domestic cuisine associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Porridge (каша) has always been a traditional national dish. There were sugar and tea, and therefore, had the opportunity to harvest in store fruits and berries. (Insight into the history of Russian cuisine) Yet, as per Russian custom, a festive table is not worth its name without having a bottle of vodka. It became fashionable among Russian aristocracy to employ foreign cooks, mainly from France.