Russian national cuisine.

[Olga]

Many recipes of Russian national cuisine came down to us from long ago. others first became known in the 18th-19th centuries.

Russian national cuisine.

In old Rus, grain-that is rye, barley, oats, millet, and wheat - was always the main food product. Since days of old the Russians have been known as land-tillers, that is why bread remains their major national food. As early as the 10th and 11th centuries, Russians made rye bread from fermented dough. The secret of "sour" rye bread was in the special ways of leavening. Some ways of leavening such bread have been preserved till this day.

Russian national cuisine.

Pies have always been a part of the holiday fare. The pies are customarily filled with different kinds of meat, groats, fish, and berries.

Russian national cuisine.

[Olga]

As for the groats, millet was most often used since it was the main agricultural product. They also made various kinds of kashas (cereals), round loaves, baked puddings, and krupeniks.

Russians have always eaten vegetables. In old times it was the turnip, swede, cabbage, radish, and cucumbers. Since the 18th century the potato began to play an ever more important part as one of the most loved ingredients of the Russian board.

As Russia's international ties expanded. other vegetables, such as the pumpkin, and marrow, begun to be introduced in the country. In the 16th century, Russian begun to grow lettuce. As for tomatoes, they were brought to Russia only in the 19th century.

Russian national cuisine.

[Olga]

Russians have bred cattle and hunted since olden times, hence the great variety of meat dishes and game in their national cuisine.

Interestingly, until the 11th centuries they mostly ate horse meat; beef and especially veal were less popular.

The abundance of berries, mushrooms, and honey in Russian cuisine is accounted for by the century's vast expanses, especially in the north.

Fish dishes are wroth mantioning too. The century's rivers, lakes, and seas have been a source of fish, wich is a tasty and wholesome food. Russian cuisine is famous for its various fish dishes, especially the hors d'oeuvres  (zakuska)

[Olga]

Manny Russian national dishes, such as schi (cabbage soup) which is stewed in in clay-pots, or stewed meat, came into being due to the Russian stove. And what delicious kashas were cooked in this wounder-stove! They baked meat and stewed and roasted ducks, chicken, and geese in the Russian stove. Suckling pigs were baked whole. Over the centuries, the kitchen utensils used with this stove have remainded the same: cast-iron kettles, clay-pots, oven prongs, shovels, and frying-pan holders.

Russian national cuisine.

Russian national cuisine.

Russian national cuisine.

Russian national cuisine.

[Olga]

As the centuries passed, borrowings from western countries appeared in Russia. During the reign of Peter the Great, ovens became widely used in Russia, as well as sauce-pans, frying-pans, and skimmers. Early in the 19th century, Russian cooks begun to make different French sauces in addition to purely national condiments, such as mustard and horse-radish.

All this has enriched Russian cuisine which is tasty, nourishing, and wholesome.

Russian national cuisine.