In the medieval period most Russian beverages turned
national: mead, khmel, kvass, cider. Beer appeared in 1284. In 1440-1470s
Russia discovered vodka made up of rye grain. Until the 17th century milk and
meat weren't popular. Meat boiled in shchi (cabbage soup) or for kasha wasn't
even roasted until the 16th century.
Old Moscow cuisine (17th century):
Starting with Peter the good , Russian store borrowed a number of West
European culinary customs and traditions. Rich nobles who visited countries in
Western Europe brought foreign chefs with them to expand their repertoire. it
had been at this point that minced meat was introduced into Russian cuisine:
chops, casseroles, pates and rolls became quite popular, alongside non-Russian
(Swedish, German, French) soups, which appeared within the 17th century: Soyinka,
(beef soup) and rassolnik (potato and pickle soup) containing brines, lemons
and olives appeared at an equivalent time and were happily integrated into the
cuisine. it had been during this era that such well-known delicacies as black
caviar and salted, jellied fish appeared.
In the 16th century Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates along side
Bashkiria and Siberia were annexed to Russia. New food products like raisins
(grapes), dried apricots, figs, melons, watermelons, lemons and tea made their
introduction , much to the delight of the populace. During the short season ,
even poor farmers could enjoy a spread of fresh fruits, along side drying them
for the long winter months. Foreign chefs cooked their national dishes, which
harmoniously fitted in Russian cuisine. There was also the time of German
sandwiches, butter, French and Dutch cheeses.
Petersburg cuisine (end of the 18th century-1860s)
The French expanded the assortment of starters by adding
variety of old Russian Food Store in meat,
fish, mushroom and sour vegetable dishes the variability of which may be a surprise
for foreigners. Because weather could last as long as nine months in some
regions, preserved foods were an outsized a part of Russian cuisine, and
households would store the maximum amount food as possible to last through the
long winters. This included smoking, salting, soaking, and fermenting. Cabbage
might be used all winter to form shchi, or be used as a filling for dumplings.
Soaked apples were often served to guests or in some side dishes. Pickled
cucumbers were a main ingredient in many dishes, including several traditional
soups. Salted and dried meat and fish were eaten after religious and
pre-holiday fasts. Overall, it had been a reasonably spartan diet, with most
economic groups using what was available.
Russian online store
foods are heavily influenced by filled dumplings, hearty stews, soups, potatoes
and cabbage:
+Borscht one among Russia's best-known foods, a chunky, cold
stew made with beets and topped with soured cream
+Beef Stroganoff - strips of beef sauteed during a sauce of
butter, wine , soured cream (called 'smetana' in Russia), mustard and onions;
eaten either straight or poured over rice or noodles
and-Sour Cabbage - cooked in wine vinegar, applesauce,
butter and onions.diced apples, sugar, bay leaves
+Solyanka Soup - a hearty soup made up of thick chunks of
beef and/or pork, cooked for hours over a coffee flame with garlic, tomatoes,
peppers and carrots
+Golubtsy.- Shredded or minced beef wrapped in cabbage and
steamed/boiled until cooked; found everywhere Eastern Europe
+Olivie. - a sort of salad made with pickles, eggs, bologna
and carrots mixed with mayo
+Blini - thin, crepe-like pancakces topped with savory or
sweet toppings like minced beef, caviar, or apples
+Potato Okroshka.- cold soup made up of buttermilk, potatoes
and onions, garnished with dill; Vichyssoise (often attributed to the French,
it had been actually created at the Ritz Carlton in NYC in 1917 but in fact
disputed by French chefs, who insist they created it)
+Knish - mashed potatoes, hamburger, onions and cheese
filled inside thick dough pastry and deep fried/baked
+Kinkily - dumplings of hamburger and cilantro
+Khachapuri - thick, crusty bread shaped sort of a boat and
crammed with a spread of melted cheese
+Zharkoye - a stew made with potatoes, carrots, parsley, and
celery, spiced with garlic, cloves, and dill; served hot with soured cream
+Pelmeni - dumplings made up of thin, unleavened dough,
crammed with minced meat, mushrooms and onions
+Shashlik - classic shesh kebab
+Tula Gingerbread - almost like our gingerbread, but may
contain jam or nuts
+Pirozhki - pastries crammed with meat, potatoes, cabbage or
cheese, almost like Polish pierogi
+Morozhenoe (rich ice cream); well hey... now you're talkin'
Chak (Russia's attempt at funnel cakes... would we make that
up?)
You'll notice a definite absence of fresh vegetable salads,
seafood, pasta and rice.They are just not a part of their basic diet. And in
fact Russia is never known for his or her desserts. Even chicken Kiev is
usually credited to many NYC restaurants who claim they created it, to not any
native Russian chef or restaurant. (gee... you cannot believe anything these
days).
So next time you get a hankering for a few borscht or a
kinkali, you only may need to whip it up yourself. there's not a preponderance
of Russian restaurants anywhere within the U.S. nor the will for them. Few
people thnk of blinis or knish when planning Sunday dinner. But who knows? you
would possibly just discover an entire new world of cuisine once you stick your
toe within the Russian diet (oh dear, that did not begin right). Go for it.
If you want to try making some Russian dishes and desserts
at home but can't find a Russian grocerystore nearby, you can try their online shop, which definitely offers what
you need.
