n
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 nobility 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, along side non-Russian
(Swedish, German, French) soups, which appeared within the 17th century:
solyanka, (beef soup) and rassolnik (potato and pickle soup) containing brines,
lemons and olives appeared at an equivalent time and were hppily 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
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.
Traditional
Russian 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
+Khinkali
- 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.
Author
Dale Phillip, who lives in San Diego , actually dined at the Russian Tea Room
years ago on a visit to ny City. it had been memorable, but not in any way
shape or form her quite cuisine (sorry, folks). Her tastes are lighter and
focus on fresher cuisine and much of veggies, but, hey, you've got to undertake
things. She invites you to look at her many articles within the Food and Drink
category, and her blog: [http://www.thefoodieuniverse.com]
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