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Nothing else but national cuisine gives such a good opportunity to understand
so closely the material culture of people. Learning its specials is probably the
best and shortest way to mutual understanding of nations.
One of the secrets of Russian cuisine (may be the most important secret) is " to cook with soul ". Or as they say in Russia " to put soul " in what you make. In this country in general much is done " with soul " or " from soul ".
And food for a Russian is not a simple hunger fighting.
This is a sort of communication, emotions. It is a philosophy if you
want. When people sit down to table all together
and communicate, they exchange positive emotions. They are ready to spend the rest
of their money to create "a beautiful table" and to bring pleasure to
a guest. Strange as it may seem, but money is not the main thing for a Russian at all
(there are some advantages and disadvantages of this and it is Russian
paradox!). "Bring to the table all you've
got in the oven! " Everything or nothing! Russian people love
holidays. Feeling of a holiday in soul is a necessary condition of
their being. Such are the traditions. Such is the breadth of Russian soul.
There are many stories about Russian hospitality...That's the truth. Russian people are always glad to have visitors. They can lay the table very quickly. One makes use of home preparations - salt preserved vegetables and mushrooms and other marinades. Though nowadays this tradition is disappearing little by little in big cities, where people become more prudent, not Russian-like. In our childhood and youth everything was different. The people were kinder and less selfish. There was a good tradition of visiting each other, especially on holidays. Holidays of the USSR times had nopolitical flavour for ordinary people, as it is considered in the West by mistake. It was just an occasion to meet the old friends, make the new friends, have fun, talk sincerely. Table was crammed with food despite of deficit of products in the country. It is one more paradox of Russian people. However ability of a Russian to adapt to any situations (ability of a survival) till now is beyond the standard understanding. It has always been so. Certainly, pies are the decoration of Russian table. But not caviar, as considered in the West. And not even vodka. However vodka is an important part of a table. But it is just the mean to build communication. A mean of relaxation. It is a contribution to Russian tradition. The pies are a different song... Pies recipes are handed down from mother to daughter. There are sweet pies (with various berries, cottage cheese, jam...), with cabbage, potatoes, meat, fish... Large and small ("rastyagai"). Open pies ("vatrushki") with cottage cheese, cabbage or potatoes are especially good. Our family liked small pies from unleavened dough with cabbage in particular. "Vatrushki" with potatoes used to be made from rye flour earlier. Hot, just from the oven, they is especially very tasty and unique with cold milk. In general rye flour was very popular in Russia in old times (and in the times of Khruschev also - I remember lines for wheat flour and also potato "vatrushki" out of pieces of rye bread). Now rye flour is basically used just to make rye (or " black " as they say) bread.
Russian bread is another story. It is impossible to imagine Russian table
without rye black bread. Many dishes will certainly lose their taste and any
sense without it. For example well-known love of Russians to garlic to its large
extent is connected just with rye bread, which gives additional taste to food (I
remember in childhood rubbing crunchy crust of freshly baked black bread with
garlic made my mouth water). Even famous Russian "pelmeni"are frequently eaten with black
bread because it is more delicious. The popularity of rye bread in
Russia is surprisingly high. It is necessary to point out that it contains useful vitamins, which
are so needed in human organism. Being in a distance from Russia we constantly feel this "
summons of ancestors "so we periodically visit Russian store
to buy a loaf (or even two - three) of flavoured black
bread there. There are several kinds of this bread - with wheat flour or other components and
spices added to it. For example, the "borodinsky" bread is baked with addition of
caraway seeds. We always try to find bread with the maximal contents of a rye
flour..
Salting is also a usual part of Russian feast. Sauerkraut with onions and vegetable oil is a real Russian miracle (especially with black bread, you are right!). There is nothing richer in vitamin "C" in comparison with it. In conditions of severe Russian winter it has been practically the only source of vitamins for the Russian people for a long time. Besides there is no doubt sauerkraut is a super hors d'oevres for vodka. Some words about vodka... Yes, it is an important part of Russian table. In Russia they say that a meal becomes uninteresting if it ceases to be hors d'oevres... Usually men prefer vodka to all alkohol drinks (there is a sense in this). Women usually drink sweet or dry wine (though sometimes also prefer vodka in small quantities). Home-made wine from berries grown in own garden is often offered to plain fare. Though recently people usually buy wine in sotres. More often this is cheap Moldavian wine of rather doubtful quality. Salads... Of course it is impossible to imagine Russian table without them. Meat, fish, vegetable, with vegetable oil, sour cream, mayonnaise, "winter", "summer"... - there are so many various salads in Russian cuisine.It is necessary to mention vinaegrette. In fact it is salad from boiled vegetables (beet, potatoes, carrots) with addition of fresh onions, sauerkraut, pickles, vinegar and vegetable oil. All vegetables need finely be to be cut and to be mixed (it is desirable in a warm state. One can possibly add greens and green peas. Instead of vinegar it is better to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. In general we try to use lemon juice instead of vinegar everywhere it's possible. It is strange, why in America and Canada they do not do the same thing. The abundance of vinegar in local Canadian food amazes our imagination. But it is obvious that people get used to this from childhood. But from our point of view lemon juice is more pleasant and useful than vinegar... So, vinaegrette is delicious, light and nutritious salad. It is one more source of vitamins during long Russian winter. Sometimes vinaegrette is combined with salted herring. However herring is good by itself... Yes, you are right, it is remarkable hors d'oevres... It is also necessary to mention another amazing salad "Herring under the fur". In brief, it is a mix of vinaegrette and fillet of a herring covered by mayonnaise from above... Taste is extraordinary...Just the thought makes my mouth water.. Russian "pelmeni" (more known in the West as ravioli) is another interesting story. Nowadays people often buy ready-made "pelmeni" in grocery stores. But real Russian "pelmeni" are prepared only at home.. One buys fresh meat, prepares forcemeat. It's better if "pelmeni" are moulded manually. It is considered that this way they are more tasty (and again "with soul"). Meat selection for forcemeat is very important, observance of proportions of beef and pork. "Pelmeni"are served with sour cream, vinegar, with mayonnaise or ketchup. And.. It is desirable "with vodka". "Pelmeni"are often served on the second day of wedding. But the truth now is that weddings are celebrated on one day only perhaps due to saving money reasons. Western ravioli are similar to Russian "pelmeni" but nevertheless are not the same. Caucasian ravioli ("khinkali") differ from Russian "pelmeni" by the size and abundance of spices. Asian ravioli ("manti") are also bigger in size and are steam prepared. In general each nation has a dish similar to "pelmeni". But Russian "pelmeni" is a special subject. In Siberia and in the Urals this is a usual dish. No doubt, Russian food differs from what people in the West have got used to, especially in America, where at the end of 19th century rationalistic tendency in development of cuisine has arisen. Its idea is that the food should be simple and fast in preparation. The "FAST-FOOD" industry has appeared. As for us, we visit places like Macdonalds and Harveys etc very seldom. Thanks God we have an opportunity to buy relatively initial products (meat, fish, vegetables, fruit) in Canadian stores and after habitual manipulations enjoy all the amenities of Russian cuisine... Some words about addiction to sweet.... At first it was very strange for us to see serious adults, sitting in places like Tim Hortons for hours enjoying different sweet stuff. In Russia it would have looked at least ridiculous... Certainly, Russian love sweet too. And sweet pastries or home-made cakes with flavoured tea is a usual conclusion of Russian feast. Nevertheless addiction of Americans and Canadians to sweet amazes. There is an impression that this need exists somewhere on a genetic level. Though our younger daughter Natasha already seems to have caught it... The word "chocolate" does not go away from her small lips. She is a child of course. In our childhood we also loved sweet, though the choice was not so big. I am recollicting our favourite dainty of those remarkable times. It is a slice of fresh white bread (just brought from a bakery) spread with butter and sugared from above... I've never tasted a better desert in my life. We ran out to the yard with this slice of bread and came across coevals fixing their eyes on us: "Forty eight - give me the half, mate ". "Forty one - give you none" - I answered joking... Of course we ate it together... How extremely tasty it was, on the fresh air in good company!...... It was in the childhood.... Now in Canada, at times it seems that the people remain kids here all their life.. They love sweet in any age so much... I do not know, if it is good or bad. But we are amazed at such quantity of overweight people. By the way, it seems it does not disturb them at all. In Russia they could have had problems in personal life. And Russian women are ready to keep to any diets, to sacrifice anything to be slim. (May be that's why they get so much attention of the men, including Western ones?) However there is a good proverb "What is good for a Russian - death for a German". Each nation has its own traditions, education. And one shouldn't "enter a foreign temple with his own charter". It would be good to unit the best customs of different nations.... But it is impossible... As it is impossible "To harness together a horse and a gentle doe"... It is noticed that people who have acquired certain culinary skills and receipts early in life, develop certain settled tastes, and they can hardly leave something habitual, being always subjectively sure that habitual can not be worse. Even though I live in Canada, I live in a rather Russian household. My Russian roots don't leave me...especially when it comes to food. Native food can really make you get quickly addicted, especially if it is as delicious as Russian. All my family actually has cravings at times. In conclusion one should say some words about V.V.Pokhlebkin, a talented man with a tragical destiny. He is known as an author of several remarkable culinary and historical books. Besides in the book "A History of Vodka" he has proved the priority of Russian Vodka. By the way his first culinary book was devoted to tea. They love tea in Russia very much. Even more than coffee. In old times tea was made in "samovar" with the help of pine cones. "Samovar" was put on the table. And people were having a slowly conversation about life over a cup of tea... Cup by cup ... Day by day...
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Climate | Culture | Money and Banks | Time | Communications | Getting There | Emergencies | When To Go| Holidays | Food | History | Best Of | Getting Around | Exploring Russia | Yoshkar-Ola | Visa To Russia|
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