Russia's cuisine owes much to the country's cold climate and long winters. It focuses on foods that can be grown or produced despite mild summers and long, harsh winters. It also borrows elements from Italian and French cooking. The Italian builders who constructed Russia's public buildings under Ivan III brought pastries and pastas to Russia, while French chefs employed by Peter the Great introduced multicourse meals to this country. Several types of foods represent staples of the Russian diet.
Meats
Meat, particularly beef and pork, plays a major role in Russian cuisine. Boiled pieces of meat are typically served as second courses, and are seasoned with black pepper, garlic and bay leaves. Meats are commonly served in a cold jelly made from offal, such as a pig's head or calves' feet. Russians frequently serve horseradish or mustard with meat dishes. Pelmeni, a dish of flour pastries stuffed with minced beef, pork and lamb, are also common in Russian cuisine.
Soups
Hot and cold soups feature prominently in Russian fare. Cabbage soup, flavored with pork, beef, onions, carrots and sauerkraut, is a staple of the Russian diet. Borscht, a soup made from broth, beets, tomato juice and sausage or beef, can be served hot or cold. Borscht sometimes includes celery, as well as root vegetables, such as carrots or potatoes. Lapsha, a soup that consists of wheat or buckwheat noodles boiled in mushroom or chicken broth, is also common. Lapsha may also include boiled milk.
Grains
Russians use grains extensively to provide carbohydrates for energy. Blini, a type of thin pancake, is topped with fruit, caviar, sour cream or butter. Another popular Russian dish is pirozhki, pastries stuffed with boiled meat, eggs, cabbage, potatoes or fish. Black bread, a dense pumpernickel or rye bread, is also a staple of Russian fare.
Considerations
With the exception of root vegetables and winter-hearty greens, fresh produce is uncommon in Russian fare. This makes it difficult to obtain essential nutrients, such as vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C, which are mainly found in fresh fruits and vegetables. Heavy reliance on red meats, eggs and offal in the Russian diet causes high consumption of saturated fats. High saturated fat intake may contribute to arterial blockages and heart disease. Also, the Russian diet is typically high in carbohydrates, particularly simple carbohydrates from refined flour and starchy root vegetables. Simple carbohydrates are quickly converted into glucose by your body, and may contribute to obesity and diabetes.
References
- "The Food and Cooking of Russia"; Elena Makhonko; 2009
- Way to Russia: Russian Food and Cuisine
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.; 2010
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