Common Meals in Russia
Russian Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The first meal of the day, zavtrak or breakfast, is usually a smaller affair. Many Russians simply eat bread and coffee or tea for breakfast. However, there is a strong work ethic in Russia and many people believe that in order work hard one must eat well. Thus, pancakes, usually made from buckwheat, huge omelets made from two or three eggs, and sandwiches consisting of cured or salted meats are common and are eaten in large amounts. Kasha, a type of porridge, traditionally thought of as peasant food, is also common. This warmed cereal is typically made from buckwheat and topped with sour cream. However, it can be made from any whole grain and can be cooked or topped with pretty much anything, including meats, fish, or berries.
Lunch:
The second meal, obed, is the largest meal of the day and is more accurately translated as supper. Commonly consumed at mid-day, this meal consists of several courses and is often accompanied with vodka. The first course is typically a salad which is often considered an appetizer or zakuska. Russian salads are much heavier that salads in the West and may be topped with salted meats or poached fish or a combination of the two. If fresh vegetables are not available, as typically are not throughout the harsh Russian winter, pickled vegetables, such as cabbage, are used. Dressings are very similar to mayonnaise or, more commonly, just sour cream.
Unlike most other cuisines, a soup course follows the salad course. Soup is a very important component to Russian cuisine and sometimes doubles as the main entre in harder times. Russian soups can be roughly divided into the following categories:
- Vegetable Soups
- Hot Soups
- Creamy Soups
- Cabbage Soups
- Fish Stews
- Noodle Soups
The most popular soup is called Borscht and has become the national soup of Russia. This soup typifies Russian cuisine. Its main ingredients, beets and cabbage, are Russian staples, and its traditional garnish, sour cream, is prominent item in Russia’s flavor profile. Other popular soups include various vegetable soups when fresh vegetables are available, fish and red meat stews, and noodles soups that have an interesting Mongolian or Chinese influence.
The last course of the mid-day meal is the main entre, known as vtoroe blyudo. This course is often built around red meat or fish and is served with two sides. The first side is often roasted vegetables. Again, when fresh vegetables are not available, pickled vegetables are utilized. The second side is usually cabbage, potatoes, or kasha. Pelmeni, a type of dumpling that is stuffed with meats and cheeses, is also very popular as a main entre.
Dinner:
The last meal of the day, called uzhin, is traditionally a much smaller meal than the mid-day meal and only consists of a variety of zakuskas or appetizers and hot tea or vodka. Zakuskas are thought to have been introduced by a Nordic people, probably the Vikings, and came to represent during the zsarist era of the late 1800's, a vast array of different food stuffs including blintzes, breads, flavored butters, cured fish, pickled vegetables, and caviar. These appetizers were often placed on a long table and people help themselves to what they wanted. The variety and amount of food represented often depended on the economic standing of those present. Today, this historic tradition is often only a simple plate of bread, meats, and vegetables.
The Russian climate is harsh and cold throughout most of the year. This limits the types and kinds of food available to most people. However, a rich cuisine has developed that stresses nourishment over aesthetics and warmth over style.
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