From time immemorial, cereals in Russia occupied not only an important, but also an honorable place in daily diet, being, in fact, one of the main dishes on the table, both among the poor and the rich. About this and the proverb: "Porridge is our mother."

Without traditional Russian porridge on the table before, it was impossible to imagine any celebration or celebration. They could be used with milk, cow or vegetable oil, fat, honey full, kvass, berries, fried onions, etc. Moreover, certain ceremonial cereal was surely prepared for various significant events.
Three cereals were usually placed on the festive table: millet, buckwheat, and barley.

  Porridge story   Porridge has been known since ancient times to all agricultural peoples. The word "porridge" comes, according to linguists, from the Sanskrit "porridge", which means "crush, rub". In Russian written monuments, this word is found in documents from the late 12th century, however, archaeological excavations find pots with the remains of cereals in the layers of the 9th - 10th centuries.

In Russia was popular slaughter porridge, which was cooked from small grains prepared from spelled.
  Spelled is a semi-wild wheat variety that was "grown" in Russia in large quantities in the eighteenth century - it grew by itself, was not whimsical and did not require any care. The porridge was rough, but very healthy and nutritious. Gradually, "cultivated" wheat varieties replaced the spelled, because she had poor peeling. and its yield was much lower than that of cultivated wheat varieties.
  In spelled there is a lot of protein, from 27% to 37%, and there is little gluten, so people who are allergic to gluten can easily eat this porridge. Spelled is richer in iron and B vitamins than ordinary wheat, and has a pleasant nutty flavor.
  *** From the tale of A.S. Pushkin "On the priest and his worker Balda"
  Balda says: “I will serve you gloriously,
  Hard and very good
  In a year, for three clicks on your forehead,
  Let me have boiled spelled. ”

Barley and oatmeal  brewed from ancient times throughout Russia, both in villages and in cities, and served mainly on weekdays.
Millet porridge (made from millet), was known to Russians as long ago as oat and barley. The word millet was first mentioned in written documents of the 11th century. Millet porridge was used both on weekdays and during the festive feast.

The most beloved and popular among Russians was buckwheat porridge - already in the XVII century. was considered a national Russian dish, although it appeared rather late - in the fifteenth century.

Rice porrige  appeared in the eighteenth century, when rice was brought to Russia, it was used mainly in cities. She entered the diet of peasants very slowly and was called porridge from sorochinsky millet. In rich houses, it was used as a filling for pies. In addition, over time, kutia was prepared from it.

  Names and types of cereals   The huge variety of Russian cereals was determined, first of all, by the variety of varieties of cereals that were produced in Russia. Several types of cereals were made from each grain crop - from whole to crushed in various ways.
  In Russian cuisine, the recipe depended not only on the cereal, but also on how this cereal was processed. For example, buckwheat is the kernel and minced, and barley is pearl barley (large grain), Dutch (medium grain), and small (very fine grain). Millet is used to prepare millet (not wheat, but millet!) Cereal. Semolina is boiled from wheat cereal. And also green porridge was spread, which was prepared from young unripe rye.

Porridge made from whole or crushed grains barley, It was called: egg, barley, grain, crushed, thick, eye, pearl barley. This porridge was called zhitny in the northern and central Russian provinces, where barley was used to mean zhit. Crushed vein, barley - porridge made from finely chopped grain. In a word thick  in Novgorod, Pskov, Tver provinces called steep barley porridgefrom whole grains. It was so popular there that the Novgorodians in Russia were even called "thick-eaters."
  The term " eye"used to denote porridge cooked from barley with peas. The peas in the porridge were not completely digested, and" peas "were visible on its surface.
Perlovka  - this is porridge cooked from whole grains, the gray-gray color of which and slightly oblong shape are slightly reminiscent of "pearl grain" - pearl.
  Three types of cereals were made from barley: pearl barley - large grains were weakly ground, Dutch - finer grains were polished to white, and barley grains - very small grains from unpolished (whole) grains.
Barley porridge was the favorite dish of Peter the Great. He recognized "egg porridge by itself and spore tasty."

Whole grain buckwheat-nuclei went for steep, crumbly cereals, finer groats - "veligorka" and very small - "Smolensk".

In Russia, they preferred to cook porridge from coarse grains, and from cereals of the finest grinding was common oatmeal. Oat flour was prepared as follows: washed the grain, cooked until half cooked, dried and crushed in a mortar almost to the state of flour.

It must be said that in Russia porridge was called everything that was prepared from crushed products.
  They were with the Russians cereal breadthat were cooked from crushed crackers. Were popular fish and vegetable porridge.
  With the advent of potato in Russia (XVIII-XIX centuries), porridge began to cook with the addition of potatoes - kulesh. This porridge was seasoned with vegetable oil and onions. There were carrot porridge, turnip, pea, juice (in hemp oil) and a huge number of vegetable porridge recipes.

"Suvorov porridge"
  According to legend, in one of the long hikes, Suvorov was informed that there were little different types of groats left: wheat, rye, barley, oatmeal, pea, etc. But the porridge from any of the remaining types of grain would not be enough for half the army. Then Suvorov ordered to cook all the remaining cereals together. The soldiers really liked the "Suvorov porridge", and the great commander contributed to the development of Russian culinary art.

"Guryev porridge"- porridge. prepared from semolina in milk with the addition of nuts, cream, dried fruits - is considered a traditional dish of Russian cuisine, but was invented only at the beginning of the XIX century.
  The story of porridge is curious: the "author" of the recipe is Zakhar Kuzmin, the serf of the retired Major Yurisovsky, who was visited by Count Guryev, Minister of Finance and member of the State Council of the Russian Empire. Guryev liked Kasha so much that he bought Kuzmin and his family and made him the regular cook of his yard. According to another version, Guryev himself came up with a porridge recipe.
  Guryev’s porridge is mentioned in the description of Moscow taverns by Vladimir Gilyarovsky: “The Petersburg nobility, led by the grand dukes, specially came from Petersburg to eat testa piglet, crayfish soup with pies and the famous Guryev’s porridge.”

  Traditions and customs   Each holiday was necessarily celebrated with its porridge. Each hostess had her own recipe, which was kept secret.

Christmas porridge was not like porridge, which was prepared on the occasion of the harvest; special cereals (from a mixture of cereals) were prepared by the girls on the day of Agrafena Swimsuits (June 23).
  Ritual porridge was cooked on the days that are most important for people: on the eve of Vasilyev’s day, on the eve of Palm Sunday, on the day when the name day of the Earth celebrated, on Kupala night, during the dine, on the first day of the threshing of a new crop, on the autumn girl’s kuzminki holiday, etc. .d.
  St. Buckwheat sharks even considered porridge day.
  Porridge was cooked for a wedding, at the birth of a child, for christening and name day, for a funeral or funeral (kutia).

Porridge was treated to common rural work - help. In Vladimir Dahl, the meaning of the word “porridge” is given: “help on the harvest”, “reaps (the beginning of the harvest), feast, a crowd of clowns walk with songs.”

Some peoples of our country met a porridge, which was called "grandmother", they met a newborn.
  At the wedding, the groom and the bride always cooked porridge, which was an obligatory part of the wedding ceremony: "The hostess is red - and the porridge is tasty."
  In some areas of Russia, porridge was generally the only food that young people could eat at a wedding feast. And the wedding feast in ancient Russia was called "porridge" and "brewing porridge" meant - to begin to prepare for the wedding.
  At the wedding, porridge was served, as a rule, on the second day in a young house on a new farm, so that there was prosperity in the house. For this porridge, the guests paid with a coin, and then the empty pot was merrily smashed for the happiness of the young. Hence the first dinner after the wedding was called "porridge".

According to another source, the expression " make porridge"has a more general meaning:
  In ancient Russian chronicles, feasts themselves were often called "porridge." Porridge must be cooked on the occasion of the beginning of a big business.. Hence the expression "make porridge."

Porridge must be prepared before great battles and victorious feasts.  Porridge served as a symbol of truce: to make peace, it was necessary to cook "peace" porridge.

About a man unreliable and intractable said " you won’t cook porridge with him". When they worked as an artel, they prepared porridge for the whole artel, so for a long time the word" porridge "was a synonym for the word" artel ". They said:" We are in the same mess", which meant in one artel, in one brigade.

  Benefits and Cooking Porridge   Whole grain cereals are an important source of vegetable proteins and carbohydrates.
  Another advantage of cereals is their versatility. They go well with any other products: meat and fish, mushrooms and vegetables, fruits and berries.

Porridge is a very healthy, nutritious, tasty and, importantly, inexpensive product.
  Cereals are rich in fiber, which regulates digestion, improves blood composition and the state of blood vessels, which helps keep the heart functioning in good shape.
   Cereals contain the amount we need and the ideal ratio of iron and copper, zinc, as well as proteins, vitamins of group B, PP. From cereal grains we get vital amino acids, 18 of which are essential.
  Cereals are slowly digested and assimilated, giving a feeling of fullness.
  In whole grains, a sufficient amount of fiber, namely coarse dietary fiber is not enough in the diet of modern man.

- Buckwheat porridge  rich in protein, minerals, quickly absorbed, perfectly strengthens the immune system. Buckwheat porridge is rich in vitamins, especially group B, minerals (magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus). And in the amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, it surpasses the rest of the cereals. Moreover, its proteins in their amino acid composition are considered the most complete. Buckwheat is rich in lecithin, which is useful for liver diseases, removes bad cholesterol from the body. It is necessary in the diet of patients with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. To preserve the beneficial properties of porridge, it is recommended not to add sugar to it and not to boil in milk.

- Oatmeal, Hercules (steamed and flattened oat grains) is rich in vegetable proteins, minerals, strengthens bones, contains a lot of magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin PP and C, as well as vitamin H, which improves not only well-being, but also skin condition. Oatmeal contains a lot of fiber, which is necessary for intestinal function. Helps to eliminate harmful substances from the body, normalizes digestion.
  In addition to porridge, the famous
BEAUTY SALAD:: 2 tbsp oatmeal is poured with boiled water for the night, in the morning add grated apple, carrots, chopped nuts and raisins, season with yogurt, a spoon of honey and lemon juice.

- Millet porridge  (from millet), strengthens the heart, tissues, skin; gives extra strength to the body. It is rich in minerals, especially potassium and magnesium, so necessary for the work of the heart, and vitamin PP. Also in the composition of millet groats there are many useful trace elements: zinc, copper, manganese. It is not recommended to store millet for a long time because of the possibility of rancidity.

- Rice porrige good for breakfast: rich in starch, protein, trace elements. It contains a lot of carbohydrates and a little fiber. Brown (black) rice is especially useful. It is he who, according to the Japanese, has a positive effect on intelligence. The high protein content determines its use on fasting days. Rice can be used as a fixing agent for intestinal disorders. Rice also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
  To preserve the maximum of nutrients in rice, it is necessary to follow the following rules when cooking: pour rice with boiling water (2: 3), cover with a tight lid, cook for 12 minutes (3 minutes on high heat, 7 minutes on moderate, 2 minutes on weak), let it brew under a closed lid for another 12 minutes.

- Barley and barley groats  produced from barley. Pearl barley from whole barley grain, peeled from the shell. And if this grain is crushed, it will turn barley.
  Barley contains B vitamins, fiber, proteins and carbohydrates, but in small quantities. Therefore, it is not the most valuable product. But pearl barley contains lysine, an amino acid that fights viruses and germs. It will also help with constipation. Children do not recommend it.
  It has cooking features: barley must be pre-soaked for 10-12 hours; after boiling, you need to leave it in a water bath for another 5-6 hours.

- Corn porridge  perfectly cleanses the body of toxic compounds and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Corn grits contains vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, as well as carotene (provitamin A). It is able to some extent reduce fermentation in the intestines, and due to its high fiber content it can remove harmful substances from the body. It also contains essential amino acids - lysine and tryptophan.

Modern nutritional science has confirmed that cereal from cereal mix is \u200b\u200bhealthierthan from one, since each cereal has its own chemical composition, and the more cereals are used in the mixture, the higher the nutritional value of porridge.

Proportions of cereals and water in the preparation of porridge:

For cooking crumbly porridge  it is necessary to take 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of buckwheat; for 1 glass of millet - 1.75 glasses of water; for 1 glass of rice - 2.5 glasses of water.

For cooking viscous porridge  it is necessary to take 3 cups of water for 1 cup of buckwheat; for 1 cup of millet - 3.5 cups of water; 1 glass of rice - 4 glasses of water.

For cooking liquid porridge  it is necessary to take 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of millet; for 1 cup of rice - 5.5 cups of water. From buckwheat, liquid porridge is usually not boiled.

All cereals, except semolina, must be washed before cooking, and pearl barley and legumes must be soaked.

The most delicious porridge  it turns out when it is cooked in a clay pot in the oven, and even better - in a Russian stove. You can put a saucepan with freshly cooked porridge in a warm place, cover with a pillow for 30 minutes (or more), after adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter to the porridge.

  Proverbs and sayings    “Porridge is our nurse”
  “You can't feed a Russian peasant without porridge”
  “Without porridge, lunch is not at lunch”
  "Cabbage soup and porridge - our food"
  “Borsch without porridge widower, porridge without borsch - widow”
  “Russian porridge is our mother”
  “You won’t spoil the porridge with oil”
  “What kind of lunch, if there is no porridge”
  "Cabbage soup and porridge - our food"
  “A good porridge, but a small cup”
  “Porridge is our nurse”
  "In the home and porridge is thicker"
  “You won’t feed your family without porridge”
  "Brew porridge, so do not spare oil"
  "Our mother, buckwheat porridge: not a pair of peppers, will not burst the stomach"
  “Oatmeal boasted that it was born with cow butter”
  “Hope for someone else’s porridge, but you would have had your own in the oven”
  “People cook porridge, but there’s no cereal for soup at home.” "Porridge from the ax" Russian folk tale

The old soldier went on a visit. I got tired along the way, I want to eat. I reached the village, knocked on the extreme hut:
  - Let the road man relax! The door was opened by an old woman.
  - Come in, servant.
  - And do you, hostess, have a bite to eat? The old woman had plenty, and the soldier was stingy to feed, pretended to be an orphan.
  “Oh, good man, and she herself hasn’t eaten anything yet: nothing.”
  “Well, no, no,” the soldier says. Then he noticed an ax under the bench.
  - If there is nothing else, you can cook porridge from an ax.
  The hostess threw up her hands:
  - How to cook porridge from an ax?
  - And here's how, give the cauldron.
  The old woman brought the cauldron, the soldier washed the ax, lowered it into the cauldron, poured water and set it on fire.
  The old woman looks at the soldier; she does not take her eyes.
  He took out a spoon, stirs the brew. I tried it.
  - Well, how? - the old woman asks.
  “It will be ready soon,” the soldier replies, “it’s only a pity that there is nothing to salt.”
  - I have salt, salted.
  The soldier salt, tried again.
  - Good! If only a handful of cereals would come here! The old woman began to fuss, brought from somewhere a bag of cereal.
  - Take it, refuel as needed. Tucked the brew with grits. Cooked, cooked, stirred, tried. The old woman is looking at the soldier in all eyes, she cannot come off.
  - Oh, and porridge is good! - licked the soldier. - As if here, but a bit of oil - it would be used at all.
  Found in the old woman and oil.
  Arched porridge.
- Well, old woman, now serve bread and take on a spoon: let's eat porridge!
  “I didn’t think that you could cook such good porridge from an ax,” the old woman wonders.
  We ate porridge together. The old woman asks:
  - Serving! When will we eat the ax?
  “Yes, you see, he didn’t boil away,” the soldier answered, “somewhere on the road I’m cooking and eating breakfast!”
  Immediately he hid the ax in a satchel, said goodbye to the mistress and went to another village.
  So the soldier and the porridge ate and the ax carried away!

Mini Research - Compilation of Open Source Internet
  including - an old postcard " Not comparable sausage with Russian black porridge".
  Author Victoria Katamashvili.
  When using, an active link to the material is required.

Porridge was cooked from crushed whole and crushed grains of rye, wheat, barley, oats, millet (millet). In Russia until the XVIII century. they cultivated an ancient type of wheat - spelled, using it for cooking porridges.

Chronicles attest to the use of four cereals in Ancient Rus: wheat, barley, millet and rye. The first three date back to the Paleolithic era. Of course, they were also used for making cereals - the simplest cereal dishes. So, Theodosius Pechersky wrote: “Yes, you have boiled wheat and mixed with honey, having presented at the meal of the brethren.” And the Byzantine writer and politician Pseudo-Mauritius (VI century) reported that millet was once the main food of the ancient Slavs.

In the table of rich people already in the XVI century. rice began to appear - millet Saracen. In addition to this name, it is found in sources of the XVI – XVII centuries. the word "Bryncy" ("smoking under Brynza with saffron", "hearth pies with Brynce and brushwood" - "Serve books throughout the year to the table"). The word "brynets" comes from the Persian "burinj". Obviously, there were two names for rice, depending on where it came from.

For cooking cereals, not only cereals from whole and crushed cereals were used, but also flour from them. For a long time, hydrothermal treatment (according to modern terminology) of oats was also used. It was made from oatmeal, dishes from which are considered the most ancient Slavic foods. To obtain oatmeal, oats were steamed, dried and crushed. After such processing, the content of soluble digestible substances in the cereal increases and it can be eaten without additional heat treatment, diluted with water or milk. The oatmeal contains more sugar than oatmeal, it has a sweetish taste and is used to prepare sweet dishes (oatmeal with berries).

Green grain was made from unripe grain. Green porridge was cooked during the hunger periods, when stocks ran out in the house, and vegetables and rye had not yet ripened. Unripe rye grains were dried, ground and porridge was cooked from the obtained flour. Of course, green porridge appeared in peasant life due to lack of food, but, obviously, she fell in love with a delicate and peculiar taste, and then entered the arsenal of professional cooking dishes. Already V. Levshin  writes that such porridge was served with melted cow butter, and includes it in the list of ordinary Russian dishes. Green porridge was also prepared in rich houses, even in the 19th century. This is how it is described in E. Molokhovets:  “When the rye or wheat is poured, but has not yet ripened, squeeze the sheaves, lower the ears in boiling water for several minutes, then dry them in the oven, grind like every cereal, and boil in water or milk, putting salt and butter.”

Cereals were used for making cereals, soups, fillings for pies and pies, sausages with porridge, loaves, pancakes and other culinary products (groats, casseroles). Along with cereals from cereals, cereals were prepared from legumes (in general, and from pea flour). There was no clear distinction between cereals and flour: porridge was cooked both from cereals and from cereal flour.

Buckwheat appeared in Russia much earlier than in other countries, and cereals from it surprised foreigners who visited our country. Patriarch’s companion Makarii P. Aleppo, who traveled around Russia in the 17th century, left interesting notes about cereal crops in Muscovy: “The fifth sowing is Mazar (pea genus), it is boiled instead of lentils ... the seventh sowing is hrishka (buckwheat), the fruit is like a grain of millet but it’s white and soft and goes to the filling instead of rice, which they don’t like ”; “They have purple and white beans for the price of a pound of 3 kopecks.”; “Lentils and sheep peas can only be found in francs at a price higher than pepper.”

This passage requires clarification. Indeed, Russians did not know mash (golden beans, sheep peas), so popular in the East. As for lentils, there was a clear mistake. The fact is that lentils were widely used in Russia in the XIII – XIV centuries. The monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Feodosia Pechersky) used it widely, but the companions of Macarius obviously knew fine-grained lentils, and our dish-shaped (coarse-grained) was probably unusual for them.

Oriental guests, of course, knew well the "Tsarigrad horns" - beans with sweet juicy fruits. In Russia they were known and simply called "horns", but they were an exquisite delicacy. Therefore, the attention of the guests was attracted by the so-called “Russian beans” with large black (purple) and white fruits. Subsequently, in Russia they were pushed aside by beans, dishes from which taste like dishes from ancient beans, so they quickly entered our everyday life.

Porridge was cooked from crushed whole and crushed grains of rye, wheat, barley, oats, millet (millet). In Russia until the XVIII century. they cultivated an ancient type of wheat - spelled, using it for cooking porridges.

Chronicles attest to the use of four cereals in Ancient Rus: wheat, barley, millet and rye. The first three date back to the Paleolithic era. Of course, they were also used for making cereals - the simplest cereal dishes. So, Theodosius Pechersky wrote: "Yes, boiled wheat and mixed with honey, presenting the brethren at the table." And the Byzantine writer and politician Pseudo-Mauritius (VI century) reported that millet was once the main food of the ancient Slavs.

In the table of rich people already in the XVI century. rice began to appear - millet Saracen. In addition to this name, it is found in sources of the XVI-XVII centuries. the word “Bryncy” (“smoking under a Brynny with saffron”, “hearth pies with Brynce and with tails” - “Serve books throughout the year to the table of the living”). The word "brynin" comes from the Persian "burinj". Obviously, there were two names for rice, depending on where it came from.

For cooking cereals, not only cereals from whole and crushed cereals were used, but also flour from them. For a long time, hydrothermal treatment (according to modern terminology) of oats was also used. It was made from oatmeal, dishes from which are considered the most ancient Slavic foods. To obtain oatmeal, oats were steamed, dried and crushed. After such processing, the content of soluble digestible substances in the cereal increases and it can be eaten without additional heat treatment, diluted with water or milk. The oatmeal contains more sugar than oatmeal, it has a sweetish taste and is used to prepare sweet dishes (oatmeal with berries).

Green grain was made from unripe grain. Green porridge was cooked during the hunger periods, when stocks ran out in the house, and vegetables and rye had not yet ripened. Unripe rye grains were dried, ground and porridge was cooked from the obtained flour. Of course, green porridge appeared in peasant life due to lack of food, but, obviously, she fell in love with a delicate and peculiar taste, and then entered the arsenal of professional cooking dishes. Already V. Lvvgiin writes that such porridge was served with melted cow butter, and includes it in the list of ordinary Russian dishes. Green porridge was also prepared in rich houses, even in the 19th century.

Cereals were used for making cereals, soups, fillings for pies and pies, sausages with porridge, loaves, pancakes and other culinary products (groats, casseroles). Along with cereals from cereals, cereals were prepared from legumes (in general, and from pea flour). There was no clear distinction between cereals and flour: porridge was cooked both from cereals and from cereal flour.

Buckwheat appeared in Russia much earlier than in other countries, and cereals from it surprised foreigners who visited our country.

This passage requires clarification. Indeed, Russians did not know mash (golden beans, sheep peas), so popular in the East. As for lentils, there was a clear mistake. The fact is that lentils were widely used in Russia in the XIII-XIV centuries. The monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Feodosia Pechersky) used it widely, but the companions of Macarius obviously knew fine-grained lentils, and our dish-shaped (coarse-grained) was probably unusual for them.

Oriental guests, of course, knew well the "Tsarigrad horns" - beans with sweet juicy fruits. In Russia they were known and simply called "horns", but they were an exquisite delicacy. Therefore, the attention of the guests was attracted by the so-called "Russian beans" with large black (purple) and white fruits. Subsequently, in Russia they were pushed aside by beans, dishes from which taste like dishes from ancient beans, so they quickly entered our everyday life.

When a person does not have enough strength, they say about him: "Kashi ate little." Porridge is really an ideal source of energy. Especially in winter, especially during the Christmas Lent, when you need a lot of strength, and the usual meat delicacies are quick.

Many old recipes for cereals have long been forgotten. But it was they who laid the foundation for Russian cooking. And how many traditions our ancestors have associated with this wonderful dish! They ate porridge to come to terms with the enemy - only after that did the peace treaty enter into force. At the wedding, young people ate exclusively porridge at the festive table, and invited guests from one pot.

"Green porridge"

This is not only an ancient, but also an indigenous Russian national dish. It is based on whole rye grain that has reached the stage of wax ripeness. It was considered a seasonal summer food, accessible mainly to wealthy people: only ripened grain was used to make “green porridge”. Landowners could get ripened grain, since they had more land than ordinary peasants.

Cooking this dish is not so difficult, but there are tricks. Grain is thrown into boiling water, boiling until all the water has boiled away. Then they throw salt, butter, mixing everything thoroughly. And, covered with a lid, placed for 3 hours in a pre-heated Russian oven or oven.

Porridge simenuha

Surely you have never heard of such a mess, which was once considered traditional Russian food. But what a delicious dish!

How to cook it? You will need: 100 g of mushrooms, 300 g of buckwheat, 2 onions, 3-4 eggs, butter and salt.

Cook the buckwheat porridge separately. Fry the onion in oil, boil the eggs and mushrooms, then chop them. And then - just mix it all with porridge. And you will be pleasantly surprised by her taste.

Kutya or kolyvo

A number of traditions are associated with this dish. On funeral days in Russia, a funeral kutia was being prepared, which was also called “kolivo”. It was nothing but sweet porridge, which was based on rice or red wheat mixed with raisins. At the same time, sweetness was a symbol of heavenly bliss, and grains symbolized the resurrection of the deceased.

This porridge was also given for the christening of the baby, but in this case it was given a life-affirming value. And, of course, not a single Christmas was complete without kutya.

What was the difference between baptismal cereal? And by the fact that they cooked it in milk, and also put a lot of butter. Depending on whether the girl or boy was born, it was decided to bake chicken or rooster in the baptismal porridge.

Guryev porridge

The name of porridge came from the name of Count Guryev. There are 2 versions. According to one of them, the count was so impressed by the taste of porridge prepared by the cook Zakhar Kuzmin that he bought a serf man. Another version says that the count himself invented this mess in honor of the victory over Napoleon.

How to cook? Peel the walnuts, chop a part, and dip in sugar, frying in the oven. Put the cream in the oven over medium heat, watch until a rosy foam appears. Remove foam 5-6 times. Stir the remaining cream with sugar and semolina, and then cook until the porridge thickens.

Add raisins, chopped nuts, foams, sliced \u200b\u200binto strips, mixing thoroughly. Then put a layer of porridge in a dish, placing a foam on it (make up to 4 layers), and sprinkle sugar on top. Put in the oven until browning. Then lay marmalade or candied fruit, nuts fried with sugar, jam or canned fruit on top.

Whole porridge

They made such porridge from small cereals prepared from spelled. Spelled is a semi-wild variety of wheat that was cultivated in Russia in the 18th century. Spelled did not need special care, was completely unpretentious, she was not afraid of weeds or pests. The main feature of spelled porridge was that it had a pleasant nutty aroma, and it was incredibly useful. Spelled is also mentioned in Pushkin’s famous fairy tale “The Tale of the Priest and His Worker Balda”: the protagonist became incredibly strong after eating the porridge.

How to cook? You will need: a glass of spelled, half a glass of milk, water and yogurt, 100 g of butter. Spelled soaked for 6 hours (preferably at night) in a mixture of water and yogurt. Then washed in water, simmered in a mixture of milk with water (or just in milk) until tender. Then the porridge is wrapped for 30-40 minutes.

Barley porridge

This porridge was the favorite dish of Peter I. He called it "the most delicious and arguable." Also, this porridge is mentioned more than 20 times in the Bible. Barley porridge was served mainly on weekdays. Certainly prepared in a clay pot in the oven.

How to cook? You need to take: 50 g of butter, a liter of milk, 2 cups of barley groats, salt. Add salt to milk, bringing it to a boil. Then - grits, and cooks until the mass thickens. Do not forget to stir. Then the food should be transferred to the pots, bringing to readiness in a preheated oven. Before serving, porridge is poured with melted butter.

Oatmeal

This porridge is cooked the fastest. On this occasion, it is no coincidence that Dahl writes: "Knead it in your mouth." The fiber is obtained after preliminary processing of grain: steamed in water, dried and crushed in a mortar. Actually from this the name came. I must say that the oatmeal was not the only basis for oat: rye and pea oat were used for cereals.

How to cook? The simplest recipe is to simply boil oily water with added oil. There is another option: pour milk over milk, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and then let it boil for half a minute. Then you can add sugar, jam or salt to your taste - as you like.

The "bread promotion" is popularly called porridge. Once cooked an ancient culinary porridge and inadvertently poured more cereals than expected. In short, the mistake turned into a cake. People, having scolded the negligent cook as it should, nevertheless tried a new dish and, apparently, they liked it. Over time, the cakes began to bake from flour. So, according to a popular saying, bread came out of porridge.

From time immemorial, porridge has occupied the most important place in the nutrition of the people in Russia. It was cooked from millet (millet), oats, barley, buckwheat and other cereals on weekdays and holidays. It is interesting that porridge in Ancient Russia was called not only cereal dishes, but in general all dishes that are cooked from crushed products. So, in ancient sources bread cereals that were cooked from crackers, as well as a wide variety of fish cereals, are mentioned: herring, whitefish, salmon, sterlet, sturgeon, beluga. Apparently, this fish was finely chopped and possibly mixed with boiled cereals.

According to some information, on short days meat was added to such porridge. Porridge was also prepared from a mixture of different cereals. In the 18-19 centuries, cereals were boiled together with potatoes. Dressed with onion and vegetable oil, this dish is called kulesh. Pea, juice (in hemp oil), church, turnip and many other cereals were also prepared.

And in antiquity, and in the recent past, porridge was the main meal of both poor and rich people. Hence the Russian proverb: "porridge is our mother".

The great importance that porridge and other cereal dishes had in the nutrition of the Slavic peoples, including the Russian people, could not but affect their use as ritual dishes.

For example, in Ancient Russia “porridge” called a wedding feast. The Novgorod Chronicle of 1239, reporting on the marriage of Alexander Nevsky, says that the prince was married in the Trinity, that (there - the author) porridge was repaired, and in Novgorod another. ”

But what a story came out with the "porridge" of Prince Dmitry Donskoy. Having decided to marry the daughter of the Nizhny Novgorod prince, he, according to the custom existing at that time, had to go "for good" to the father of his bride. However, the Prince of Moscow considered it less than his dignity to celebrate his own wedding on the land of his future father-in-law and invited the latter to come to Moscow. But the Nizhny Novgorod prince would fall in his own eyes and in the eyes of his neighbors if he agreed to such an "insulting" offer.

And then they chose the middle ground. The porridge was not cooked in Moscow or Novgorod, but in the city of Kolomna, which lies almost in the middle of the road between the glorious cities.

In general, the organization of a wedding feast in those days, however, as today, was a rather troublesome affair, and it was not without reason that it generated the proverb “make porridge”.

Porridge was also cooked at the conclusion of a peace treaty between the warring parties. Then, in a sign of union and friendship, former opponents sat at the same table and ate this porridge. If the parties were unable to reach an agreement on peace, they said: "you won’t cook porridge with him." This expression has survived to our time, however, its meaning has changed somewhat. Today we often address this phrase to an inept person than an enemy.

How to cook porridge in Russia

The Christmas holidays, homeland, weddings, funerals and many other events in the life of the people could not do without porridge in Russia.

On Vasiliev Day, in many Russian provinces porridge was prepared in compliance with a certain ritual. It happened like this. Cooked porridge "before the light." The croup from the barn (at night) was brought by the oldest woman in the house, and the water from the river or the well was brought by the eldest of the men. They put water and cereals on the table and God forbid anyone touch them until the stove is heated.

But now the stove is overheated, the whole family sits down at the table and the older woman, stirring the groats, says: “They sowed, brought up buckwheat all summer; our buckwheat was both big and blush; they called and called for buckwheat in Constantinople with princes, with boyars, with honest oats, and golden barley; waiting for buckwheat, waiting at the stone gate; princes and boyars met buckwheat, planted buckwheat at an oak table to feast; buckwheat came to visit us. ” Probably, if porridge was cooked from another cereal, praise was also given to her. But buckwheat has always enjoyed special respect among the Russian people. It was no accident that she was called the princess.

After this lamentation, everyone rises from the table, and the hostess with bows puts a pot of porridge in the oven. Then the family sits down at the table again and waits for the porridge to boil.

Finally, the porridge is ready, and here comes the crucial moment. With the words: “We welcome you to our courtyard with our good”, a woman takes porridge out of the oven and first of all examines the pot in which she cooked. There is no greater misfortune for the family, if the porridge comes out of the pot or worse - the pot will be cracked. Open the gates for future troubles. But that is not all. If the porridge turned out to be red, well-boiled - to be a happy family in the new year, with a good harvest. The pale porridge color is a harbinger of alternative consequences.

In general, there were a great many ways of fortune telling on porridge. Moreover, most often the object of fortune-telling was the future harvest. For example, in Galitsky Russia ate dinner on Christmas Eve, they ate kutya. And such an unusual way of predicting the crop was common. The landlord, scooping up a full spoonful of porridge, threw it at the ceiling. The more grains stick to the ceiling, the richer the crop.

Kutia

Speaking of kutya. It was prepared from wheat, rice, barley and other cereals with raisins, honey, poppy seeds, etc. As a rule, kutia everywhere had a ritual memorial significance. But in Russia, as we noted above, it was also prepared for Christmas.

Here is what M.G. Rabinovich writes about kutya: “Kutya was mentioned for the first time at the beginning of the XII century, (in the annalistic source -“ Tales of Bygone Years ”- auth.).

Initially, it was prepared from wheat grains with honey, and in the XVI century - with poppy seeds. In the 19th century, rice and raisins were taken for kutya, as they are doing now. If the ancient kutya, apparently, of a rural origin, then later (entirely from imported products) - urban. The charter on the meals of the Tikhvin Monastery distinguishes between kutya and “wheat grain boiled with honey and raisins of chinen.” Apparently, at the end of the 16th century, raisins were just beginning to be added to kutya and for the sake of distinction they used the name kolyvo, which meant the same as kutya.

Porridge in rites in Russia

An integral part of wedding ceremonies in Russia was feeding young porridge. It was considered a symbol of sowing and fertility. Apparently for the same reason, women who took birth, cooked a special porridge for women in labor.

Everywhere in Russia, the custom of sprinkling the bride and groom with cereals and grain was also widespread. The young were sprinkled before leaving for the crown, when leaving the church, before entering the house. In some provinces, this was not limited to. Even the next day, when the young people left the bathhouse, they were met with rain from the grain.

The sense of sprinkling the young was twofold: that the bread was born good and the beauty (health) of the young was preserved. Therefore, the sentences that accompanied the sprinkling often repeat wishes for a good harvest and good health.

Usually they sprinkled young oats, barley, and wheat. True, different cereals and grains were used in different places. Sometimes the groom is sprinkled with hops, since hops are a symbol of the masculine principle.

Porridge was often the main treat at festivities to mark the end of the harvest, especially if it was not without the help of hired workers. When hiring a strada, the employee often, as an important condition, pronounced the obligatory porridge for lunch. Karelians were especially scrupulous in this regard, since they considered millet porridge a great treat.

In Kholmogorsky district millet porridge was an obligatory treat after christening.

The so-called "vowel" porridge was eaten on the day of Agrafena Swimmers (June 23) upon returning from the bathhouse or after bathing. This porridge was preparing with special ceremonies. Often, girls from different houses gathered to crush cereal for porridge, with each bringing its own cereal. Cooked on this day and "worldly porridge", which fed the poor.

Any collective work, be it reaping or building a house, could not do without artel porridge. Sometimes the artel itself was called porridge. “We are from the same mess,” said the artisans.

As you can see, porridge for Russian people in past times was much more important than today. But above all, she was appreciated as the main dish of the folk table. Porridge accompanied a person his whole life from birth to the last day.

Few other cuisines can offer as many varieties of cereals as Russian. They differ primarily in the types of cereals. The most common cereals for cereals in Russia have always been millet, barley, oats, buckwheat, rice, etc.

Each cereal, depending on the type of processing, was divided into types. So, they made kernel and buckwheat from buckwheat, pearl barley (large grains), Dutch (smaller grains) and barley (very small grains) from barley. By the way, they believe that barley porridge was the favorite dish of Peter I.

Millet porridge was cooked from millet, semolina from durum wheat cereal, and oat from whole crushed oats. Green porridge was widely distributed in some provinces. She was cooked from a young immature, half-filled rye.

From childhood, we all know the tale of A.S. Pushkin, in which the priest fed his worker Balda with a cooked spelled. What kind of spelling is this? Some believe that this is such a mess, others confidently attribute it to vegetables. In fact, a spike in Russia was called a spike plant, a cross between wheat and barley. From crushed cereals cooked porridge, stew. This food was considered rough, but nutritious, therefore it was intended mainly for the poorest segments of the population.

In general, porridge was cooked from unprocessed grains, crushed and finely ground cereals.