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

The chronicles attest to the use of four cereals in ancient Russia: wheat, barley, millet and rye. The first three date back to the Paleolithic era. Of course, they were also used for cooking cereals - the simplest cereal dishes.
... So, Theodosius Pechersky wrote: "Yes, I Cooked Wheat and Mixed it with Honey, Presenting the Brotherhood at the Meal." 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 16th century. rice began to appear - Saracen millet. In addition to this name, it is found in the sources of the XVI - Xvii centuries. The word "Bryntsy" ("smoking under brynets with saffron", "hearth pies with brynts and needles - rosty" - "books should be served on the table all year round." two names for rice depending on where it comes from.

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

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

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

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

This passage requires clarification. Indeed, mung bean (golden beans, sheep peas), so popular in the East, the Russians did not know. As for the lentils, there was a clear mistake. The fact is that lentils were widely used in Russia as early as the Xiii - XIV centuries. It was widely used by the monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (Feodosii Pechersky), but Macarius's companions, obviously, knew fine-grained lentils, and our disc-shaped (coarse-grained) was probably unusual for them.

Oriental guests, of course, well knew "Tsargradskie Horns" - beans with sweet juicy fruits. In Russia they were known and called simply "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 similar to dishes from ancient beans, so they quickly entered our life.

Why cereals are useful for the body.

Bags and bruises under the eyes, an unhealthy complexion, extra pounds, dull hair, a rash on the face, constant fatigue and drowsiness ... these symptoms mean that our body is filled with various unnecessary substances. Traditional medicine in ancient times discovered a way to solve the problem. Ordinary cereals will help us get rid of toxic substances.

Groats are originally fiber, and with a high content of various organic substances necessary for the human body for normal life. Pesticides, heavy metals and other substances bad for our body attract organic matter. Therefore, cereals are especially useful for those who work for a long time in harmful conditions, for the elderly, and are also indispensable in the diet of expectant mothers.

To one degree or another, any kind of porridge is useful to the body. Except for rare medical contraindications. Each type of porridge affects our body in different ways. The effect of this or that porridge on our body depends on the composition of the acids contained in the porridge. As well as their ability to bind and remove harmful substances.

The benefits of buckwheat porridge cannot be overestimated. Buckwheat improves digestion well because it contains pectins. It is very useful for the pancreas and liver, as it contains a lot of iron. Buckwheat porridge is quickly digested and low in calories, therefore it is optimal for dinner. It is best not to cook buckwheat, but to steam it. To do this, pour boiling water over the cereal, wrap it up and put it in a warm place. With this method of cooking, the porridge will be crumbly and will provide great usefulness of buckwheat in cleansing the body of heavy metals.

The most useful type of rice is considered to be brown, wild, long Central Asian rice. It is especially recommended for people whose work is associated with the risk of lead or arsenic poisoning to eat rice porridge. By the way, the rice diet is very effective for weight loss. Before cooking rice, rinse the cereals thoroughly under running water, as the water rinses out the starch and speeds up the cooking process.

Oatmeal is the absolute champion in terms of usefulness for the female body. It reduces the risk of cancer, helps the gastrointestinal tract, prevents stomach ulcers and gastritis. Oatmeal with vegetable proteins and fats is useful. It contains: magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamins 1, 2, E, PP. Such a wealth of nutrients increases the body's defenses, helps to overcome depression. Oatmeal helps to strengthen bones and maintain normal blood pressure, which is especially important for the elderly. This porridge is recommended for patients with a tendency to dermatitis; this porridge has a very beneficial effect on the skin condition.

Millet porridge gives the body additional strength and energy. It contains elements that are able to strengthen tissues. For example, copper, which gives tissues additional elasticity, silicon, which helps the formation of bones and teeth. For a healthy complexion and normal blood circulation, millet supplies the body with iron. It also contains fluoride, which is responsible for dental health, magnesium, which is necessary for workaholics, and manganese, which contributes to normal metabolism.

Semolina contains the least vitamins. It is recommended for people with a diseased intestine or stomach, since it is digested quite easily due to the lack of fiber in it. Semolina itself is made from peeled wheat grains. The shell contains most of all vitamins, so semolina is not very rich in them. But the remaining vitamins are perfectly preserved after cooking, since they do not have time to break down due to quick cooking.

Pearl barley porridge is almost twice as high as other cereals in terms of phosphorus content. Phosphorus contributes to an increase in the speed and power of muscle contractions, therefore it is extremely necessary for athletes and people engaged in physical labor. Therefore, when visiting a fitness club, be sure to include it in your diet. Barley porridge is essential for normal brain function and balanced metabolism. It takes a long time to cook barley porridge, up to one and a half hours. Attention! Only if you soak it for 2-3 hours, then the cooking time can be somewhat reduced. Barley should be eaten immediately after cooking, since after cooling it becomes tough and tasteless.

An excellent solution for cleansing the body of toxic compounds of fluorine and chlorine is corn porridge. This porridge contains vitamins of groups a, b, E, PP, silicon and iron. Corn porridge is also a low-allergenic food product. It is recommended for intestinal and cardiovascular diseases. Corn porridge helps to get rid of organic mercury, which is present in the substance that is used to process the grain.

There are no hard restrictions on porridge-based diets. Any porridge goes well with mushrooms, nuts, sauerkraut, olives, eggplants. It goes well with soft and sheep's cheese, feta cheese, milk. Products such as dried apricots, raisins, dried fruits, apples, honey perfectly complement any porridge. As you can see, the benefits of cereals for the body are obvious. Therefore, you should not abandon them just because you are on a diet, or you do not like their taste, or it has become out of fashion to eat porridge.

Blush in Ancient Egypt was made from ocher - a mineral consisting of iron oxide hydrate mixed with clay. The mineral was available and literally lay underfoot. Ocher was used as a dye for fabrics, cosmetics, and insect control. To obtain a product of the desired consistency, fats and wax were added to the crushed ocher. Simple bright spots on the apples of the cheeks made Egyptian women fresh and hid their age.

From Egypt, the fashion for ruddy cheeks passed to Greece. Ancient Greek women made do with affordable natural cosmetics. Here, the blush was obtained using the paederia plant and seaweed. In ancient Rome, they also began to brown, although here makeup was condemned by society.

Since ancient times, a variety of cereals have occupied an honorable and important place in the daily diet of the Russian people. They, in fact, were the main and main dish on the table, not a single holiday or feast could do without them, they ate them, pouring milk or honey, added vegetable and cow butter, fat, kvass, fried onions and other ingredients. One of the most popular cereals in Russia was buckwheat porridge, which in the 17th century was already rightfully considered the national dish of the Russian people, although it appeared in the vastness of our Motherland not so long ago. Brought to us from distant Asia, this culture quickly fell in love with our people, who even called it "mother". And this love is not surprising and understandable, because buckwheat was inexpensive, it was grown everywhere, buckwheat porridge is wonderful in taste and nutritional qualities, having eaten a bowl of such porridge for breakfast, you can feel full for a very long time. The people considered buckwheat not only tasty food, but also very useful for health, it was used in case of a breakdown and, even, with symptoms of a cold.

The history of the origin of buckwheat

Many will find it surprising that buckwheat, from which such an ordinary and traditional side dish for the Russian people as buckwheat porridge is cooked, did not grow on the territory of Russia initially and was brought there from Byzantium.

Some researchers argue that buckwheat as a grain crop appeared about 4000 thousand years ago in the Himalayas (where dishes from it are still called "black porridge"), other historians believe that this type of grain crop appeared in Altai (it was there that archaeologists fossilized remains of buckwheat grains were found in burial places and at the sites of ancient tribes), from there it spread throughout Siberia and the Urals. In those days, it grew as a wild herb with small white inflorescences. People tried its seeds, which looked like small pyramids, and realized that they were edible, began to make flour from them for making tortillas, and also cook delicious and nutritious buckwheat porridge from them. Neighboring countries amicably borrowed this useful culture and began to grow and eat it everywhere, as, for example, did the Bulgarian peoples who lived on the Volga, who later passed on the baton to the Slavic tribes. There are also theories about Ancient Greece as the homeland of buckwheat.

How a foreign woman became a native

According to various historians, buckwheat in Russia began to be grown around the 7th century; it got its name during the times of Kievan Rus, when Greek monks from local monasteries were mainly engaged in breeding it. The Slavs really liked the hearty and tasty porridge made from buckwheat grains, which was previously called buckwheat, buckwheat, Greek wheat, buckwheat, as well as "Tatar" by the name of a type of Tatar buckwheat with greenish inflorescences. On this occasion, there is an old legend about the tsar's daughter Krupenichka, who was overrun by the Tatars and forced to marry the khan. The children born to them were so small and fractional that over time they turned into small dark grains. A wanderer passing by took them to her native Russian lands and planted them there, so, according to legend, buckwheat began to grow in holy Russia.

Buckwheat came to Europeans much later, in the Middle Ages, at a time when there were wars with the Arabs, who were called Saracens. Hence the French name for buckwheat - Saracen grain, which, by the way, did not receive much popularity there either in those days or today.

As history testifies, buckwheat of Himalayan origin turned out to be a rather capricious and fastidious grain crop, very troublesome in cultivation, which, however, did not stop stubborn Russian farmers, who achieved good buckwheat harvests on fertile and fertile Russian lands.

How buckwheat porridge was cooked in Russia

The largest connoisseur of Russian cookery, historian William Pokhlebkin, in his writings, said that when preparing crumbly buckwheat porridge, the Slavs used kernel - cereals made from whole buckwheat grains, for sweet and semi-sweet porridge they took Smolensk cereals (crushed peeled kernels). In order to cook a viscous buckwheat porridge, popularly called porridge-smear, they used the so-called prodil, chopped grains of large and small size. Porridge was prepared in water, milk, with the addition of additional ingredients (mushrooms, vegetables, meat, poultry, fried onions and boiled eggs), served as a main food or as a side dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is almost impossible to spoil buckwheat porridge, in order for it to turn out tasty and healthy, some rules must be observed when preparing buckwheat porridge:

1. The proportion of buckwheat to liquid is 1: 2;
2. The lid of the pan must be tightly closed when cooking;
3. After boiling, the porridge is cooked over low heat and let it brew;
4. Until fully cooked, the porridge is not interfered with and the lid is not opened.

Buckwheat porridge was cooked and languished in a Russian oven in an earthen pot, served with butter or milk both on holidays and in everyday life, and by the 17th century it had become a national dish of the Russian people, which we still cook and respect, like our distant ones. ancestors.

So they speak affectionately about buckwheat in Russia. Indeed, buckwheat is an indispensable product in the diet of every Russian. We cannot imagine our table without aromatic and tasty buckwheat porridge. In addition, it is convenient on the farm: buckwheat is stored much better and longer than other cereals.

Nutritionists highly value buckwheat: its low calorie content and rich composition makes it an excellent healthy food dish. And pediatricians recommend starting feeding infants with buckwheat porridge, since it is very satisfying and nutritious. In general, buckwheat porridge is good for children, adults and the elderly!

We have long considered buckwheat "ours", although its real homeland is North India. There this culture was cultivated 5 thousand years ago and was called "black rice". Buckwheat came to Europe thanks to Turkish and Arab traders. And the Byzantine Greeks brought it to Russia, so our ancestors called the cereal - buckwheat.

Let's take a closer look at the unique composition of this product!

So, buckwheat contains:

Dietary fibers, which stimulate intestinal motility, "cleanse" the body of toxins, remove "bad cholesterol", have a beneficial effect on the state of normal microflora and are a preventive measure for colon cancer;

B vitamins (including folic and niacin), as well as vitamin E, carotenoids (provitamins A) and phospholipids, which are responsible for the growth and proper development of the body, maintain a normal metabolism, help maintain beauty and youth (by the way, buckwheat surpasses other cereals in the content of these biologically active compounds);

Rutin (from the group of vitamins P), which strengthens blood vessels, thins thick blood, promotes the absorption of vitamin C, calcium, iron, has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland and immunity;

Inositol is a vitamin-like substance that helps to normalize blood glucose levels and reduces the risk of diabetes;

Iron, magnesium, calcium, fluorine, zinc, manganese, copper, chromium, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and other elements that ensure the full synthesis and work of all hormonal and enzyme systems of the body;

Organic acids (maleic, citric, oxalic), which promote good digestion and the formation of energy in cells;

Proteins, more precisely a set of amino acids, which is considered unique in terms of assimilation by the human body (such amino acids as lysine and methionine are especially important, which ensure the normal functioning of the liver and nervous system, and the amino acid tryptophan is involved in the construction of new cells and prevents the development of oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract) ;

Complex carbohydrates, which have a low glycemic index and therefore are absorbed by the body for a long time (thanks to this, a person after eating buckwheat feels full for several hours);

The calorie content of buckwheat is just over 300 kilocalories per 100 grams of product. And the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is almost ideal to ensure adequate nutrition: proteins - 12.6 g (~ 50 kcal); fats - 3.3 g (~ 30 kcal); carbohydrates - 57.1 g (~ 228 kcal).

It is useful to include buckwheat porridge in the diet for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, as well as diabetes, hemorrhoids, anemia (anemia) and cardiovascular diseases.

Since buckwheat has anti-toxic properties, it is useful for people working in hazardous industries or living in adverse environmental conditions.

Buckwheat porridge is an ideal product for obese people and those who control their weight. Fasting days on buckwheat are well tolerated and quite effective.

Before cooking, buckwheat can be fried, then it will become much more aromatic. To preserve more nutrients, you can pour boiling water over the cereal in the evening, leave it to brew overnight. In the morning, do not cook, but just eat - with yogurt or dried fruits. To diversify your diet, buckwheat can be used with mushrooms, vegetables, liver, different types of meat, cheese.

And, finally, one more wonderful quality that indirectly affects our health: buckwheat is an excellent honey plant. The flowers of this plant emit a lot of nectar, which then produces honey of a beautiful red-brown color with a spicy aroma and a characteristic pleasant taste. Buckwheat honey is unique in that it contains much more proteins and minerals than light varieties. It is recommended for anemia, hypertension, chronic gastritis, hypovitaminosis, decreased immunity, as well as for recuperation after serious illnesses and injuries.

Let buckwheat porridge be the most desirable dish on your family table!

Bon appetit and be healthy!
Tatiana Arkadyevna Selezneva, nutritionist

From what they drank in Russia. "Distant relatives" of modern wine glasses and glasses ... from what did they drink in Russia?

"Distant relatives" of modern wine glasses and glasses ... from what did they drink in Russia?

Drinks have always been of great importance in the history of the Russian people. As reported in the chronicle sources, many worldly affairs in Russia certainly began with an honest feast. Our ancestors knew a huge number of different drinks, egg and honey, which they brought from their Aryan homeland. Throughout history, a whole culture of drinking has been developed in Russia.
Brother.

You will also be wondering: Which plant has the smallest seeds?

Bratina is a drinking vessel, usually metal, in the form of a pot. In ancient Russia, they were used mainly as cups for drinking honey, beer and kvass at communal feasts. In addition to the fact that the brothers were a necessary accessory of the banquet table, they could also be used as memorial bowls. It is possible that the origin of the word "brother" itself refers to the times when blood relatives-brothers converged on a solemn feast. Bratina is the most important attribute characterizing the Russian person.
Endova

Endova was a round deep bowl for serving drinks to the festive table. In the upper part of the valley, a hole was made with an inserted groove - a spout, which was called a "stigma". Some valleys had a short handle, with which it was possible to hold a vessel with a drink.
The endovas were of various sizes, from those containing a bucket to very small ones.
Buckets

Ladles are wooden, boat-shaped, metal vessels in which drinks were served on the table. From small ladles they drank like from a glass, from those that are larger - they poured the intoxicated drink into other vessels with ladles. It is known that ladles were hollowed out from a whole piece of wood, its root or burl. In this case, they used first an ax, and only then a chisel and a knife. There were also birch bark ladles in Russia, which were sewn from birch bark. Metal buckets were made from copper, iron, tin, and silver.
Brackets
Brackets are boat-shaped, round or oval, large vessels with two handles, in which all kinds of drinks were displayed on the festive table. The staple bucket was usually made of wood: birch, alder, aspen, linden or maple. The very name of this vessel ("staple" or "kopkar") comes from the material or the method of its processing (dig-dig, dug, dug out)
Bowls and cups

These are wooden, earthenware, less often metal dishes, which served both for drinking and for eating. Wooden bowls were a hemispherical vessel with straight edges, on a small pallet, always without a lid. The bowl was indispensable in ancient rituals, especially in ceremonies associated with the birth of a child, weddings or funeral wires. At the end of the festive dinner, it was customary to drink a cup to the bottom to the health of the owner and hostess: one who did not do this could be considered an enemy.

With the arrival of the Spaniards on the territory of America and the beginning of the Inquisition, the clergy declared amaranth a "devil's potion". The Spaniards called amaranth "the devil's plant". The Spaniards disliked the “mystical Aztec seed” for its direct “involvement” in bloody rituals - after all, amaranth was a ritual culture. And the Catholic Church fully supported the Spanish conquistadors "in the fight" against amaranth.

Fighting the pagans, the Spanish conquistadors literally burned the crops of amaranth (the Aztecs called amaranth "Huatli"). The seeds of this plant were destroyed. If the Aztecs secretly cultivated amaranth, they were brutally executed "for disobedience." As a result of this "struggle", amaranth, unfortunately, was almost completely eradicated from the territory of Central America. For several centuries, amaranth was a plant banned on pain of death in Europe.

European civilization, considering itself more intellectually highly developed, trampled and oppressed the unfamiliar and alien culture of the Native Americans. But even the fear of the colonialists could not make the ancient Indian tribes refuse to grow amaranth. Especially successful in this are the tribes inhabiting mountain, inaccessible villages. Only thanks to these brave tribes, amaranth was saved.

Such "devotion" to amaranth was explained by far not only the traditional shamanic rituals in which this plant was actively used. The fact is that the Aztecs baked bread from amaranth. For them, after corn, this plant was the mainstay of their plant-based diet. Knowing about the nutritional and medicinal properties of amaranth, they deservedly put amaranth above any other edible herbs and roots.

The corn (maize) bread was not very tasty. Although they satisfied human hunger, they caused stomach pain and intestinal inflammation. When adding amaranth bread to the dough, the peasants effectively solved the above problem. Therefore, it is clear that Mexico, the countries of South and Central America, the United States cultivated and actively cultivated amaranth on vast areas.

Today, thanks to the efforts of the United Nations Food Commission and, in particular, the American scientist David Lenman, amaranth has been recognized as a culture of the twenty-first century for its amazing medicinal and nutritional properties. David Lenman believes that with the help of amaranth it will be possible to solve the food problem on a global scale in the future.

Already in the middle of the 9th century, that black, rye, spongy and perfumed bread with leavened leaven appeared, without which the Russian menu is unthinkable.
After him, other types of national bread and flour products were created: dezhni, loaves, juices, pancakes, pies, pancakes, bagels, sausages, donuts. The last three categories are almost a century later, after the appearance of wheat flour


The adherence to kvass and sour was also reflected in the creation of kvass proper, the range of which reached two or three dozen species, very different from each other in taste, as well as in the invention of the original Russian jelly oat, rye, wheat, which appeared almost 900 years earlier than modern berry starch jelly.
At the very beginning of the Old Russian period, all the main drinks, in addition to kvass, were formed: all kinds of digestions (sbitni), which were a combination of decoctions of various forest herbs with honey and spices, as well as honey and honey, that is, natural honey fermented with berry juice or simply diluted juices and water to various consistencies.
Although porridges were unleavened according to the principles of their production, they were sometimes acidified with sour milk. They also differed in diversity, subdividing by the types of grain (spelled, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat, millet, wheat), by the types of grain crushing or rolling (for example, barley gave three cereals: barley, Dutch, pearl barley; four buckwheat: kernel , Veligorka, Smolensk, I went through; wheat is also three: whole, cork, semolina, etc.), and, finally, by the type of consistency, because porridges were divided into friable, smears and gruel (completely thin)

All this made it possible to vary from 6-7 types of grain and three types of legumes (peas, beans, lentils) several dozen different cereals. In addition, various flour products were made from the flour of these cultures. All this bread, mainly flour food, diversified mainly with fish, mushrooms, forest berries, vegetables, and less often milk and meat.
Already in the early Middle Ages, there was a clear, or rather, a sharp division of the Russian table into a lean (vegetable fish mushroom) and a milky (egg milk meat). At the same time, the lean table did not include all vegetable products.
So, it excluded beets, carrots and sugar, which were also ranked among the mildest food. Drawing a sharp line between a fast and lean table, fencing off products of various origins from each other with an impenetrable wall and strictly preventing their mixing, naturally led to the creation of original dishes, for example, various types of fish soup, pancakes, kundyums (mushroom dumplings).


The fact that most days of the year from 192 to 216 in different years were lean, caused a completely natural desire for a variety of lean meals. Hence, the abundance of mushroom and fish dishes in the Russian national cuisine, the tendency to use various plant materials from grain (cereals) to forest berries and herbs (snow, nettle, sorrel, quinoa, angelica, etc.).
At first, attempts to diversify the lean table were expressed in the fact that each type of vegetables, mushrooms or fish was prepared separately. So, cabbage, turnips, radishes, peas, cucumbers (vegetables known since the X century) were prepared and eaten raw, salted (pickled), steamed, boiled or baked separately from one another.
Salads and especially vinaigrette were not typical of Russian cuisine at that time and appeared in Russia only in the middle of the 19th century. But they were originally made mainly with one vegetable, which is why they were called cucumber salad, beet salad, potato salad, etc.

Mushroom dishes underwent an even greater differentiation. Each type of mushrooms, milk mushrooms, mushrooms, honey agarics, cepes, morels and peppers (champignons), etc. were not only salted, but also cooked completely separately. The same was the case with fish consumed in boiled, dried, salted, baked and, less often, fried.


Sigovina, taimenina, pike, halibut, catfish, salmon, sturgeon, sevryuzhina, beluzhina and others were considered each separately a special, different dish, and not just fish. Therefore, the ear could be perch, ruff, burbot or sterlet.


The flavor diversity of such homogeneous dishes was achieved in two ways: on the one hand, the difference in heat and cold processing, as well as through the use of various oils, mainly vegetable hemp, nut, poppy, wood (olive) and much later sunflower, and on the other the use of spices ...
Of the latter, onions and garlic were used more often, and in very large quantities, as well as parsley, mustard, anise, coriander, bay leaves, black pepper and cloves, which appeared in Russia since the 11th century. Later, in the 11th and early 12th century, they were supplemented with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, calamus (ore root) and saffron.


In the ancient period of Russian cuisine, liquid hot dishes also appeared, which received the general name Khlyobovak. Particularly widespread are such types of bread as cabbage soup, stews based on vegetable raw materials, as well as various pasties, vernaculars, talkers, straws and other varieties of flour soups, which differed from each other only in consistency and consisted of three elements of water, flour and fat. , to which sometimes (but not always) was added, onions, garlic or parsley.


They also made sour cream and cottage cheese (in the terminology of that time, cheese). The production of cream and butter remained unknown until the XIV century, and in the XIV-XV centuries these products were rarely prepared and were at first of poor quality. Oil, due to imperfect methods of churning, cleaning and storage, quickly sags.

The national sweet table consisted of berry-flour and berry-honey or honey-flour products. These are gingerbread and different types of unbaked, raw, but folded in a special way dough (Kaluga dough, malt, kulagi), in which a delicate taste effect was achieved by long, patient and laborious processing.

Many experts engaged in the study of everyday life in Old Russia, its peculiarities and culinary dishes, oppose the forcible introduction of the custom of tea drinking into the Russian national cuisine, instead of hearty and tasty food. Because it is unlikely that a simple tea party can replace a hearty lunch. Because the Russian people, by virtue of their customs, the Orthodox faith, constantly have to fast. And regular "tea-drinking" is unlikely to bring much benefit to the body.

In addition, there is an opinion that in order for food to bring as much benefit to the body as possible, a person needs to eat what grows in the climatic zone of his residence. It will also not be superfluous to add how the reforms of Peter the Great influenced the primordially Russian cuisine. Because Russian cuisine gained not so much after that, but lost after many borrowings from Western European cuisine.

But, of course, this issue is controversial, so here you can cite the stories of some well-known specialists in the field of Russian culture. After a digression into history, many readers will remain unconvinced, but in general they will be enriched with data on the lost values \u200b\u200bof our people, especially in the field of nutrition, especially since cooking is a drainage science.

For example, the writer Chivilikhin writes in his notes that in ancient times the Vyatichi, Drevlyans, Radimichi, Northerners and other Pra-Russian peoples ate almost the same food as we do now - meat, poultry and fish, vegetables, fruits and berries, eggs , cottage cheese and porridge. Then oil was added to this food, seasoned with anise, dill, vinegar. Bread was used in the form of rugs, rolls, loaves, pies. At that time they did not know tea and vodka, but they brewed intoxicated honey, beer and kvass.

Of course, the writer Chivilikhin is right about something. They drank honey, and flowed down the mustache. But at the same time, one should not forget that in our country the Christian Orthodox Church calls for keeping, if not strict, then semi-strict fasting almost all year round. And not all products from the above list could be eaten.
If we talk about the primordially Russian cuisine, then the first mentions of it date back to the 11th century. Later records can be found in various chronicles and lives. And it is here that a complete picture of what was included in the daily diet of a simple Russian peasant is given. And since the 15th century, you can already talk about Russian cuisine, with well-established traditions and original dishes.

Let us recall such well-known sayings as: "Eat half-assed, but drink half-drunk - you will live a full century" or "Shti and porridge is our food ...".

That is, even church dogmas did not in the least harm either the conscience or the Russian stomach. Therefore, it must be said that from ancient times Russia was grain, fish, mushroom, berry ...

From generation to generation, our people ate porridge and grain dishes. "Porridge is our mother, and rye bread is a dear father!" Grain was the basis of Russian cuisine. In each family, a large amount of rye, unleavened and sour dough was put. Carols were made from it, juiced, kneaded with noodles, bread. And when wheat flour appeared in the 10th century, there was just expanse - rolls, pancakes, pies, loaves, pancakes ...

In addition, various rye, oat and wheat jelly were cooked from grain crops. Who today can boast of knowing the recipe for oatmeal jelly?
A good help to the table were various vegetables from the garden, for example, turnips. It was eaten in any form - even raw, even steamed, even baked. The same can be said for peas. Carrots were not yet grown, but radish was widely used, especially black. Cabbage was consumed both fresh and sauerkraut.

Initially, the brew or bread was always fish. It was later that such dishes as spreads, talkers, cabbage soup and botvinia appeared. And in the 19th century, there was already such a thing as soup. But even without that, there was something to choose from at the table from food. In general, a good eater was appreciated in Russia, because as a person eats, such is he at work.

To roughly imagine what we are talking about, we read Domostroy: “... at home and flour and all sorts of pies, and all sorts of pancakes, and sotsni, and pipes, and all sorts of cereals and pea noodles, and gypsy peas, and zobonets, and Kundumtsy, and and juice food: pies with pancakes and mushrooms, and mushrooms, and mushrooms, and with poppy seeds, and with porridge, and with turnips, and with cabbage, and with what God sent; or nuts in juice, and korowai ... ". In addition, lingonberry water and cherries in molasses, raspberry juice and other sweets were always on the table. Apples, pears, brewed kvass and molasses, cooked marshmallow and levashniki. We ought to have at least one eye to look at such a meal, to try it at least once!

The main secret of our cuisine was the Russian oven. It was in it that all cooked dishes acquired a unique taste and aroma. The thick-walled cast iron pots also contributed to this. After all, what is cooking in a Russian oven? This is not cooking or frying, but the gradual languor of brew or bread. When the dishes are heated evenly from all sides. And this, first of all, contributed to the preservation of all taste, nutritional and aromatic properties.

And the bread in the Russian oven was distinguished by a crispy crust and even baking, a good rise of the dough. Is it possible to compare bread baked in a Russian oven with what we find on the shelves of our stores? After all, it can hardly be called Bread!

In general, the Russian stove was a kind of symbol of our country. On it, children were conceived, and given birth, and slept, and also were treated. They ate on the stove and died on it. The whole life of a Russian person, the whole meaning revolved around the Russian stove.
Well, in the end, let's face it: the common man did not eat luxuriously in Russia, they never ate their fill in the village. But this is not because the traditional Russian cuisine was scarce, but because how hard life was for the peasant in Russia. Big family, many mouths - how to feed everyone? Therefore, they did not eat poorly out of greed, but because of poverty. The farmer had nothing, he saved on everything, he saved an extra penny.

However, all the same, we can safely say that there is nothing better than real Russian food - simple, but hearty, tasty and nutritious.

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