Visiting Russia you are sure to try lots of traditional Russian dishes. Cooking in Russia was influenced by many factors, of which nature is one. An abundance of game, mushrooms, berries, nuts and wild honey in the vast forests of Russia made all these an important part of the Russian diet. Plenty of fish in rivers and lakes lent variety to traditional Russian cooking with its numerous fish recipes of course you won't miss your chance to try real Russian caviar with pancakes and vodka. That's not just a treat, that's a real party where you learn Russian eating habits.

Rye, wheat, barley, oats and millet have been grown and made into flour for as long as time itself in Russia. That is why, sweet and savoury pies and pancakes galore are prominent on any Russian table. You will see that yourself when you visit a Russian tea party, with such a great variety of pirozki, kulebyaki and piroznyie with cabbage, potatoe, meat, apple, jam and other fillings will definitely be a surprise for you.

For the first time tea appeared in Russia during the reign of Michail Fiodorovitch. It was sent among other gifts by the Mongolian Khan. In the second half of the 17th century tea was used by nobility's as a kind of a cure all. Later it became the national Russian beverage.

Vegetables, like cabbage and potatoes are favorites in Russian cuisine. They can be used as an appetizer, a garnish and a dominant ingredients for lots and lots of traditional soups and salads.

Since the old days Russians have bred cattle, therefore various meats are quite typical of national cuisine especially cattle and poultry. Cattle breeding, as it has developed has enhanced the use of diary products, characteristically tvorog (cottage cheese), cream and smetana (sour cream).

Traditional Russian Cuisine is rich, original and always open to new ideas, and our cooks are always ready to share their knowledge and skills with those interested in Russian cooking. So you will be able to get some resipes and to cook Russian dishes at home.

BLINCHIKI Russians for ages baked different types of pancakes (or bliny & blinchiki). They could be of different types with various filling and stuffing. To make blinchiki one should take dough without yeast. The Ingredients are: eggs, sugar, salt, all that mixed with cold milk and then baked in a fryingpan. Bliny is tied up with the great Russian national holiday - Masleniza (Pancake week). This holiday is devoted to the ending of winter. A lot of pancakes are baked on this holiday, people sing songs devoted to the ending of winter and meeting the spring with roundelays.

SPICY AUBERGINE APPETIZERS ("SINENKIE") Finished egg-plants are fried from two sides then cooled and sprinkled with salad dressing and garlic. When served at the table add mayonnaise and greens.

RUSSIAN BORSCH Its the main first coarse of Russian cookery tradition. Borsch is made of clear soup. The ingredients are: fresh cabbage, potato, boiled beet, sliced onion and aromatic herbs. Borsch should be boiled when reaching the end salt and spices are added. Served usually with greens and sour cream.

SPICY BRISKET OF PORK To make brisket one should take a piece of pork. The specialy beated meat should be filled with mushrooms, cheese and ham. Then formed as a cutlet, breaded and fried from both sides. Served with greens and different garnish.

BAKED APPLES WITH CREAM The pips of the apple should be removed and baked with honey. Served with sweet sauce and cream.

RUSSIAN VODKA TASTING IN BAR

Russian people drink vodka not because of demand or grief, but because in ancient pursuit of the wondrous and supernatural. Vodka is a white magic.

The words of this author explains why vodka became an essential part of Russian character as samovar, matreshka or caviar. In Russia there were no hard drinks and our ancestors drank home-brewed drinks which didn't undergo the process of distillation. The Russian czar Peter the Great brought back from Europe the culture of tasting of hard drinks and the idea of Russian vodka. Then in Russia the first distilleries appeared: shkalik, quarter, shtoff, pail. This drink got accustomed in cold Russia: it warmed and treated. This firewater came into the Russian way of life.

The Russian chemist Medeleev D.I. deduced the formula of this hard drink known today as Russian vodka. Nowadays there are more than 1000 vodka brands and tinctures. Every region distill there own brands according to their formulas. Any vodka brand can be characterized by being a hard drink with 36-42% of body (the classical Russian vodka is 40%).

Vodka is produced out of ethyl spirit, many times distilled. Extra pure drinking water gives to the drink a special clarity and freshness. If a tincture, a flavor should be specified: pepper, lemon, mint, rowan, guelder rose, herbs, etc.

Vodka drinking is a special Russian ritual. A reason should be found for making a holiday for yourself: date of birth, name-day, marriage, birth of a child, graduation, bestowment, winning, meeting with friends and anything else possible. In order to enjoy the process of drinking, one should be prepared carefully: various appetizers ("zakuska") should be served on the table.

"Zakuska" - is a purely a Russian word that could not be exactly translated into foreign language. Zakuskas are - pickled cucumbers, tomatoes or water melons, soaked apples, marinated mushrooms, herring, pork fat and rye bread.

All that should be carefully sliced in order to be put into the mouth after each short of vodka. Vodka in Russia - its a reason to meet with friends, its the culture of communication which has its own habits and traditions.

Some of them exists in our days: an empty bottle should not be placed on the table. If you did this then all your money will disappear. One should not leave the glass half-full with vodka. The other half could turn into tears. Some of these habits have disappeared. Formerly, the guest was met by the host with bread and salt and the hostess brought the bailer with vodka (400 grams).

The guest buzzed it and if he stood on his feet he could kiss the hostess as long as he wanted.

Nowadays tradition of proposing the toasts still remain, aimed at no regret because of drinking. Here are some examples: "Once upon a time there lived an ass. Somehow he became hungry and thirsty. He came up to the river with pure water and saw the haystack on the riverside. The ass started thinking what to do first: to drink or to eat. He thought, thought and thought and finally died. Lets eat and drink to our joy and don't be asses! There are a lot of anecdotes about vodka and lovers of the bottle. There exists a lot of them.

It has not been always you could drink freely in Russia. In the 1920s there was a prohibition of alcohol and during Gorbachev's period of office there was a large anti alcohol campaign. It was a serious blow to the Russian tradition. This campaign caused the appearance of a very serious problem: people started producing vodka on their own, but of poor quality. Now the government tries to protect the customer from false vodka by regulating the minimal vodka prices. Vodka remains as the Russian national drink, brining enjoyable moments to those who can appreciate the magic of real Russian vodka and to those who know when to stop.