Russian Daily Meals The kitchen is the favorite or central spot of the home in many cultures. Russiais not the exception, even more likely a demonstrative example. Russian kitchen is the heart of Russian home which smells and dainties create a special, stirring up the best feelings, atmosphere. It is the place where families gather for having meal, friends get together for chatting over a cup of tea and the guests are welcomed to feel the warmth of the national hospitality. Usually, there are three meals of the day. But, depending on the place of living, they are organized and offered in different ways. To most Europeans and Americans, the principal meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner (supper). Russians, such as every nationality, start the day with breakfast - zavtrak . It is a very hearty meal, though. A breakfast in Russian way includes eggs, sausages, cold cuts and cheese that are accompanied by bread slices with butter. Tea or coffee is a must on the morning table. Various hot cereals are popular as well, particularly with mothers and kids. Russian children are supposed to get their first shot of energy from a hot bowl of oatmeal. Perhaps they do, but they resist to this healthy energy with all their childish rigidity. Lunch is nonexistent in Russia. In fact, this term was generally not understood until the early 1990's.
The second meal of the day is taken about around 2 o'clock p.m. and called obed (dinner). Russian obed is the main meal of the day. Zakuski (appetizers) highlight the meal. Such delights as caviar, pickles, smoked fish, and various vegetable salads can easily serve a rich meal. However, everyday zakuski are composed of light salads and pickles. Then goes soup (pervoe – first course). Soup, mouth watering, with meat pieces in delectable transparent broth, is the first step of the long satiation process. The main course - vtoroye is usually of meat or fish. The main dish is usually accompanied by a garnish: potatoes, rice, noodles and vegetables. Finally, comes the dessert! Tretye might be a piece of cake, fruits or chocolates. After that, if people don’t work, they and kids enjoy a mid-afternoon nap followed by a snack. Like English 5 o’clock tea, Russian poldnik makes the day brighter – a cup of tea, milk for kids, with biscuits or patties. Everyone, young and old, enjoys a nice cup of tea. Tea is offered after every meal. The evening meal is served around 7 o’clock p.m. or later. It is called uzhin in Russian. Russian uzhin is similar to dinner but without soup and dessert – just some appetizers and main course from meat or fish with garnish.

The Russian name is "Selyodka pod Shouboy", that means "Herring under fur coat". It is a traditional national dish for any events. You can call it, for example, Dressed Herring. Dressed Herring is loved and considered one of the most delicious salads by Russians everywhere. Try and enjoy!

Schi took a special place among national soups. Historians suppose that this dish was known long time ago before Adoption of Christianity in the Rus. Once all soups were called Schi. Now Schi are cabbage soups. There are a lot of Russian proverbs about schi: "Good wife is not the one who speaks well, but who cooks schi well". Schi are cooked on meat, fish or mushroom broths. Schi with meat are served with a meat piece in the plate. Pies and Koulebyaki are very good with Schi.

Pelmeni, a sort of little boiled pasties, is favorite Russian food. It's a kind of snack (you can buy them in the shops, but it's nothing comparing to home-made version). As Pelmeni are kept frozen very well longtime and you can cook them quickly.

Bliny is a Russian traditional dish. They are baked in a great quantity at Shrove (carnival) - last week before Lent. Bliny making was a real sacred mystery. People told fortunes on the dough, kept their recipes of Bliny in secret. The first Bliny were put on the window-sills for poor people and pilgrims. The foreigners were very surprised at how many Bliny Russians could eat. At Shrove mother-in-law must bake a lot Bliny for her son-in-law. The most popular Bliny were made from buckwheat flour. Good Bliny must be very very thin. The thinner Bliny are the perfect your skill is.

Pryaniki are ones of the most interesting makes of Russian cuisine. The name of Pryaniki comes from the spicy taste and smell which are achieved by special various additions. They could have different sizes, sometimes they made to order Pryanik up to several poods ( pood is old Russian measure, 16,38 kg (36 lb) and decorations.There were two kinds of Pryaniki - painted and printed. Painted Pryaniki are decorated with nuts, berries and candied peel. Real dynasties were involved in making forms for Pryaniki. Sometimes Pryaniki were made from two layers with fruit jelly or jam between. Expensive Pryaniki were always covered with icing. Pryaniki are one of the favourite food. They were always offered to guests, relatives. But there were "leavingaway" Pryaniki that were given to late guests and, having received such Pryanik, they had to leave the house immediately. They baked Pryaniki to any occasion and the quality and the decoration were perfect.