Peasant food.

Everyday food was simple and lack variety. Consisted of хлеб, щи, porridge and kvas (soft drink made of bread, slightly fermented national drink). Bred was widely use for various rituals – communion (причастие), weddings (Easter). The lady of the house usually made bread ones a week – it was very time and labor consuming process. A woman started making bread sponge (закваска) the night before. Ready bread was stored in special wooden bins. Every day peasants mostly eat white bread. In bad years a villagers would ate the bark. They also make pasties, pancakes and ginger bread.

Although Russia was culturally isolated from western Europe until the time of Peter I, there were many foreign influences in its cuisine. The Varangians, ancient Scandinavian tromps introduce the Russians to the herring and also a range of techniques for pickling, drying and preserving foods though out the endless winters. The centuries of occupation by the Mongols and tartars brought a whole list of delicious foods, that are now considered to be Slavic staples – noodles and dumplets (пельмени), staffed vegetables, tea and the samovar. Along with this a list of seasonings, fermented milk drinks and dry fruits. Te day-to-day fair of the Russian peasants was sweet and sour and simple. The staples were grains of all sorts, which were made into sour bread and cashas (cereals), mushrooms, beers, honey and all kinds of fish.

Perhaps, the most popular – pancakes. Pancakes are rich and spongy, drown in melted butter. Russians made pancakes even before Christianity was adopted, traditionally associated with a sun. They were used in many Russian rituals from giving birth to death. In old rays pancakes usually were made from ray grains.

Another popular Russian food – pastries. In the 17^th century around 50 types of pies existed. Pice comes from a different filling – meat, fish, cabbage, jam. Traditionally sweet. Gingerbreads, made with no filling, but lots of honey and spices. Those often came in different elaborate shapes – animals, fish, birds.

Porridge cereal casha. 600 years ago the word casha made fist – ancient chronicles tell many tells of wonderful casha given by various rulers, important ritual foods at weddings, christenings and funerals. In 16^th century around 20 types of cashas existed in Russia. Many cashas still popular.

Another staple Russian food – stchi. In an old days the word would apply to any soup, the skill of cooking stchi was a valuable talent of young women. Traditionally stchi was made of cabbage, carrot, meat. Sometimes cabbage was replaced with sorrel. Over 200 days a year meat was prohibited – also on Wednesdays and Fridays all year round.

Meals – usually two days a day – lunch and dinner. For breakfast – a piece a bread. The father of the family would be the first person to take his seat at the table. A meal would start with a prayer of gratitude, each participant of the meal would get a spoon and a slice of bread. Food was served by the mother of the house, usually she would be so busy, that she had no time to eat with the family. Liquid foods were served in common wooden boils, the father would make sure, that everybody is getting the fair share of the food. For breaking the rules, the father of the family would hit the offender with the spoon. Load voices, laughter and leaving the table before the meal is over was strictly prohibited.

Usually food was scarce, Russian peasants had big meals only on special occasions (on festive dates).