The regional cuisines of the Russian North are similar in many respects, and yet the cuisine of the Arkhangelsk Region has its own characteristics, which are appreciated on gourmet tours. This region traditionally called Pomorye (meaning “seashore” in Russian) draws attention to its fish menu. After all, fish has always been the staple food for the inhabitants of the Pomorye settlements, along with porridge, northern vegetables, mushrooms and berries.
The regional cuisine of Arkhangelsk adopted its basic cooking principles - baking and simmering in the oven - from the Russian cuisine.
 
Arkhangelsk Fish: Herring, Salmon and Cod
Freshly caught pomor fish is unusually delicious, be it salted, smoked, fried or boiled. In order to taste really fresh fish you should travel to the seashore. 

 Since ancient times, none in Russia has known fish better than the indigenous dwellers of Pomorye. So, even in the kitchen of Russian tars there was always a fish dish consultant from Arkhangelsk. The locals perfectly know how to cook both sea fish and freshwater fish. They mostly specialize in cod, which has a pleasant, soft and at the same time rich taste. It can be boiled and fried, steamed, baked in milk and curd, salted, dried and jerked.
Fish Pie aka Kulebyaka
 Fish pies (Kulebyaka in Russian) originate from Pomorye, the coast of the White Sea. Different fish species, such as flounder, catfish, whitefish, halibut, and herring, are baked in dough. In a classical Russian dinner, pies should be served after a fish dish. In restaurants, kulebyaka is often served along with fish soup. On special occasions, Arkhangelsk fish pies are made in the shape of a fish: the famous Pomor salmon pie (krasny pomorsky rybnik) looks like a red fish.

Mushroom and Berry Pies
Pies stuffed with local wild berries and forest mushrooms are traditional delicacies of the Arkhangelsk Region. Here you can find pies with cloudberries, cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries and other northern berries.  
Cloudberry (“moroshka” in Russian) is one of the most favorite berries of the Russian Northerners. 
Considered by locals to be the queen of berries, it is the most expensive of them all.
It grows in swamps, as well as in boggy forests, in moss and shrub tundra. Cloudberries contain more vitamin A than carrots, and more vitamin C than oranges. They are also rich in B and PP vitamins. They are eaten raw and soused, as well as in the form of traditional berry drinks, such as mors and kissel (berry and starch drink). No less salutary are lingonberry and cranberry. They are present in every house of Arkhangelsk Region. Berry drinks with them make the best remedy for colds.

Kozuli, Northern Gingerbread
 Kozuli (meaning “roe deer” as they often depict deer) are ornamented festive gingerbreads, which are baked only in the Arkhangelsk Region. They are a very special traditional ritual New Year treat. Kozuli can be stored for up to a year or even longer, while remaining crispy and tasty. Over time they have become year-round delicious treats and popular souvenirs from Arkhangelsk.

Tetyorki, Round Pattern Cookies
 
Tetyorki are ritual cookies for welcoming the spring in the Russian North. They are traditionally cooked by March 22 to celebrate the Spring Equinox. They are made in the form of waves, loops, spirals, grids, circles, plants, birds, and less often animals. The ornaments of 

Tetyorki bear the ancient symbolism of the Sun and wishes for fertility, divine grace, long life, universal wellbeing, happiness, and fulfilled life.
If you want to taste everything at once and take a real gourmet tour, come and visit the Pomor Ethnofood Festival held in Arkhangelsk every June. Here you will find all the varieties of regional cuisine of the Russian North!

Regional Cuisines of Russia

Read more about Arkhangelsk Region