Before the 17th century Russian cuisine was quite plain and natural, without any gourmet luxuries. It was based, as a rule, on turnip and cabbage, cooked in different combinations and in all possible ways, often flavoured with spices. Russians also consumed all sorts of fish, as well as berries, mushrooms and numerous porridges (kasha).

A distinctive feature of Russian cuisine is abundance and variety of snacks and starters. Just like in former times, it is still a custom in Russian homes to serve for the arrival of guests all kinds of dainties.

Porridge is undoubtedly a primordially Russian dish. Moreover, porridge is a cult dish. Following old Russian traditions, on wedding ceremony the groom and the bride necessarily cooked porridge.

If you plan to bake white bread, similar sourdough can be prepared of wheat flour or “overfed” this rye ferment with wheat flour. The choice of rye flour is explained by the fact that it is much easier and faster to make sourdough from rye than from wheat flour. Wholegrain wheat flour also gives quite good results as compared to refined wheat flour.

Thanks to its agrarian past Russia can be justly called the rye empire. From time immemorial Russian people ate rye bread which both dear to their taste and easy on the pocket. In the beginning of the 20th century consumption of rye flour products comprised over sixty percent. Today this figure is much less, reaching only about 10 to 13 percent. But till now Russia is in the top five of the largest manufacturers of rye.