Russian cuisine as a specific, began to emerge from the IX century. For several centuries, going on the accumulation of knowledge and experience in food preparation. The flowering of ancient culinary manners can be regarded as the XV century, when formed the basic typology of food and methods of their preparation, the further development of the culinary art of ancient Russia followed the path of complexity of the dishes and bringing new food products. The formation of the Old cuisine is largely influenced by natural and geographical conditions. The abundance of rivers, lakes, forests have contributed to the emergence of a traditional desktop ancient inhabitant of a large number of fish dishes, venison, mushrooms, berries. The use of these gifts of nature (salted, pickled, dried mushrooms, pickled cranberries, cranberry, cloudberry) – one of the characteristic features of Russian cuisine. At its spacious grounds with Slavic tribes time immemorial cultivated rye, oats, wheat, barley, millet and buckwheat. Of these, cooked cereal grains: oats, buckwheat, polbyanye, rye …
Porridge has always been Russian national dish, and rightly consider "Mother of" bread. "Porridge – our mother, and rye bread – the father of our own" – Russian proverb says. It has long been used in Russia for cooking fresh and sour dough. From a simple unleavened dough made kalyadki, juicy, and later – Noodles, dumplings. Of sour dough baked black rye bread, without which even today can not imagine a typical Russian meal.
As for wheat, its appearance in Russia only applies to Tenth century, that's when there were loaves, rolls, loaves, cakes, pancakes, muffins and other baked goods. Butter products made from wheat flour can be called the main dishes of Russian cuisine: rye and wheat, lean and rich, stung, Deaf and nezaschipannye – all different kinds of ancient pie. In a separate group can distinguish various pies are round, oblong (pie) and triangular, large and small, with different toppings – mushrooms, cereal, cheese, peas, fish, meat, berries and jam. Compared with wheat pastry products from unleavened dough occupy a smaller place. Most of this kind of dough cooked dumplings, pancakes, noodles, Pancake pie, etc.