GASTRONOMIC TRADITIONS

Arkhangelsk region is a huge territory in the North of Russia, which includes such steady expression as the Russian North, the Land of the Pomors and the Arctic! The specific features of cuisine in the north and south of the region are different. Location and climate have an impact: the sea feeds the north and forest lands feed the southerners.


 Pomor cuisine is considered to be the authentic regional cooking. Pomors are fishermen, tradesmen, sailors and Arctic explorers. They are strong-minded people with a free spirit. There has never been serfdom here in Pomorie (unlike the rest of Russia).


 The love for fish is in inhabitants of the Arkhangelsk North’s DNA. Due to their territorial features (proximity to the White Sea) they constantly consumed a lot of sea fish — salmon, halibut, herring, flounder, cod. However, fish was a rare delicacy on the table of Central and South Russia’s residents.


 «If there is fish there will be bread», «We live by the sea and we feed on the sea,» that’s how Pomor sayings go. The guests who came to Arkhangelsk called townsfolk «cod eaters». It is said that Arkhangelsk was built on the bones of cod. In addition, it is believed that the Pomors preferred cod over salmon. Salmon was considered to be a festive and royal fish; it was impossible to eat just salmon alone. However, cod (just like bread) does not pall under any circumstances. At the same time, while being a fish with very lean meat cod has an extremely fatty and high-calorific liver.




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 Arkhangelsk Region is the most wooded region of Russia. Mushrooms and berries were widely used in the northerners’ cooking. Mushrooms in the north were fried, steamed, stewed, pickled, dried, salted. Milk mushrooms and coral milky caps of Vilegodsky District with boiled potatoes and onions; famous Ustyany’s Saffron milk cap. The latter were even wrapped up in crepes. By the way, the Krasnoborsk village in the Krasnoborsky District of Arkhangelsk region is considered to be the birthplace of the cep mushroom. Blueberries, lingonberries and berries from the swamp such as cranberries and the beautiful cloudberries were favorite berries on the northerners’ tables. Juices and compotes were made of berries, pies with berries were baked. Pies with red berries were hospitably served to the guests and were called «lordly food»!


 Northern pastries. So many types, so many characters: kalitkas with potatoes or berries, kokurki with mushrooms, kontsiki (thin pies that are served when guests are about to leave), skorodumniki from Norinskaya, coulibiacs with cod, halibut, herring. Oh! And fish pies! For what it’s worth, the famous Red Pomor fish pie! It should be noted that the Arkhangelsk citizens have been called from ancient times not only cod eaters but also shanga eaters. By all means sailors wanted to dock at the Arkhangelsk port while saying, «To the place where shanga eaters live!».


 Shangas in Pomorie are baked from barley flour and eaten with melted butter poured on a limpet. It is considered indecent to eat shangas alone. An ancient tradition demands gathering at the same table so the whole family with guests can taste this delicacy. «To matsyt shangas» means to slowly break off pieces of hot shanga, slowly dip it in amber melted butter and eat it. There are a great many variations of shangas: thin, sumptuous, with blueberries, cloudberries, tolokno, etc.




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 Arkhangelsk «pryaniks». Northern pryaniks originally had a sacred meaning. They were baked as a house talisman, for good luck or fertility and slowly became ceremonial. In the north, Pomor and Leshukonskoe Kosuli were baked. It was baked for Christmas as a decoration, sweets and amulet for good luck and prosperity. In the south of the region, in Kargopol, teteras were baked on March 22 — on the day of the spring equinox. The tetera symbolized light and warmth. Teterki were also baked as a talisman and were given to husbands for the road or to young people for a wedding.


Photo credits to: M. Vilyukov, A. Gladyshev 
Material by "Tourist Information Center of the Arkhangelsk Region"

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