Karelia is a virgin nature, rich history, unique architectural monuments and shrines of the Russian north. This is the land of taiga forests, which are surrounded by glacial lakes - Ladoga and Onega, the harsh nature of the White Sea. And also Karelia is people - a bizarre conglomerate of Karelians, Finns, Vepsians and other representatives of northern peoples on the one hand, and Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians on the other.
Since ancient times, the natural resources of Karelia influenced the formation of the national cuisine, which was based on hunting and fishing trophies, gifts of forests. Karelian cuisine is simple and understandable to our stomach, it is tasty and healthy. What is worth trying in Karelia?
Food in Karelia
In the land of lakes and rivers, the main dish at all times has been fish - the basis of a well-fed life. In different versions, there is a saying among local residents that if the earth does not feed, then the water will feed. Lake fish is salted, dried, dried, smoked, pickled, baked, fish soup, pies, etc. are prepared from it.
The local cuisine has traditionally been influenced by the culinary traditions of its neighbors - Estonians and Finns and, of course, Old Russian cuisine. Borscht with Scandinavian muffins, Finnish milk soup with Russian pies are in perfect harmony on the table.
Top 10 Karelian dishes
Gate
Wicket pies
It is rightfully considered the most national and most popular dish. A common feature of Karelian, Estonian and Finnish cuisine is the predominant use of barley and rye flour. Rye dough is also used to bake these pies filled with fish, potatoes, cottage cheese, cheese, berries, millet or barley porridge, etc. They are of different shapes: oval, round or with a different number of corners. Wickets are baked with an open center and figured pinched edges, greased with butter or sour cream. The dough is made unleavened, with yogurt, and the gates are baked in the oven.
The name comes from carols, Christmas songs. The pies were originally baked specifically to treat carols. Today, gates are an indispensable and famous attribute of local cuisine - from restaurant menus to home meals.
Kalaruoka
Ukha, the main first dish of the national menu. In Karelian, kala is fish, ruoka is food. An inimitable dish in any variation. In Karelia, it is cooked not only with fish broth, but often with milk and even cream. White fish soup is called kalakeito, salmon with cream is called lohikeito. The last dish is known to gourmets all over the world; it has a complex mild taste, almost without the smell of fish. Lohikeito is also made from the trout of the Karelian lakes. It is also worth trying - creamy, rich and delicious fish soup.
In popular use, the ear was called yushka. According to old recipes, the fish was cooked whole, flour, eggs, and even birch or pine buds and Icelandic moss were added to the soup. Not just for density. Such exotic spices provided vitamin support during the long, harsh winters.
Rybnik
The gifts of the Karelian lakes are the main components of many original recipes of the national cuisine. Fish pies - rybniki - are also baked from unleavened rye dough in a Russian oven. This cooking method is worth mentioning separately. Slowing in the oven is traditional for almost all dishes of the Karelian cuisine. Both fish and wild meat reveal their taste better, and the dish turns out to be much healthier than fried. Today, dishes according to folk recipes are tormented on modern equipment, but with the effect of a Russian oven, observing age-old traditions.
Rybnik is baked in a rectangular shape or in the shape of a fish. This is a must-have dish on all holidays. It turns out juicy, because the fish is put raw and fresh in the pie, sour cream, onions, and sometimes mushrooms are added to it. It is imperative to try - not only tasty, but practically useful.
Fish dishes
There is a huge selection of them in Karelia. Like most dishes, fish is stewed / simmered in different variations. Cod with new potatoes in cream, or fish roast with a thin crust of cheese - everything turns out incredibly delicious. The popular Karelian fish is used both as a first and as a second course. Cover the cod or vendace with a layer of potatoes and chopped onions, add water, add spices, oil and simmer over the fire. It is eaten hot and cold, cold - tastier. When visiting the island of Valaam, you can buy smoked trout from the monks, which is incredibly tasty.
The recipes for dried fish - pike, ide, small salmon - are borrowed from Finnish cuisine. The result is a gourmet delicacy.
Bakery
It occupies a special place in the national cuisine. Traditional rye flour is used for the pies. Pies are made thick and thin. From thin pies for the son-in-law are very popular. The dough is rolled thinly to an oval pancake, the filling is put inside, the pancake is folded in half and pinched. The filling can be wild berries, mushrooms or fish. It still turns out delicious.
Porridge with onion and butter well boiled in the oven is considered a truly folk filling. According to a long tradition, porridge pies are made in the shape of a sickle, as a symbol of peasant labor.
From baking, connoisseurs advise to try sulchins - Karelian rye pancakes stuffed with sweet porridge. A hearty treat, more suitable for breakfast.
Gifts of the forest
Northern berries - lingonberries, cloudberries, cranberries - as well as blueberries and strawberries, occupy a large place in the national cuisine. Pies with wild berries in Karelian cuisine were and are considered a traditional dessert. Along with soaked lingonberries and cloudberries. Karelians also eat lingonberries with oatmeal and fresh berries with milk for dessert.
Gradually, even ritual jelly, oatmeal and rye, was replaced with berry jelly, at a variety of events - from weddings to commemoration.
Today delicious fruit drinks and jelly from forest gifts can be tasted in any Karelian catering establishment: in canteens, and in cult restaurants and in any cafe. And for meat and fish dishes, you can order lingonberry sauce - you get delicious!
Mushroom table
The assortment of mushrooms from the Karelian forests is fantastic. There are about 300 species of them, 23 species are listed in the Red Book. In terms of use in cooking, mushrooms in Karelia are in second place after fish. For a long time they were salted, dried, soups were cooked and pie fillings were made. Mushroom pickles are also worth trying. Or salads with mushrooms, for example "Valaam": from porcini mushrooms with cucumbers and peas under a creamy sauce.
You can try any mushroom soup - from chanterelles, honey agarics, porcini mushrooms or any others. Its taste, stewed according to ancient traditions, will not disappoint expectations. Mushroom mince is used not only as a filling for famous Karelian gates and other baked goods. Meatballs, cabbage rolls, stuffed tomatoes and other delicious dishes are made from it. In any case, each guest of the northern region, when meeting the local cuisine, will taste Karelian mushroom delicacies and will not be disappointed.
Wild meat or game dishes
In the old days, the forest fed not only mushrooms and berries. It was not easy for hunters to hunt, so venison, elk, wild boar and even bear meat were considered a delicacy on the Karelian table. The cooking principle was traditional - languor. For long-term storage, the meat was salted and dried. Today in restaurants you can try roast elk meat according to an old recipe - in a pot with a lid of rye dough. Or even more exotic - bear meat. It is stewed with carrots and onions in a vessel made of rye dough. Interesting, tasty and unforgettable.
It is also worth trying game: partridge, wood grouse or black grouse. The carcasses are cooked entirely in herbs, with wild berries.
Karelian kanunik or traditional meat with local flavor
With the advent of livestock among the inhabitants, dishes from beef, pork and even lamb appeared in the national cuisine. But still in accordance with the Karelian traditions. Typical example: kanunik. The meat is stewed in pieces with turnips, rutabagas and potatoes. When it's almost ready, they add to the soup … of course, fish! In season - fresh vendace, salted or dried in winter. And they continue to languish until ready. Kanunik is often prepared from three types of meat - pork, beef and lamb. It is worth trying to appreciate the combination of meat and fish flavor.
Dairy dishes
The proximity to Finland also affected the recipes for dairy dishes. The favorite dairy product of the Karelians is homemade cottage cheese. Often, curd butter is prepared from it: butter and sour cream are added to freshly made curd. Egg butter is prepared by analogy: mashed boiled eggs are mixed with softened butter. It is also worth trying the curd cheese, also according to the Finnish recipe. It is based on the same cottage cheese with melted butter. Delicious, especially with boiled eggs or boiled young potatoes.
As a sweet dish, you can try cheese paste. It is a soft cheese made from curd milk, whipped with sugar, butter and eggs. Often - with the addition of raisins.
