Russian cuisine is hearty, warming, and built around soups, bread, meat, and dairy. It is comfort food in the truest sense -- designed for long winters and big appetites.
Soups are central to Russian eating. Borscht, the famous beet soup served with a spoonful of smetana (sour cream), is eaten across the country year-round. Shchi, a cabbage soup, is even more traditionally Russian. Solyanka is a thick, sour soup made with pickles, olives, and meat or fish. In summer, okroshka -- a cold soup made with kvass (fermented rye drink) -- is refreshing and ubiquitous.
Pelmeni are Russian dumplings filled with minced pork, beef, or lamb, boiled and served with smetana or butter. They originated in Siberia and are found everywhere. Every family has a recipe, and the best are handmade.
Blini are thin yeasted pancakes, served with sweet or savory toppings. With caviar and smetana, they are celebratory. With jam or condensed milk, they are a simple treat. During Maslenitsa (Butter Week, before Lent), blini are everywhere.
Pirozhki are small baked or fried pastries stuffed with meat, cabbage, potatoes, or mushrooms. They are classic street food and a perfect snack. Larger versions -- pirogi -- are served at home and in restaurants.
Kasha (porridge) is breakfast for millions of Russians, made from buckwheat, oats, or millet. Buckwheat kasha also appears as a side dish at dinner.
Russian food culture is inseparable from smetana, dill, and black bread. Rye bread is taken seriously and varies by region -- some are dense and sour, others light. A meal without bread feels incomplete to most Russians.
In Kazan and other Tatar regions, the food shifts to include echpochmak (triangular meat pies), chak-chak (fried dough with honey), and other Tatar specialties that are worth seeking out.