Soups for dinner have always been welcomed in Russia. Soup is the basis of the national cuisine. Nowhere else in other countries is the role of this dish appreciated as highly as in Russia. Where does this attachment to him come from?
History and geography
Soup is an indispensable part of the dinner for many Russians. It happened historically. In Russia, from time immemorial, they preferred a soup. Although this is no longer connected with history, but with geography. Russia is a country of severe cold weather. And how to keep warm on a cold day, if not a nourishing hot, rich soup? Hot liquid food quickly warmed the body, saving it from the cold.
The next feature of the frequent use of soups is this. Some fruits and vegetables, which are widespread in Russia, require special processing by means of cooking. These vegetables include, for example, turnips, radishes, beets, carrots, etc.
In addition, it can be cited as a reason - In order to preserve some products, they have been dried since ancient times - mushrooms, fish, vegetables and fruits. In this way, preparations were made for the winter. It is clear that in the winter they had to be boiled. Such products were sent straight to soups, where they were boiled and softened.
There is also a significant reason for the use of soups in Russia - this is, or rather, bread. In Russia, they always ate a lot of bread. Dried crackers. They cooked porridge. Such food was often consumed with soups to "soak" it. Some 100 years ago, soup was served not only for lunch, but also for dinner. Even now, in Russian villages, cabbage soup is often served for breakfast.
Origin of the word
The word "soup" is of French origin. At the heart of this food, the French had a decoction. The broth could be from some product with the addition of vegetables and seasonings. Soups, both among the French and throughout the world, have always been considered the first course.
Soup in Russian
At first, the word "soup" did not exist in Russian. A similar dish was called differently - soup, bread, yushka, gruel. In such historical publications as "Domostroy" described dishes shti, brew, soup. Soup options were also called - turmoil, zatiuha, chatterbox, jail, pickle.
All liquid dishes, that is, soups, were divided into “rich and poor”. Rich soups were high-calorie, fatty, for example, cabbage soup. And those soups that were boiled in liquid and in water were considered poor.
The meal always began with stew. Therefore, they began to be called first courses. Other dishes were served after them. Only after Peter the Great “opened a window to Europe” such words as soup, filling soup, broth, and puree soup began to appear in Russia.
Together with the words, the chefs who cooked them appeared. Over time, soup continued to be a success as a dish. Many different options appeared, which to this day do not lose their primacy among the mass of other dishes.
Soup is a Russian national heritage.
