lewin 2005 - iEARN Australia International Education and Resource ...

Feeding in Belarus before 1946
Belarus is a country which is situated in the centre of Europe. The
climate here is temperate. Belarus is famous for its abundance of rivers
and forests. The peculiarity of Belarusian food is connected with the
location of the country. There are many different kinds of mushrooms
and berries in the forests of Belarus. Hardworking Belarusians stored up
these gifts in winter in order to prepare many different dishes during cold
season.
National dishes of Belarusian cuisine are simple in preparing and useful
for health. Such popular dishes as berries, mushrooms, herbs, culinary
roots, fish and pies gave people strength and energy. Belarusians had
many dishes which were nowhere else in the world: solodukha, draniki,
potato dumplings. They ate much rye bread with milk or kvass (hand
made summer drink). It let them be quickly satisfied and not overeat, as
rye bread contains a lot of rough fibres.
Shchi (daily as a rule – kind of soup) was cooked without meat. The
second courses have never been fried. In general they were steamed or
cooked in the oven. Different spices were usually added: cinnamon,
clove. In spring, when the stock of flour ran out people had to eat goosefoot,
young nettle.
This choice was confirmed by modern science because of the high food
value of these plants. Today Belarusian doctors advise a return back to
traditional food in order to preserve a taste for life in general. In general
the Belarusians ate potatoes and grew a lot of cereals and legumes.
Potatoes contain a lot of starch. It is thought to influence the Belarusian
character: calm, regular, not inclined to conflicts. The favorite national
dish, draniki, was made of potatoes. It is pancakes of rubbed potato with
the addition of eggs and salt. Draniki was usually eaten with sour cream.
The Belarusians also liked kletski. It was also made of rubbed potatoes.
It was cooked either with meat, mushrooms or cottage cheese stuffing or
without it and was eaten with milk and butter. And how tasty is
mushroom polivka! This dish exists nowhere else in the world. It is
cooked from dried white mushrooms adding flour, spices, without meat.
At the same time this dish has high food value.
Red bilberries growing in Belarusian forests are also useful for health. It
can be kept without sugar for a long time. These berries were used
together with pears to prepare them. In winter people ate boiled potatoes
218