National cuisine of Belarus

1. Now let’s talk about food. What can you tell me about eating habits in your family? Modern Belarusian cookery is based on old national traditions which have undergone a long historical evolution. But the main methods of traditional Belarusian cuisine are carefully kept by the people.

Common in Belarusian cuisine were dishes from potato which is called among people " the second bread". The Belarusians bring fame to their beloved potato in their verses, songs, dances. There are special potato cafes in the country where you can try various potato dishes. Potato is included into many salads, it is served together with mushrooms, meat; different pirazhki (patties) and baked puddings are made from it. The most popular among the Belarusians are traditional draniki, thick pancakes, prepared from shredded potatoes. All the members of my family enjoy the potato dishes very much.

A lot of place in the diet of the Belarusians belongs to meat and meat products, especially to the pork and salted pork fat. The salted pork fat is used slightly smoked and seasoned with onions and garlic. Pyachysta is one of the traditional holiday dishes. This is boiled, stewed or roasted sucking pig, fowl or large chunks of pork or beef. Dishes prepared from meat are usually served together with potatoes or vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, black radish, peas, etc.

Among dishes from fish the Belarusians prefer yushka, galki and also baked or boiled river-fish without special seasonings. In general, what concerns the most common seasonings such as onions, garlic, parsley, dill, caraway seeds, pepper, they are used very moderately in Belarusian cookery.

The choice Belarusian food are fresh, dried, salted and pickled mushrooms, and also berries.

Of flour dishes the most popular is zacirka. Pieces of specially prepared dough are boiled in water and then poured over with milk or garnished with salted pork fat.

In Belarusian cuisine the milk is widely used for mixing in vegetable and flour dishes.

Myadukha, berezavik, kvas, beer are traditional Belarusian drinks.

2. Do you like cooking? Why (not)? I don’t like cooking because I can’t do it well.

3. What questions will you ask a friend who has invited you to a pot-luck party? What will we eat and drink? How many gusts will be at the party? Will the potluck party be vegetarian?

4. Which national dishes can you recommend a tourist to taste in Belarus? I would recommend traditional draniki and pyachysta, which is one of the traditional holiday dishes - boiled, stewed or roasted sucking pig, fowl or large chunks of pork or beef.

5. Scientists say that fast food is unhealthy but teenagers can’t stop eating it. What do you think about it? In my view this food is really great when you’ve got no time to prepare food. But a great amount of calories make this foot very unhealthy. This food causes harm to teenagers’ health.