Buckwheat groats are slowly cooked until soft and traditionally enriched with butter, milk, mushrooms or onions. Buckwheat has long been one of the most important grains in the Smolensk countryside. ¹⁾

A traditional porridge prepared from buckwheat and often cooked with mushrooms or other forest ingredients. Its rustic character reflects the close connection between agriculture and the surrounding forests. ²⁾

A hearty sour soup prepared with pickled cucumbers, vegetables and a meat or fish broth. The characteristic acidity made it particularly welcome during the cold season. ³⁾

A traditional baked dish made from eggs, milk and flour, sometimes enriched with cottage cheese or sour cream. It occupies a curious middle ground between an omelette, pancake and soft baked pudding. ⁴⁾

Grated potatoes are mixed with onion and fried into thin, crisp pancakes. They reflect the strong potato traditions shared across the western Russian and Belarusian borderlands. ⁵⁾

Fresh river fish is baked or stewed with onions, herbs and sour cream. The mild flavor of pike-perch pairs particularly well with the rich dairy sauce. ⁶⁾

A closed pie filled with freshwater fish, onions and herbs, sometimes with buckwheat or rice. It was a practical way of turning the local river catch into a substantial family meal. ⁷⁾

Dark, earthy buckwheat pancakes are served with fried forest mushrooms, sour cream or onions. The combination brings together two particularly characteristic ingredients of the Smolensk landscape. ⁸⁾

Wild milk mushrooms are layered with salt and spices and allowed to ferment before being served with onions and vegetable oil. Mushroom preservation has long been an important part of preparing for winter. ⁹⁾

Grated potatoes are combined with onions and pieces of pork or bacon before being slowly baked. The result is crisp on top, soft inside and exceptionally filling. ¹⁰⁾

Small pieces of dough are boiled and served with mushroom sauce or incorporated into soup. The dish illustrates the regional fondness for simple flour-based foods enriched with forest products. ¹¹⁾

Fresh farmer's cheese is used as a filling for small baked pastries, often combined with egg and sour cream. Dairy products were especially important in traditional village households. ¹²⁾

Tart apples are baked inside yeast or short pastry to create a simple but aromatic dessert. The sharp flavor of traditional Russian apples works particularly well with sweet dough. ¹³⁾

Cranberries, bilberries, raspberries or blackcurrants are cooked and thickened with starch to produce a smooth, sweet-and-sour dessert. It is one of the simplest ways traditional cooks preserved the flavors of summer. ¹⁴⁾

Dense gingerbread made with honey and warming spices, traditionally associated with fairs, holidays and tea drinking. Honey gave the cakes both sweetness and a pleasant fragrance. ¹⁵⁾