A clear soup made from freshwater fish such as pike, perch, pike-perch or burbot. Traditionally cooked with onions, carrots and herbs, it is particularly associated with the rivers and lakes of the Upper Volga. ¹⁾

A closed fish pie filled with freshwater fish, onions and herbs, sometimes with buckwheat or rice. The pastry formed a practical edible container and was suitable both for family meals and journeys. ²⁾

Traditional cabbage soup made from fresh or fermented cabbage, potatoes, onions and meat broth. Mushroom versions were particularly useful during fasting periods. ³⁾

Pearl barley is slowly cooked until soft and often enriched with butter, milk, mushrooms or onions. Barley was one of the dependable grains of the northern agricultural zone. ⁴⁾

Small pieces of simple dough boiled in water or broth and served with butter, sour cream or other accompaniments. They could also be added to soups, turning a light broth into a filling meal. ⁵⁾

Grated potatoes mixed with onion and sometimes flour or egg are fried until crisp. They are usually served with sour cream and belong to the broader potato traditions of northwestern and Central Russia. ⁶⁾

Fresh pike is baked or stewed with onions, herbs and sour cream. The creamy sauce softens the lean fish and gives this simple river dish a richer character. ⁷⁾

A thick, strongly flavored soup made with forest mushrooms, cabbage, onions and pickled vegetables. Its sour and savory profile makes it especially suited to the region's long winters. ⁸⁾

Milk mushrooms gathered in the forests are layered with salt and spices and allowed to ferment. Served with onions and vegetable oil, they were an important preserved food for the winter months. ⁹⁾

Pancakes made with buckwheat flour and served with sour cream, butter, honey, mushrooms or fish. Buckwheat gives them a darker color and a characteristic earthy flavor. ¹⁰⁾

Small baked pastries filled with fresh farmer's cheese, sometimes mixed with egg, sugar or herbs. They could be prepared either as a sweet tea-time food or as a savory snack. ¹¹⁾

Fresh pike, pike-perch or other river fish is minced with onion and bread, shaped into patties and fried. This was an economical way of turning smaller catches into a satisfying family meal. ¹²⁾

Small pastries filled with chopped forest mushrooms and onions. The dish connects two important aspects of traditional Tver life: household baking and seasonal mushroom gathering. ¹³⁾

Cranberries are cooked into a tart berry drink and thickened with starch until it reaches a soft, pudding-like consistency. The abundance of acidic forest berries made kissel a natural traditional dessert. ¹⁴⁾

Dense gingerbread prepared with honey and aromatic spices. Such cakes were associated with holidays, fairs and tea drinking and made good use of the honey produced in the region's villages and forests. ¹⁵⁾