and raspberry. In Russia, the most popular flavours are cranberry, cherry, and redcurrant. Cranberry kissel () is a traditional meal on Kūčios (Christmas Eve supper) in Lithuania. In Finland, kissel is often made of bilberries (since those can often be found growing wild in the forests and are thus both easy to gather and free) as well as from prunes, apricots, strawberries, etc. The thickness can vary depending on how much potato flour is used: thin bilberry soup is most easily consumed by drinking while the thickest version is almost like jelly and is eaten with a spoon. Rhubarb can also be used, but it is often combined with strawberries to make it less tart. Kuningatarkiisseli ("Queen's kissel") is made with mixed berries and berry juices, usually at least bilberries and raspberries. Prune kiisseli (luumukiisseli) is traditionally eaten with rice pudding at Christmas. Vegetable kissel Less common dessert made in the image of fruit kissel. Based on boiled or baked vegetables such as rhubarb, pumpkins, beetroot etc. Milk kissel (; ) A similar dish to semolina pudding or budino. It is made from milk and potato starch (Poland) or corn starch (Finland), and flavoured with sugar and vanillin (or vanilla) or cocoa powder. Eaten as a dessert, alone or garnished with fruit syrups, fruit sauces, fruit jams, fresh or dried fruit, cookies, biscuits etc. Used, among others, as an ingredient in cake creams (i.e. for karpatka or napoleonka). Nowadays most Polish households prepare milk kissel from instant mixes instead of the traditional way. Cultural references In Russian fairy tales, the land of marvels (similar to Cockaigne) is described as the land of "milk rivers and kissel banks". This expression became an idiom in Russian for prosperous life or "paradise on earth". Another phrase common in Russia and Poland, "the seventh water after kissel" (), is used to describe a distant relative. See also Almond jelly Blåbärssoppa Compote Kompot List of desserts List of fruit dishes Tong sui References External links Recipes Apple-Cranberry Kissel with Sweet Sour Cream Berry Kissel recipe Hot Cranberry Kissel Summer Berry Basil Kissel Polish desserts Polish drinks Lithuanian desserts Russian desserts Russian drinks Custard desserts Ukrainian cuisine Finnish cuisine Estonian cuisine Soviet cuisine Fruit dishes Lithuanian drinks Milk dishes Grain dishes