Eastern European cuisine encompasses many different cultures, ethnicities, languages, and histories of Eastern Europe. The cuisine of the region is strongly influenced by its climate and still varies, depending on a country. For example, countries of the Sarmatic Plain (Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian cuisine) show many similarities. Characteristics According to the Ethnic Food Lover's Companion, all significant Eastern European cuisines are closely connected with the political, social and economic revival of the region following the long periods of historical turmoil. "These are substantial cuisines, meaty, rooty, smoky – part comfort food, part extravagance." Their main ingredients include eggs, used most frequently in doughs and pastries; dairy products (with yogurt and cheese among the staples); grains, including rye, barley, wheat, buckwheat and millet used in kashas and in the making of breads; vegetables, in cold storage and in pickling; fish (salmon, pike, carp and herring), birds and poultry (chicken, duck, goose, partridge, quail, turkey); red meats such as veal, beef, pork and mutton; and plentiful fruits including pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, pomegranates, dates, and figs, used for desserts and a variety of liqueurs. The nutritional index of traditional dishes is generally high cholesterol, high sodium, and high fat. See also Armenian cuisine Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine Azerbaijani cuisine Balkan cuisine Belarusian cuisine Bulgarian cuisine Czech cuisine Georgian cuisine Hungarian cuisine Kazakh cuisine Moldovan cuisine Gagauz cuisine Ossetian cuisine Polish cuisine Romanian cuisine Russian cuisine Bashkir cuisine Komi cuisine Mordovian cuisine North Caucasian cuisine Chechen cuisine Circassian cuisine Tatar cuisine Udmurt cuisine Yamal cuisine Slovak cuisine Soviet cuisine Ukrainian cuisine Crimean Tatar cuisine Odesite cuisine References Books on Eastern European cuisine Елена Молоховец, Подарок молодым хозяйкам, 1861-1917; in Russian. English edition: Elena Molokhovets, Classic Russian Cooking: A Gift to Young Housewives. Indiana University Press, 1998. Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Medical Scientists of the USSR, Книга о вкусной и здоровой пище. Москва: Пищевая промышленность, 1939-1999; in Russian. English edition: The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food: Iconic Cookbook of the Soviet Union. SkyPeak Publishing LLC, 2012, Кулинария. Госторгиздат, 1955-1958 (Cookery, Moscow: Soviet state publishing house for business literature, 1955-1558; Russian) В. В. Похлебкин, Национальные кухни наших народов. Москва: Пищевая промышленность, 1980, ; in Russian. English edition: V. V. Pokhlebkin. Russian Delight: A Cookbook of the Soviet People, London: Pan Books, 1978 В. В. Похлёбкин, Кулинарный словарь от А до Я. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2000, (William Pokhlyobkin, Culinary Dictionary. Moscow: Centrpoligraf, 2000; Russian)