{"id":17856,"date":"2022-08-04T12:54:44","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T16:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?page_id=17856"},"modified":"2024-08-11T09:16:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-11T13:16:06","slug":"ukraine","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?page_id=17856","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nOdessa is a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches and charming 19th-century architecture.<\/p>\n

In the latter half of the last century, many Odessites who emigrated to the US came to Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, now known as \u201cLittle Odessa\u201d. I took this photograph on that beach \u2013 and tweaked the colors, just a bit.<\/em><\/p>\n

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As a kid, I studied history from a book titled World Civilization;<\/em> \u201ccivilization\u201d was defined as the advancement of the arts, science, culture and statecraft. At the time, it seemed to me that statecraft had as much to do with waging war as anything else. History was something that was about 2 inches thick and had 537 pages.<\/p>\n

When I was in high school, I would eavesdrop on my father reliving World War II in exhaustive detail with his buddy, Jack, over highballs; they had served together in the army overseas. I still have his captain\u2019s bars and his Purple Heart. War became a little more real, more than just something you read about; war had certainly affected my father.<\/p>\n

In college, we would watch television nightly, transfixed as Walter Cronkite narrated terrifying scenes from the war in Vietnam; I wondered if I would be drafted. War became even more real; war was affecting me.<\/p>\n

But now, I know someone who actually lives in Kyiv and although I am fortunate to not be an eyewitness myself, the horrors of war have never been more real for me.<\/p>\n

Her hobby is cooking; that\u2019s how we met \u2013 through Instagram of all things. She loves nature in its beauty ardently, the flora and the fauna. We communicate on occasion, a genuine, personal one-to-one correspondence. She is very real. <\/p>\n

And every time I hear the reports of the latest atrocities, I worry if she is well. If she is alive.<\/p>\n

This corner of my website is dedicated to you, Olya. You and all the brave, stalwart, resilient, heroic, beautiful people of Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Stay safe, Olya. Stay safe.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \u0421\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0456! \u0413\u0435\u0440\u043e\u044f\u043c \u0441\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430! \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6
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Over the years, I have enjoyed and continue to learn more about Ukrainian cuisine; I prepare it at home, and now bring people to visit Little Odessa in Brooklyn so they can experience it firsthand.<\/p>\n

It is a small gesture, I know, but at least I can introduce others to a part of the vibrant culture of these resolute people who are giving their lives and losing their loved ones in their quest to preserve democracy.<\/p>\n

Here, then, are a few dishes from my Ukrainian posts, with more to come.<\/p>\n

\u0421\u043c\u0430\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e!
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\n 
\nUkrainian Banush<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s considerable crossover among the cuisines in Eastern Europe, but in this post I\u2019m highlighting a dish I prepared that\u2019s dear to the hearts of Ukrainians, banush (\u0431\u0430\u043d\u0443\u0448, aka banosh, \u0431\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0448), a cornmeal porridge, first cousin to Romanian\/Polish\/Moldavan mamaliga and Italy\u2019s polenta; the Ukrainian style is made with sour cream \u2013 make it with water and you\u2019ve got Cousin Mamaliga or Zia Polenta. Most recipes I\u2019ve seen call for cutting the sour cream with water but I use chicken broth instead plus the addition of a little butter for richness and bacon fat for a hint of smokiness.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s typically served with a sharp sheep\u2019s milk cheese like bryndza crumbled on top and bits of bacon or salo, sometimes with mushrooms as well. I\u2019ve plated it alongside grilled kovbasa on a bed of caramelized onions with sour cream on the side. Just one example of Ukrainian soul food.<\/p>\n

(It\u2019s no coincidence that I\u2019ve chosen a blue plate for this yellow dish.)
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\n 
\nBorsht<\/strong>
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Home cooking from last summer \u2013 borscht, a refreshing, cold beet soup which, according to Wikipedia, is the national dish of Ukraine.
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\n 
\nUkrainian Blintzes<\/strong>
\nWhen I was a kid, I watched my grandmother make her memorable blintzes and she made them often; what I know, I learned from her.<\/p>\n

Here’s my rendition.
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A peek inside.
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How were they? In a single (Ukrainian) word, \u201c\u043d\u044f\u043c!\u201d Grandma would approve.
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\n 
\nStreecha<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nStreecha is a charming-in-its-bare-bones-informality Ukrainian restaurant hidden away in the homey basement of Saint George Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manhattan\u2019s East Village \u2013 and it\u2019s a gem. The sparse menu always includes Borsch (beet soup), Varenyky (potato dumplings \u2013 with toppings, please), Holubtsi (stuffed cabbage), and Sausage with Cabbage. The sausage is a link of top-notch savory pork kielbasa with an affirmative snap when you bite into it, and the cabbage, despite its sauerkraut-like appearance, is a deliciously sweet cabbage\/carrot\/onion m\u00e9lange.<\/p>\n

But the Daily Special is a Daily Mystery; it\u2019s not posted anywhere online or even on the premises, so if you want to find out what\u2019s cookin\u2019, go there and inquire, order it, and be pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n

And yes, I\u2019ll be back. Streecha is located at 33 East 7th St in New York City.
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\n 
\nVarenyky (\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438)<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nCounterpoint to the savory potato varenyky from Streecha, here’s an example of the sweet cheese variety served with a homemade sour cherry sauce (plus sour cream on the side, of course).<\/p>\n

And again, the blue and yellow color scheme was by design.
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\n 
\nKholodets<\/strong>
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This is kholodets (\u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0435\u0446\u044c), a savory meat aspic popular in Ukrainian cuisine. Chilled meat stock gels naturally because of its high collagen content although gelatin is sometimes added to double down on the texture. Formerly a wintertime addition to the menu, contemporary refrigeration has made kholodets a year round treat.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t resist backlighting this example that\u2019s mostly chicken with a clandestine carrot slice or two set into aspic. Its appetizing flavor is anything but neutral; neutral gelatin would be gross, right? If you think of it as \u201cmeat jello\u201d or some kind of weird delicacy, you probably won\u2019t like it; I suggest approaching it with an open mind (and an open mouth) and try to appreciate it for the delicious dish it is \u2013 in this case, cold chicken in its perfectly seasoned jus.
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\n 
\nA Ukrainian Ice Cream Novelty<\/strong>
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I came across this treat while doing prep for my Little Odessa ethnojunket. The brand is \u041b\u0430\u0441\u0443\u043d\u043a\u0430 (Lasunka) a leading producer of ice cream in Ukraine; loosely translated, it means sweet treat; \u043f\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043e-\u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043e means cake-ice cream; \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0448\u043e\u0432\u0435 indicates pear (pictured on the label – look closely); and \u0437 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043d\u043c \u0441\u043e\u0443\u0441\u043e\u043c translates as “with caramel sauce.” (\u0414\u044f\u043a\u0443\u044e, \u0413\u0443\u0433\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nWhat appears to be a brown cardboard cup is actually a soft edible bowl (the \u201ccake\u201d) cradling three cute soft ice cream florets. The ice crystals are the byproduct of storage, not the product of creativity, but they were so pretty, I couldn\u2019t resist taking a photo before dispatching them.<\/p>\n

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\n 
\n 
\nKutia<\/strong>
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Best described as a porridge, it\u2019s sweet from honey and raisins, chewy from wheat berries, crunchy from nuts, and distinctive and delectable from the poppy seeds; the wheat berries symbolize immortality and hope, the honey and poppy seeds represent happiness, tranquility, and success. This is my rendition that includes toasted almonds (although walnuts are customary) and dried apricots. It\u2019s an indispensable dish for the family\u2019s feast on Eastern Orthodox Christmas Eve throughout Ukraine.
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\n 
\nOrthodox Easter Kulich<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most holidays come equipped with delectable, traditional foods and Orthodox Easter is no exception; it occurs on the Sunday following the first full moon that appears on or after the spring equinox.<\/p>\n

According to Wikipedia, the Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, is the second largest Christian church with approximately 220 million baptized members. The majority of Eastern Orthodox Christians live mainly in Southeast and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Georgia and other communities in the Caucasus region, and in Siberia reaching the Russian Far East.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nOn a recent peregrination through Brooklyn\u2019s Little Odessa on Brighton Beach Avenue where Eastern European shops abound, it seemed that every market was selling kulich<\/em>, an Orthodox Easter bread. The cylindrical kulich is often baked at home in a coffee can to achieve the characteristic shape; this diminutive example stands only about five inches high. The Ukrainian legend reads \u043a\u0443\u043b\u0456\u0447 (cake) \u043f\u0430\u0441\u0445\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u0439 (paschal) and around the beltline \u0437 \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0435\u043c (Happy Easter) \u0445\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0441 \u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441 (Christ is risen).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nIt\u2019s somewhere along the bread <-> coffeecake continuum, laden with raisins, and always dressed with a snow-white sugar-glazed cap and colorful sprinkles.<\/p>\n

And at Orthodox Easter this year especially, our thoughts and hearts are with the heroic, resilient, brave, beautiful people of Ukraine. We are all Ukrainians now.
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\n 
\nChristmas Comes Twice in Ukraine!<\/strong>
\n(Originally posted for Christmas, 2023)<\/em><\/p>\n

Recently, Olya and I were exchanging information about American Thanksgiving and Orthodox Christmas foods and I was surprised to learn that Christmas is officially celebrated on two days in Ukraine. The Orthodox Church still uses the old Julian calendar, therefore its Christmas celebration falls on January 7, thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar. But backlash against the Russian invasion has prompted Ukrainians to look westward, distancing themselves from the Russian Orthodox Church, and now the Orthodox Church of Ukraine allows worshippers to observe the holiday on December 25 as well. So that makes it doubly special!<\/p>\n

She provided me with a stocking full of info regarding traditional Ukrainian Christmas foods \u2013 and there are many! Here are a few in no special order, some of which are enjoyed year-round and are posted above as well:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nKutya (\u043a\u0443\u0442\u044f) \u2013 Best described as a sweet porridge, it\u2019s made from wheat berries, poppy seeds, honey, and customarily includes chopped walnuts and raisins. The wheat berries symbolize immortality and hope, the honey and poppy seeds represent happiness, tranquility, and success. Here\u2019s my homemade version, served in my grandmother\u2019s dish.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nHolubtsi (\u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431\u0446\u0456) \u2013 Stuffed cabbage rolls are filled primarily with rice, minced vegetables, and sometimes mushrooms; they are prepared without meat on Christmas Eve, the Ukrainian tradition, and with meat on Christmas Day.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nKholodets (\u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0435\u0446\u044c) \u2013 A savory meat aspic; chilled meat stock gels naturally because of its high collagen content although gelatin is sometimes added to double down on the texture. Chicken, pork, and vegetables come to the party and it\u2019s often served with red horseradish or mustard.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nFish (\u0440\u0438\u0431\u0430) in many varieties and styles including fried, baked, stuffed, jellied, or marinated (like this herring) is usually a part of Ukraine\u2019s Christmas dinner because it is associated with Jesus. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nVarenyky (\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438) \u2013 These dumplings are one of Ukraine\u2019s national dishes; they can be found in a pair of divergent guises: sweet, filled with cheese and\/or fruit; and savory, stuffed with meat, potatoes, or cabbage, and customarily crowned with fried onions, occasionally bacon, and almost always accompanied by a dollop of sour cream.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBorshch (\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0449) \u2013 This popular red beet soup has Ukrainian roots. Again, in keeping with tradition, Christmas Eve borshch is meatless and dairy-free. I\u2019ve added a few fresh herbs, parsley, dill, and scallions to this version.<\/p>\n

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\nPampushky (\u043f\u0430\u043c\u043f\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0438) \u2013 Ukrainian yeast-raised rolls that can be sweet or savory (these are topped with garlic and dill), baked or fried, and are a perfect accompaniment to borshch.<\/p>\n

And although I don\u2019t have photos for these dishes, they are an important part of the Ukrainian Christmas dinner table as well:<\/p>\n

Kolach (\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u0447) \u2013 Ukrainian Christmas Bread. A slightly sweet, braided yeast bread.<\/p>\n

Uzvar (\u0443\u0437\u0432\u0430\u0440) \u2013 Ukrainian Winter Punch made from dried fruits and warming spices simmered until your kitchen smells like heaven!<\/p>\n

\u0417 \u0420\u0456\u0437\u0434\u0432\u043e\u043c \u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0432\u0438\u043c!
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\nAnd One More…<\/strong>
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\nAs I wrote above, Lasunka (\u041b\u0430\u0441\u0443\u043d\u043a\u0430) is the leading brand of ice cream in Ukraine. I was incredibly moved to discover \u201cMy Heart with Ukraine\u201d from Lasunka along my Exploring Eastern European Food in Little Odessa<\/a> ethnojunket.<\/p>\n

Naturally, I took these photos on Brighton Beach in Little Odessa.
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\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Odessa is a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. It is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches and charming 19th-century architecture. In the latter half of the last century, many Odessites who emigrated to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3336,"featured_media":0,"parent":4,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17856","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17856"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17856\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20377,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17856\/revisions\/20377"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}