Sometimes an unconventional combination of simple ingredients produces a winning dish. So, it was with a savory pastry known in Ukraine by two names: Potato Kasha Knysh or Yavoriv Pie. The common thread between the two is a mashed potato-buckwheat groat (kasha) filling. No one knows the name of the cook who first combined mashed …
This Poppy Seed Honey Babka is my variation on a traditional makivnyk (маківник) a poppy seed roll baked throughout Ukraine but has special significance during August harvest celebrations. This year’s Russian invasion interrupted the annual agricultural cycle in many parts of Ukraine. In the east, where hostilities were concentrated, farmers and gardeners planted when they …
This Cherry Tart, Ukrainian Style (vyshnevyi pliatsok – вишневий пляцок) is a popular summer dessert in Ukraine where the cherry season runs from June through July. The Ukrainian word pliatsok describes a flat pastry, sweet or savory. The English word tart is the closest translation since the finished product more closely resembles thin European …
Cherry Tart, Ukrainian Style — Vyshnevyi Pliatsok Read More »
Banosh (banush or tokan) (Ukrainian: бануш, банош, токан ) is a velvety cornmeal porridge, often served with a variety of toppings. It is a beloved dish among Hutsuls, pastoral highlanders who inhabit the forests, mountain slopes and river valleys in Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains and in the northern part of present-day Romania. Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains*** Banosh is a …
The Ukrainian word palianytsia (паляниця) means a simple, rustic bread, commonly baked from rye, wheat, buckwheat or whatever flours are on hand, leavened usually with sourdough or yeast. Since the Russians invaded Ukraine this year, this word became more than just a name for a bread, it became a shibboleth — a password that distinguishes …
This Mazurok — Lemon Glazed Almond Raisin Cake is a pastry baked just before Easter in Ukraine. It is one of several sweet treats often included on the Easter table. We are a week away from Orthodox Easter, usually the most joyous and uplifting holiday of light and resurrection, but for many Ukrainian refugees this …
These Ukrainian Potato Zrazy – Potato Pancakes Stuffed with Mushrooms — are traditionally eaten by Ukrainian families in the spring, especially during Lent, which many Ukrainians consider a time for cleansing, penitence and fasting. This year this tradition was disrupted by war, and I am posting this Ukrainian Zrazy recipe to honor Ukraine’s culinary traditions …
Ukrainian Potato Zrazy — Potato Pancakes Stuffed with Mushrooms Read More »
I had another post planned this month, but the start of Russia’s horrific, unprovoked war against Ukraine on February 24, caused me to reflect on my culinary heritage, and I prepared a pot of Ukrainian Borshch, Ukraine’s national dish, in solidarity with my countrymen who are fighting to preserve life, country, culture and democracy. Ukrainian …
My travels inspired this Chicken with Black Lime post in the Middle East, where exotic dried limes are often used to flavor stews, soups, fish and tea. I first encountered black limes at a United Arab Emirates (UAE) market years ago. The aroma-laden air in Old Dubai’s spice souk was intoxicating. Old Dubai’s Spice Market from …
I embarked on recreating the Cajun Tourtière after learning that this traditional dish vanished many decades ago. When our daughter Sophia settled in New Orleans, I became interested in learning about Christmas traditions brought to French-ruled Louisiana by Acadian emigres after their expulsion by the British from Nova Scotia in the 18th century. Those French-speaking …