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Borscht, varenyky, lard - three whales on which the whole world's perception of Ukrainian cuisine rests. Yes, these are really its important elements that are hard to forget. But does everything interesting and delicious end there? Isn't there anything else worth paying attention to on the traditional Ukrainian table? We have collected for you several facts that prove that Ukrainian cuisine is more multifaceted than it seems at first glance:
Fact #1: Special attitude to the dough
Ukrainians have been preparing flour dishes for over 5000 years. Earlier it was: millet, wheat, barley, and later - rye. Since dough has long been a part of traditional Ukrainian dishes, many superstitions have been established around them. For example, the hostess did not start kneading the dough in a bad mood. Like, it won't rise like that. The same applied to quarrels near the dough or the oven. A good mood in cooking was a prerequisite, because it was believed that it was transferred to the food.
Fact #2: Kvass is the first drink of Ukrainians
Kvass is the oldest Ukrainian drink. The first mention of it was found in a document from 989, which means that Ukrainians drank cold kvass even earlier.
Fact #3: Vodka is not a traditional alcoholic drink of Ukrainians
Vodka is not the first alcohol among Ukrainians, it is more of a traditional Russian drink that later took root in our country. Which one was the first? Mead! It was a well-known drink long before the baptism of Russia.
Fact #4: Multifaceted borscht
A familiar dish to us, borscht, can surprise people who cook it for the first time. After all, when you look at a traditional recipe, you can see about 20 ingredients! Of course, in some places, there are fewer products, because they do not add beans, bay leaves or meat. But, try to count how many components are in your version of the recipe?
Fact #5: Not donuts, but sweets
This pastry, which we used to call donuts, or even donuts, is actually called something else. It has long been known in Ukraine as slaston. Even in Kotlyarevsky's "Aeneid", written at the end of the 18th century, there is a mention of the preparation of a dish that we now call donuts.
Fact #6: Practicality in cooking
No, it's not just about boiling a whole banyak of borscht and eating it three times a day. Practicality means to prepare pastries, borscht, porridge, meat, potatoes and stewed cabbage at once. To eat a variety of dishes all day long and not be distracted by their creation.
This was possible thanks to convenient stoves, where all cauldrons, banyaks and jugs could be placed at once. The oven was treated in the same way as the dough - you couldn't swear or shout near it, so as not to spoil the atmosphere while cooking.
Fact #7: Traditional spices
Did Ukrainians use spices before? Of course it is! These were: pepper and horseradish, dill and cumin, anise and mint. They were added to both first courses and baked goods.
Fact #8: Love for pies
Try to find another cuisine where pies are loved as much as Ukrainians. Of course, it was a convenient dish, because it can be quickly cooked in the oven, it does not spoil for a long time and there is room for experiments with the filling.
It was prepared both from unleavened dough and from yeast dough, and the filling could be not only the one we know now. For example, a pie with nettles or with rhubarb were considered familiar dishes.
Fact #9: Rich dumplings
Traditional dumplings are twice as big as Russian pelmeni, and four times as big as Italian ravioli. You can't eat them all at once, you have to bite them off. And the filling goes far beyond cherry, potato or cabbage dumplings. They are also prepared with meat, cereals, mushrooms, greens, other berries and cheese, salty or sweet.
Fact #10: The importance of the shape of dumplings
When you were a child, did you think that dumplings resembled a new moon in shape? Not for nothing, because it was intended by our ancestors! They molded dough like the moon, and prepared this sacrificial food as an offering in places with water: near springs and wells.
Fact #11: The forgotten dish is sharpanina
It was made from fish soup, to which flour, eggs, butter were added, and the dough was kneaded. Then, baked with pieces of dough. This is a fish pie, but with a richer taste, because fish is not only in the filling. Kotlyarevsky also mentioned this dish in his works, so we recommend it to all fish lovers.
Fact No. 12: A futilely forgotten dessert is gamola
You will definitely want to make such a dish for breakfast! Apples were baked for her, mashed, mixed with flour and oatmeal and baked like fritters. The dish was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It is easy to prepare, so we recommend trying it for breakfast.
Fact #13: Traditional cuisine can also change
There is room for experimentation in traditional Ukrainian cuisine! This is proven by the famous chef Yevhen Klopotenko. Having studied at the most famous culinary schools in the world, he returned to Ukraine and continues to develop culinary culture at home. For example, he opened the restaurant "100 years ahead" with traditional Ukrainian dishes, develops new recipes based only on local and seasonal products.
Not only a famous chef, but also every Ukrainian who has the inspiration to cook can engage in such modernization of traditional cuisine. Try to look at familiar products in a new way, come up with an unusual combination for them. Instead of beet salad with garlic, prepare sweet baked beets with goat cheese and greens. The same components that are familiar to us, but already in a more refined tandem.
