Ukrainian cuisine

The people of Ukraine are hearty, generous and hospitable, exactly the same words which could be used to describe both the land and climate of the country. Nowhere is the link between people and the land more pronounced than in Ukraine. The seasons for ploughing, sowing and harvesting set the tempo of life.

Ukrainian cuisine has an age-king history. A thousand years ago Kyivans ate wheat and rye bread, pork, beef, chicken and duck. Dishes of crucian carp, sturgeon, vegetables and fruit were also common.

A typical home dinner begins with zakuska (appetiser) such as zesty sauerkraut salad, tantalising pickled mushrooms, stuffed eggs and assorted cold meats and sausage. A tasty borsch (cabbage soup) will precede a main course of meat, chicken, or fish. Desserts may consist of the delicious Ukrainian honey cake, or the indescribable walnut tart with cream frosting.

Kyiv is justifiably famous all over the world for its chicken Kyiv. Despite the fact that you are in the city after which it is named, chicken Kyiv is rarely available in restaurants here.

Ukrainians are generous hosts. When invited to a meal the guest should anticipate the serving of ample quantities of food. A meal may start with salads and progress through several courses to dessert. A gracious guest will at least sample each dish which is offered. It may be a wise precaution to leave some food on the plate because an empty plate will quickly be refilled by an attentive host. During the meal vodka is a popular drink for men while women tend to prefer wine. It is a good idea not to empty your glass - to do so is to invite yet another refill. Your host will probably be offended if you don't drink at least a few rounds. Ukrainians love to make lengthy toasts. At a birthday party each guest is expected to make a toast in support of the guest of honour. Don't be surprised if the hostess doesn't join the guests at the table. It is common for all to sit at the table while the hostess works in the kitchen. It is a nice gesture to offer assistance although it is likely to be declined.

Traditional Ukrainian food is delicious, but good examples of it are seldom available in state canteens, where food tends to be bland and insipid.

Traditional dishes that we recommend you to try are:

Ukrainian borsch (cabbage soup)

Pampushky (soft rolls soaked in fresh crushed garlic and oil)

Varenyky (small dumplings stuffed with various fillings)

Deroony (potato pancakes)

Holubtsi (cabbage rolls stuffed with meat)

Mlyntsi (stuffed pancakes)

So, as the saying goes - when in Ukraine, dine as the Ukrainians do!

SMACHNOHO VSIM!

[3] English Cuisine

& Reading

Read and translate this magazine article about English food.

I am always both amused and annoyed when I hear foreign people criticise English food. ‘It’s unimaginative,” they say. It’s boring, it’s tasteless, it’s chips with everything and totally overcooked vegetables. “It’s unambitious,” say the French, “all you do is roasts with jam”. We eat apple sauce with pork. That’s the bit they find really shocking, but then the French are easily shocked by things that aren’t French.

When I ask these visitors where they have experienced English cooking, I am astonished by their reply. “In Wimpy Bars and McDonald’s Hamburger restaurants,” they often say. I have won my case. Their conclusions are inexcusable.

I have a theory about English cooking, and I was interested to read that several famous cookery writers agree with me. My theory is this. Our basic ingredients, when fresh, are so full of flavour that we haven’t had to invent sauces and complex recipes to disguise their natural taste. What can compare with fresh peas or new potatoes just boiled (not overboiled) and served with butter? Why drown spring lamb in wine or cream or yoghurt and spices, when with just one or two herbs it is absolutely delicious?

It is interesting to speculate what part factors such as geography and climate play in the creation of a country’s food. We complain about our wet and changeable weather, but it is the rain which gives us such rich soil and green grass. “Abroad,” says Jane Grigson, “poor soils meant more searching for food, more discovery, more invention, whereas our ancestors sat down to plenty without having to take trouble”.

If you ask foreigners to name some typically English dishes, they will probably say “Fish and chips” and then stop. It is disappointing, but true, that there is no tradition in England of eating in restaurants because our food doesn’t lend itself to such preparation. English cooking is found in the home, where it is possible to time the dishes to perfection. So it is difficult to find a good English restaurant with reasonable prices.

It is for these reasons that we haven’t exported our dishes, but we have imported the surprising number all over the world. In most cities in Britain you’ll find Indian, Chinese, French, and Italian restaurants. In London you’ll also find Indonesian, Lebanese, Iranian, German, Spanish, Mexican, Greek... Cynics will say that this is because we have no “cuisine” ourselves, but, well, you know what I think!