A Collection of Soul-Nourishing Recipes

Traversed by countless types of people through the ages, today’s Ukraine is a cultural tapestry and home to over 100 nationalities. Farmers and city dwellers, young and old, and a fascinating underlying mix of numerous ethnic groups all live together peacefully, yet all seem to have an opinion or attitude about what is typically Ukrainian. There also remains a remnant of Soviet mentality. However, most describe themselves as Ukrainian and of Slavic origin. The largest ethnic group is Russian and mainly concentrated in eastern Ukraine. Other minorities include, in order of size, Belarusians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Romanians, Poles, and Jews. Indigenous Hutsul communities are seamlessly integrated into the wider community and Kozak influences are evident throughout the land. Almost all of the country’s Tatars live in Crimea. This cookbook offers a tempting range of recipes from all over Ukraine. One need not live in Ukraine to cook and eat “the Ukrainian way.” There are no qualifications needed other than a desire to try something new. One need only keep in mind that Ukrainian gastronomic culture is tightly interwoven with historical and religious events, geographical conditions, and social peculiarities.