Enjoying Traditional Ukrainian Cuisine
One of the reasons why countries love tourists is that it gives them a chance to open up and allow travelers to experience local culture and original cuisine. Emerging from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), the land of ‘steppes’ grasslands and Black Sea coastal-water is not any different. The people of the Ukraine welcome visitors with open arms and always look forward to revealing their beautiful treasures to everyone who anticipates the trip of a lifetime.
When touring the Ukraine, the first thing visitors should do when they arrive at their destination is befriend the locals. Most restaurants cater to foreigners and will seldom offer some of the most popular traditional foods, those which mothers and wives so lovingly prepare at home.
Borsch, Ukraine’s national and most famous dish, is generally the first course served in a Ukrainian meal. This beet soup, and its many different versions, has been adopted by many countries and enjoyed all over the world. This red soup’s ingredients usually consist of beans, beets, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions and meat. Topping the dish with sour cream will make it extra special.
Ukrainians are very hospitable and generous when it comes to feeding their guests and before you know it you will be eating a plate full of delicious baked or fried dumplings. Varenyky (Vareniki) and Perogi (Pyrohy, Pieroge) are dumplings often filled with potato, meat, cheese, sauerkraut, cabbage or seasonal fruits.
Farmlands are plentiful in the Ukraine and it is no wonder that many dishes incorporate lots of healthy ingredients in their recipes. Holubtsi, or stuffed cabbage rolls, are made from cabbage or vine leaves filled with rice, sometimes mixed with beef, lamb or pork and seasoned with onion, garlic and spices. The rolls are steamed, simmered or baked in a covered pot and usually eaten warm, covered in sauce.
Although readily available, coffee is not quite as popular as having a traditional hot cup of tea or a glass of fresh milk. Apple, cherry, birch and apricot juices are part of every-day life in the summer and ‘horilka’, as vodka is called, is present at every festive dinner. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a celebration, be prepared for a lot of toasts and little sipping. Glasses are kept filled at all times and usually emptied in one gulp. All you, as an honored guest, can do is say ‘Bud'mo’ and empty your glass!
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