The day of Saint Mykolai (Nicholas) is the feast with a special charm. Orthodox Christians celebrate it on the 19th of December, while Catholics on the 6th of December (Catholics all feasts with constant dates celebrate 13 days earlier, taking into account the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendar). Children are waiting eagerly for this day the whole year. On the eve of the feast they write letters with their wishes to St. Mykolai and put them into mail boxes or leave on a window sill. The day...
Pliatsok – Exquisite Ukrainian dessert, the king of Western Ukraine bakery
Pliatsky are one-of-a-kind bakery traditional for Western Ukraine. They represent something betwixt and between pies and cakes. In Lviv and Ternopil there is a dialectic word interpretation – “pastry that includes crusts, creams, and fillings.” It is no wonder that pliatsky are so loved by Ukrainians. They incorporate the best eating qualities of pies and cakes. The peculiarity of pliatsky lies in the combination of different tastes, which makes them extremely flavorful and breathtakingly tempting. Up to now, there is no holiday without this bakery in many regions of...
Traditions of New Year celebrations in Ukraine – Since the beginning of the XX century until today
On the threshold of the New Year each goodwife is searching for new dishes to gladden and surprise family and friends. Today we are going to look back at the past and discuss how Ukrainians celebrated the New Year and what festive dishes they served and cooked over the last one hundred years. Some Ukrainian culinary attributes still remain unaltered. They have accompanied Ukrainians from XX to XXI century and are present on modern New Year tables. The beginning of the XX century During the Civil war in...