Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

If you weren't paying attention to mama or baba.....
This book is GREAT!It not only gives you the recipes but it also explains all the old time traditions and the current traditions that come from them.
The author has translated recipes into English and modern cooking terms (like using a food processor).Many good cooks can "tweak" the recipes to duplicate how mama or baba specifically made them but this book is a GREAT way to preserve those recipes that they never wrote down!Many thanks to the author.

Adds to our holidays
Festive Ukrainian Cooking has easy to follow recipes. While all of our grandmothers had their own variations, this is a good starting point to get back to our beginnings.

At last, understandable!
For any Ukrainian food/holiday tradition enthusiast tired of struggling through encoded recipes from "babtsia," this is the book for you!!!It provides simple recipes and introductions to the mysterious art of Ukrainian cooking -- "borshcht kvas,""pravdyviy hryby," et. al. -- as well as modern versions of the old traditions.Makes a traditional Ukrainian Christmas a reality.

Excellent recipes - like mom or grandmother used to make
Used to drive me crazy when my mother cooked Ukrainian foods and never had a recipe.Well, with this book all that has changed.I use it for those recipes where "a little of this and a little of that and then you mix it together" mean little to me.Also has excellent explanations of the different holidays and foods appropriate for the holiday.

Excellent, easy-to-follow recipes
If you enjoy Ukrainian food, this is the book to get.Most repipes use easy-to-get ingridients.The meals pleased many a Ukrainian homesick for native food. ... Read more

Product Description
This compendium of Ukranian cookery contains more than just your typical babka and borshch--it features more than 200 authentic Ukranian recipes with the special touch that, until now, only a Ukranian grandmother could provide.The Best of Ukranian Cuisine gives away grandmother's trade secrets, enabling cooks to create everything from a simple salad to an entire Ukranian feast.

Living up to its name, this cookbook offers recipes for Ukranian favorites, such as kasha (buckwheat groats), potato pancakes, and stuffed cabbage, along with popular contemporary dishes like pike sautéed in sour cream and apple babka.The inventive cooking techniques and wide variety of ingredients found in Ukranian cuisine provide dishes that are rich in flavor and nutrition, as well as easy to prepare.Includes a complete list of menu items in Ukranian and English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not a REAL Ukrainian Cookbook
Being Ukrainian, I got this cookbook with the expectation of seeing some new and interesting recipes I'd never seen before. Instead I found things I've NEVER heard of being called Ukrainian recipes. It was definitely not even worth the shipping cost, let alone the time I spent looking through it. I hope the next Ukrainian cookbook I get is better than this one.

A Charming and Authentic Book!
An American with family members who make regular trips to Ukraine, I have some knowledge of the hearty and delicious cuisine of that wonderful country.I love this book because it presents the cuisine as it actually is in the towns of Ukraine.You are not presented with bastardized, Americanized recipes, but with the authentic cookery you would experience during a visit to a normal, middle class home.

The book starts with a brief foreword on Ukrainian food traditions.In the back there is an 8-page bilingual dictionary of food terms and phrases to use in restaurants.In between, the book is packed with both traditional and contemporary recipes for everything from appetizers to main dishes to sweets and even a substantial section on beverages both alcoholic and not, and recipes for making several different kinds of beer.

I highly recomment this book.

don't waste your time with this one.
Excited to find the best of Ukrainian cuisine won't work with this book unless you're still on a farm in some other decade. Or you like cooking with lard, grinding meat, and of course removing organs and bones from pigs- oh, yum! The author's translations in the back of the book from Englishto Ukrainian for ordering meals are worth a laugh. However, I think he'sserious. Pass this book up. ... Read more

Product Description
This spiral-bound index card size book contains dozens oftraditional recipes from Ukrainian-American kitchens. Makes a greatgift or "stocking stuffer" for friends and relatives.END ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I haven't even received the book and its been a month.NOt sure I will order again
Took too long.In this day and age for it to take a month is ridiculous.

Nutritious, scrumptious cuisine; home-style recipes easily prepared for daily consumption/celebratory occasions-Ukrainian-style!
A cook's/chef's cornucopia of culinary desires (meals that are nutritious, delicious, easily prepared, reasonably priced, and savored by seasoned gourmets, bon vivants, and munchkins of all sizes and shapes) will be a potential possibility when you open the cover of Ukrainian Recipes and delve into the myriad menus and recipes.Albeit, not what you'd consider to be a conventional cookbook, Ukrainian Recipes is a cookery/collection of Ukrainian recipes presented à la modern style on red spiral-bound index cards with front and back cards laminated.

The cover color red is picked up as a border around the title, Ukrainian Recipes, which appears to the right of a photo of a candelabrum from Ukraine; the bottom of the border displays a red Ukrainian embroidery design. Also laminated, the back cover continues coloring red; only this time, the same border as on the front is enhanced by three red Ukrainian pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs). To the right, outside the border, repeated in red, is shown the coat of arms of Ukraine, the tryzub (trident); there's an explanation of the tryzub on page 81 of the booklet (Desserts section). For a detailed history and explanation of the tryzub, visit the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, which states, in part, that the Ukrainian tryzub is "a gold trident on an azure background."

Visual embellishments via folk art and egg designs throughout the booklet were provided by Luba Perchyshyn of the Ukrainian Gift Shop, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.Ms. Perchyshyn is very well known and much respected in the Ukrainian community.For decades, I've immensely enjoyed her demonstrations on the art of writing Ukrainian pysanky (Easter eggs) via a Prolog VHS (awarded numerous international film prizes) by Ukrainian-American filmmaker Slavko Nowytski, himself a recipient of numerous international film prizes.If it can be found, I truly recommend this VHS, which has three segments:Pysanka, the legend of the Ukrainian Pysanka--the Easter egg and the technique of making it (Luba Perchyshyn, demonstrator); Sheep in Wood--the making of a woodcut by a master--Jacques Hnizdovsky; and, Immortal Image--the Lost-Wax Process of sculpture by Leo Mol.The VHS is by Prolog Video, 744 Broad St., Suite 1115, Newark, NJ 07102-3892, 1-800-458-0288.This 47-minute video is truly priceless and, undoubtedly, a most welcome addition to the film libraries of those lucky enough to own a copy.

Special thanks are given to the Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, to the Ukrainian National Women's Alliance, and to the Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, D.C.Roman Huminiak of New York helped with the menus, and his help is also acknowledged.Editor Joanne Asala is the author and editor of over twenty books on folk tales and traditional customs; she resides in Chicago, not far from Chicago's Ukrainian Village.To see several photos of Ukrainian Village, please visit my review of Ukrainians in America by Dr. Myron Kuropas (0822519550); I've posted 156 photos on the product detail page, and many of them depict life in Chicago's Ukrainian Village and also in some of the Ukrainian communities of the New York State area.

In keeping with the times, the small size of this recipe booklet is an asset--it may be kept in a purse or in a car (to reference future fare), or it may be stood on a counter (no need for book stands; use independently while preparing the myriad gastronomic creations).The Contents has fourteen entries:Introduction, Beverages, Breads, The Bread Basket of Europe, Soups, Salads, Fruits and Vegetables, Meats, Desserts, An Easter Sunday Celebration, Hard-cooked Eggs and Krashanky Eggs, A Traditional Christmas Eve Feast, Christmas in Ukraine, and, The Wedding Supper.

As stated in the Introduction, since religious restrictions once enforced strict dietary restraints on Ukrainians (only meat and dairy products were allowed to be eaten during certain times of the year), Ukrainian cooking has retained the prevalence of vegetable dishes, which are fresh, wholesome, nutritious, and basic.Not often found in restaurants, Ukrainian food is "a style of cooking best meant for families, for homecomings, and for holidays."Most of the recipes in this booklet are ones which editor Joanne Asala was served in Ukrainian-American homes, "where pride in native tradition is still strong."

Most sections illustrate various Ukrainian pysanky (Easter eggs) and provide an apropos Ukrainian proverb.The illustrations of the pysanky in the booklet are carefully reproduced designs, which pysanka artist Luba Perchyshyn provides--many appear on original pysanky which grace Easter baskets and china cabinets worldwide.

In the Beverages section, there are a number of easy-to-prepare adult beverages--various alcohols are utilized:vodka, rum, whiskey, wine, and lemon liqueur.Many recipes are found under the Breads section--after all, Ukraine was once called the Breadbasket of Europe.Ukraine has one of the world's most fertile soils (called chornozem), and even ancient tokens of hospitality were bread (khlib) and salt (sil).Recipes appear on both sides of the cards, and often include bits of interesting information and illustrations.

The Soups section opens with a Ukrainian proverb, "borscht is the center of all things."Although a recipe for borscht isn't to be found under this classification, a fine illustration of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Chicago does appear on the flip side of the tomato soup recipe.One caption needs correction, however, it's on page 60--the illustration is of Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, but the caption reads The Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, Chicago, IL.

Under the Meats section, the last recipe is for Chicken Kiev.The reverse side of the card states:"How the city of Kiev lent its name to this classic dish is unclear, especially since it is not typical of Ukrainian cuisine."Wikipedia elaborates:"This famous method of preparing chicken is probably not of Ukrainian origin as the name Kiev, the national capital, would imply. The Russian food historian William Pokhlebkin claimed that Chicken Kiev was invented in the Moscow Merchants' Club in the early 20th century and was renamed Chicken Kiev (kotleta po-kievski) in one of the Soviet restaurants in later years."A note of clarification:not only is Chicken Kiev not a Ukrainian dish, but also please note that Kiev is the Russian spelling and pronunciation; the Ukrainian spelling and pronunciation is Kyiv, and Ukraine's capital city should be correctly referred to as Kyiv.

In the Desserts section, one exotic dish worth noting is the recipe for rose pudding--for it's made of wild roses (they're the most flavorful and aromatic, we're told); other edible flowers may also be used (violets or hawthorns).

An Easter (Velykden) Menu (in Ukrainian, Easter is called Velykden [The Great Day]) features ten recipes, and includes a write-up on "the perfect hard-cooked eggs and krashanky eggs."Included, too, are instructions for dyeing krashanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs which are hard boiled, dyed a single color, and meant to be eaten; pysanky are intricately designed, usually multi-colored, often hollow, often works of fine art, and never eaten).The Christmas Eve (Sviata Vecheria [Holy Supper]) Menu features twelve recipes (representing the twelve apostles).It's in this section that you'll find the recipe for borscht--it's from Tetiana Levkovych of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Roman's Rose Preserves recipe follows (Roman Huminiak of New York also helped with the menus throughout Ukrainian Recipes).

At the end of the recipe booklet, you'll find North American sites to visit (Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre, Winnipeg; Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatoon; and, Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, Chicago).Although there's no recipe for the wedding bread, there are illustrations of how to shape doves, which are applied to the top of the wedding bread (korovai).A chart of some traditional Ukrainian egg designs, and a chart of ten ways to divide an egg conclude this fun recipe booklet.

If future editions are published, an index would greatly facilitate locating recipes and menus.Overflowing with a nice sample of Ukrainian recipes and information, this card-index format is handy to have and utilize, and a sure-to-be-appreciated housewarming gift or stocking stuffer.Clearly written, easy to follow, on its own stand (when you flip some of the cards over), ingredients are usually easily available and common household items--all of these make this a fine recipe booklet--for it'll quench many a thirst, satisfy many a sweet tooth, and appease many an appetite.

Some additional notes, which I'm including in this review since not all readers may read the comments:

Page 28 shows the Russian spelling of two Ukrainian cities:Kiev instead of Kyiv, Odessa instead of Odesa.Pages 42, 78, again, refer to Kyiv as Kiev.However, on page 60, the description correctly refers to Dnipro (not Dniepr, the Russian word).

Page 38 states:"Many of the words are similar or identical.Some Ukrainian words:goodbye - do pobachenya (do svydanyia); thank you - dyakuyu (spasubo); yes - tak (da); no - ni (net)."I've typed the Russian words (as I found them in a Russian dictionary) in parenthesis to give the reader examples of how dissimilar the languages are.Unless you've studied Ukrainian/Russian, there are very many words that you won't understand.

An explanation appeared in Arnold Berke's article "Ukrainian Dawn," Historic Preservation, March/April, 1993, pp. 31-32:

"Ukraine is a new country but an old nation--a fact often lost on foreigners, who remain largely ignorant of this land of fifty-two million people, Europe's second largest in area after Russia.Ukraine to them has always been "the" Ukraine--no more than a region of its powerful northern neighbor, Russia--and Ukrainian culture a mere variation on the Russian national theme.Russians used to call Ukraine "Little Russia," a sobriquet that Tchaikovsky`s Second Symphony earned for its use of Ukrainian folk themes.Even the Ukrainian language was downgraded as a dialect of Russian, although Ukrainian differs from Russian as much as does Polish."

Page 86 has a quote from Ukrainian writer Nikolai Gogol (Hohol).His name is misspelled as "Gogel."

Page 154 states:"No one knows for sure how the art of pysanky originated."The Encyclopedia of Ukraine states:"Pysanka painting is a widely practiced form of decorative art in Ukraine. The practice originated in the prehistoric Trypillian culture."Further, Trypillian culture is described as:"A Neolithic-Bronze Age culture that existed in Right-Bank Ukraine ca 5400 to 2000 BC.It is named after a site near Trypilia in the Kyiv region uncovered by Vikentii Khvoika in 1898."

Addendum: The detail product page (click on the title) shows sixty-six images/photos which I took in Ukraine and depict some of the items mentioned in my review of Ukrainian Recipes, which I thought you might find interesting:food, items relating to food, flowers, animals, tryzub, etc.

Additionally, readers, you're invited to visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.

To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.

Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter.

Easy, delicious, and authentic
I'm always on the hunt for authentic cookbooks and the spiral ethnic cookbooks from Penfield Press of Iowa City, IA are the best buy around.

It's true that big things come in small packages.These books are packed with tons of history and, best of all, delicious recipes that are easy to prepare, don't take too much time to cook, and won't have you searching everywhere and spending a fortune for the ingredients.The history sprinkled throughout the book gave a good background to the food being prepared and enriched the cooking experience for me.

The first things I made from this book were two drinks: Cherry Vodka and Medivka (Honey Liqueur).Although I don't drink, I had a sip of each and boy were they good.(Although the cherry vodka has to ferment for 2 weeks, the wait is definitely worth it).I also made the Turkey Breast with Cherry Sauce and my mouth watered during the entire meal.

I've bought and made dishes from the Dutch, Danish, and Irish cookbooks of the same series and the final product will turn out an authentic ethnic dish without the gourmet prices for the book or the ingredients.

Highly recommended.

Good & authentic
I love the spiral binding.It makes this perfect for actually cooking & reading the recipe.The small size is fun too.It's a good basic Ukrainian cookbook.Of course, not all the recipes I remember are in here, but there's a pretty good mix of recipes.

Delicious Ukrainian Recipes
NEW in the series of Stocking Stuffer cookbooks, in the popular recipe-card file size Stocking Stuffer format, this book represents Ukrainian cooking as one of the best homestyle cuisines of the world - basic, fresh, wholesome and nutritious, yet still possessing a taste as rich as the black soil itself.

Ukrainian food is not often found in restaurants, for it is a style of cooking best meant for families, for homecomings, and for holidays. The majority of recipes in this book come from Ukrainian-American homes, where Joanne Asala, who collected the recipes, shared the food and native traditions.

One-hundred-sixty pages include recipes for daily fare and festive celebrations. Notes and menus for traditional observances of Christmas, Easter, and the wedding feast are included with the recipes. Among these are Flummery, Kutia, one of the most sacred of ritual dishes; Easter Bread, Paska, and Honey Nut Cake for weddings.

On the cover is a photo of a candelabra representing the trident, a traditional symbol of Ukraine. Examples of the exquisite, symbolic folk art, especially egg design, krashanky, are found throughout the book with reference to the significance of the various designs.

Excellent for personal collections, as well as a thoughtful gift and memento. ... Read more

Product Description
Book Dimensions: 23x14x1 cm -Contents: Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve Dishes - Ukrainian Easter Breakfast - Soups - Meats and Casseroles - Fish - Bread and Buns - Cakes and Tortes - Squares -Cookies - Pastry and Pies - Canning and Pickles - Icings - Salads - Desserts - Household Hints ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a grand collection of cherished family recipes to satisfy the homemaker's needs for appetizing and interesting dishes from the Ukrainian kitchen. The measurements and directions of these recipes, with their old-world charm, have been modernized and standardized making them readily adaptable to Canadian use. Good cooks from various parts of Canada have also contributed their own family favorites and have proudly signed them.The sections on Ukrainian baking are especially fascinating. There are various recipes for traditional, festive breads like babka, coffee cakes, in-numerable old-world bread pastries, and also delicate tortes, tea dainties, and honey cakes that keep fresh for weeks.In the introduction to each section the compiler has given some interesting information about colorful Ukrainian customs, old-world traditions, and festive ceremonies which bring out the individuality of the Ukrainian people. The recipes are presented in a unique style with introductory notes which make the book informative, friendly, and delightful to read.Both the Amateur and the experienced cook will find this book helpful for everyday meals and for festive occasions ... Read more

Product Description
It is a unique cookbook with original Ukrainian recipes flavored with Nadejda Reilly's personal touch. It contains brief history of Ukraine and cultural and traditional background of it's people. In addition, it includes author's personal stories of faith as well as her cooking and baking experiences and who influenced them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wonderful!
I am excited that Ukrainian Cuisine with an American Touch and Ingredients is finally published!What a wonderful opportunity to learn new recipes from the Ukraine that are authentic and passed down through generations.
I wish Nadejda Reilly every success with this cookbook. I know it was a labor of love, her love of God and her love of cooking good food.
Respectfully,
Mrs. L. Sabia ... Read more

Product Description
It is a unique cookbook with original Ukrainian recipes and use of gluten-free flours and grains flavored with Nadejda Reilly's personal touch. It contains brief history of Ukraine and cultural and traditional background of it's people. In addition, it includes author's personal stories of faith as well as her cooking and baking experiences and who influenced them. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

banana chocolate chip cupcakes???
I don't own the book, but the description of its contents made me not want to buy it. I grew up in Ukraine in a family that loves to cook. Trust me, there is no such thing as banana chocolate chip cupcakes in Ukraine! Until 10 years ago, there were no bananas and no chocolate chips in Ukraine, and nobody was making cupcakes of any sort for dessert. There are also no authentic Ukrainian tuna melts (where would they get tuna???) and hamburgers (Ukrainians just don't eat them). Overall, seems unauthentic beyond belief.

great gift
I bought this as a birthday present for a fabulous cook with Ukranian roots -- she loves it.

An excellent taste of Ukranian food and heritage!!
I just purchased this book as a gift for my mother, an avid cookbook collector.We are of Ukranian ancestry.Both my mother and I have been to this restaurant before and the food is exceptional.I peeked through the book and couldn't put it down.The recipes look fool-proof and true to the "real thing."I also love that the author includes pictures and history of the restaurant.I appreciate the author's honesty and down-to-earth writing style.He also includes cooking tips for many of the recipes.I am ordering several more of these, even without having tried the recipes just yet.I have faith they will be exceptional!This book is very gift-worthy. :-)

Memories Recalled
This book was a wonderful and evocative trip back to the days when I went to school at St George's in the East Village. The recipes are reminiscent of my own Ukrainian family traditions. Just reviewing them brought back memories of my father cooking in our kitchen at major holidays, recreating the dishes from his childhood for us to savor. This book gets as close as it's possible to living with these traditions through food. Loved it!

Authentic taste of home
My husband introduced me to Veselka shortly after we started dating.We took a trip to New York so he could show me all of his old haunts from his undergraduate days.This restaurant was on the list of places.He recommended the raspberry blintzes, and he was right.They were delicious.I was so sorry we only got to go there once during our trip.This cookbook was a present for Valentine's Day.Growing up in an Eastern European family pierogies, halupki (stuffed cabbage), and kielbasa were staples of every family gathering.With some of these recipes to add to our ethnic arsenal we're thinking of having a Ukrainian Independence Day party.Bring on the borscht and the polkas! ... Read more

Product Description
All the classic Eastern European dishes are featured, such as Borshch, Chicken Kiev, Beef Stroganov, Pirozhkis and Blinis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

With photographs for every step of the cooking process!
This large format book with white, glossy pages containts more than 60 recipes for meals like Salmon Kulebyaka, Muscovite Solyanka Soup, Buckweat Kasha, Lamb Plov, Golybtsy (Stuffed Cabbage), little pies called Pirozhki, cabbage soup Shchi, dumplings Vareniki, baked Lepeshki and Kulich, as well as Drachena, Bitki, and so much more!

Written by Catherine Atkinson, a trained Gordon Bleu cook, and Leslie Chamberlain, a seasoned writer and traveler. The recipes are easy to follow, they are accompanied by color photographs showing the stages of the cooking process, as well as finished meals.

Quick Once Over
This book appears to contain a selection of recipes from an earlier book on Eastern European cooking by the same contributors.

It contains recipes for the better known dishes of the region with some introductory prose.An attractive gift as an introduction to the Polish/Russian kitchen but less useful as a reference work for the serious slavophile cook.

I have never prepared any of the recipes and cannot, therefore, comment on their workability. ... Read more

Product Description
Great recipes for the practical at heart-- includes a clear description of the advantages of low-cholesterol cooking, plus simple adaptations of great-tasting recipes from lasagne to stuffed mushrooms. ... Read more