The varenukha is an authentic Ukrainian hot beverage, which is made of vodka or liquor with dried fruits, raisins, etc., honey, cinnamon or spicy roots. It is peculiarly cooked – mixed ingredients are placed in clay pot topped with dough or with a lid on, and then put into heated oven (from 5 hrs to 24 hrs). It is an easy-to-cook beverage however lots of time is required. Therefore if you want to surprise your guests, it’s better to take care of it beforehand.
The spotykach is commonly confused with liquors however there is a significant difference. The spotykach is sweeter, denser and more aromatic, and it is reckoned to be a dessert beverage. Following these directions any fruits can be used, nevertheless the recipe with blackcurrants is considered to be the classic one.
It is a common beverage throughout Western Ukraine – the dried plums were soaked in water and cooked until the fruits almost dissolve. The drink bears strong resemblance to a dense kissel.
In spite of a common opinion that arrow-wood is only a decorative bush it is well-known for its medicinal properties. It is used to cure flu – some people are used to make an arrow-wood tea, the others tend to eat it its berries. Moreover, one can make an age-old beverage kissel, which can help to fight thirst and will grant a necessary amount of vitamins.
The sbiten is an age-old Slavic beverage. It was well-loved in Kievan Rus for it unusual flavor and pleasant fragrance. It bears a resemblance to grog and mulled wine; however, the sbiten differs from its European brothers in using of alcohol – the Ukrainian drink is based on water.
The sbiten is a drink made with honey, different herbs and spices, which give it peculiar taste. This hot beverage possesses warming and anti-inflammatory effects, so it is served mostly in the winter.
Nevertheless,
The uzvar is a national Ukrainian beverage, cooked with dried fruits and berries. Moreover, some housewives tend to add species – cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg – that will give the drink an exotic flavor.
The main ingredients of uzvar are dried apples, pears, plums and raisins; sometimes fresh raspberries, blueberries or strawberries might be added. Nevertheless the protagonist and reason of inimitable flavor and fragrance is honey. It substitutes sugar.
The uzvar could be consumed both hot
Kissel is an original drink that is highly valued for its perfect taste, excellent aroma and useful properties, since Kievan Rus times.
In Rus fragrant and tasty kissel was made from oats, wheat and other cereal crops. Now it is boiled mostly from fresh or dries berries and fruits, fruit-and-berry juices and syrups adding potato or corn starch, which makes it very thick.
The starch makes kissel very nourishing and caloric, and fruits and berries - very healthy and rich with vitamins.
Besides fru
Kvass is a popular Slavic drink known since the Kievan Rus times. Made from rye or barley malt, it is not only very tasty, but refreshing and helpful for metabolic processes' normalization. Besides that, kvass is traditionally summer drink that perfectly slakes thirst and increases efficiency.
In order to make real kvass, you need minimum ingredients and maximum patience, for it is a very long process. Kvass's main components are rye bread, water, yeast and sugar. Some also add various herbs, d
In Ukraine dressed herring is mostly served at New Year celebration. It originated in Russia in the early 20th century and then spread to all former USSR cuisines including Ukrainian. Since then Shuba (literally: fur coat; colloquial name for dressed herring) is rightly considered to be national Ukrainian dish.
Shuba is multicomponent dish. Its mai
Pastry with poppy-seed stuffing is very popular in Ukrainian cuisine. The most frequent guest on Ukrainian table is poppy-seed roll. It is made of short pastry and baked in oven. This dish has an inimitable aroma and extraordinary taste.
Poppy-seed roll's traditional recipe has no other stuffing. But today, each housewife adds something special to
Easter cake is a traditional Ukrainian dish that formerly was cooked only for great holidays. Today this rich leavened bread is baked only for Easter, and from here derives its name.
Easter cake's distinctive feature is that it consists of many eggs and fats. The dough is rather heavy, and therefore, it should be kneaded for a long time. Kneading s