The Ukrainian Orthodox church not far from my childhood home served the best varenyky every Tuesday. There were lines out of the door before they opened. Potatoes, dough, sauerkraut, butter, sour cream…. comfort food perfection! They had different flavors every week, but you had to get there early to get those. Potato and sauerkraut were always my firm favorites. With the help of this book I can’t wait to make them for myself.

What to Expect from the Cookbook

This has something for everyone. There are recipes for omnivores and vegetarians alike. There are a handful of vegan recipes, but many others can be made vegetarian or vegan with substitutions. 

While primarily from Ukraine, you will find a handful of Georgian and Armenian recipes included. In the introduction Anna talks about about how the cuisines of Eastern Europe intertwine.

The recipes are broken down in to the following sections 

– Started salads and spreads 

– Soups and kashas

– Main dishes

– Breads crepes and dumplings 

– Pickles sauces and drinks

– Dessert

There is list of common pantry staples. Most of which can be found fairly easily.  Another helpful addition at the beginning of the book is a glossary of 12 Ukrainian words which she uses frequently in her writing. 

Each recipe has an English title with the Cyrillic underneath. I’m a bit of a language nerd so I tried to sound out all of the words for myself.

For those other language nerds out there, I used two apps to sound out the Cyrillic - Learn the Ukrainian Alphabet (aBeTKa Now) by Eugenio Grapa is free. 33 Letters Ukrainian Alphabet by Dmitri Romanov has in app purchases, but is slightly easier to use (no affiliates or commissions here, just apps I like)

What I like About this Cookbook

• There are vibrant, colorful, full-sized, mouthwatering photos with each recipe.

• Clear and concise directions. Helpful notes are often included.

• Each recipe contains a personal story. Often reminiscences of her childhood in Ukraine or trips taken home.

• Most ingredients are either easy to find or she suggests where you can find them or how you can replace them. A handful, like nettles and sorrel, I am not going to find where I live. But those were the exceptions. 

In this lovely cookbook, Anna Voloshyna conveys to readers the beauty of Ukraine, its people, and its culture.

Experience Level Needed

There are recipes here for cooks and bakers of all levels.

Testing Recipes

I have such a long list of recipes I want to try!

This week I made her roasted cabbage.

I know what you’re thinking. I had my doubts too, but it was amazing! Yes, I just described a roasted head of cabbage as amazing!

It was sweet, it melted in my mouth, it had a beautiful flavor. AMAZING!!

I will add more comments as I try more recipes.

Review 5/5

About the Author

Anna Voloshyna was born and raised in Ukraine, but now lives in the San Francisco area with her husband. She teaches cooking online and in person, has a beautiful blog filled with information and recipes. Currently she is returning to Ukraine to work on a documentary about how people are preserving traditional food culture during the war.

You can learn more about her here annavoloshyna.com

Cover art from Goodreads