Some of Ukrainian Traditional Foods

Foods definitions:

1. Varenyky (or pyrohy or perogies) are dough pockets filled with potato, or potato and cheddar cheese,or kapusta (sauerkraut), or cottage cheese, or blueberries, or cherries, or ... Ukrainian varenyky are boiled and resemble to various degrees Polish pierogi, Russian pilmeni, Italian ravioli,Jewish kreplach, or Chinese wonton. Varenyky are very are often served with onions and sour cream. Mmmmm. The word "varenyky" is used throughout Ukraine.The singular form of "varenyky" is "varenyk." Betcha' can't have just one! The word "pyrohy" is used by Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian descendents of pre World War I settlers from Western Ukraine. The singular form of "pyrohy" is "pyrih." The word "perogies" is a Canadianization/Americanization of "pyrohy."

2. Borshch is Ukrainian beet soup. Other spellings for "borshch" are "borsch" or "borscht." We prefer "borshch" which would be theofficial Library of Congress transliteration of the Ukrainian word.

3. Holubtsi are Ukrainian cabbage rolls. The filling is mainly rice with a small amount of hamburger (unlike other East European cabbagerolls which are mainly hamburger with a small amount of rice). Cabbage leaves are steamed to make them soft and then the filling is added. The holubtsi are placed in a large pot, covered with tomato soup (or sauce) and baked.The word "holub" in Ukrainian means "dove," and holubtsi are in theshape of a dove.

4. Kutya is a Christmas eve mixture of cooked wheat, poppyseed,and honey, served cold as a thick slightly liquid mixture. To do justice to this ambrosia, one should add sliced (candied) red cherries, sliced almonds, and a touch of sherry. Serve in crystal goblets.

5. Nalysnyky are the Ukrainian version of crepes. Actually crepes are the French version of nalysnyky.

6. Kovbasa is smoked Ukrainian ham sausage. In our opinion,the finest Ukrainian kovbasa in North America is "Marchyshyn's" from Edmonton. Opinions may vary.

7. Kyshka is a sausage made from buckwheat and blood. Don'task any more (especially during the Halloween season).

8. Horilka is the Ukrainian word for vodka.

9. "Kyiv" is the official Ukrainian government English language spelling of the capital city of Ukraine. So it's "Chicken KYIV" now.

Vareniky

Sometimes known as halushky, varenyky are small boiled dumplings made with rolled dough and filled with a special type of potato and cheese or some other filling. Almost all restaurants serve them, usually with either cheese or meat, and almost always with sour cream or a buttery sauce. Pyrohy usually refers to larger baked, pie-like varenyky filled with the same kinds of ingredients. Smaller, appetizer-sized versions of pyrohy are called pyrizhky, which are either baked or fried.