Festive Ukrainian Cooking

In the old Ukraine, cuisine was a highly developed art form. Traditional cookery, here evoked in an assortment of menus and recipes, reflected the productivity of a rich farming and sheepraising region, celebrated the festivals in the church calendar and marked important family milestones - births, christenings, name days, betrothals, weddings and commemorations of the dead. In addition to instructions designed for the modern kitchen, 36 drawings illustrate the correct technique for filling dumplings and cabbage rolls and the artistry involved in baking the famous Ukrainian Easter ""paska"" and wedding breads. A reference section and note on sources may be an aid to scholars and all concerned with the preservation of Ukrainian culture. ""Festive Ukrainian Cooking"" is also an account of traditional Ukrainian culture as perpetuated in family rituals and celebrated with food and drink. Working from original sources in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish, Marta Pisetska Farley arranges these recipes as they were enjoyed throughout the year, beginning with the Christmas season and ending with dishes made with wild mushrooms gathered in the fall. Chapter introductions describe the folkways associated with major holidays and family events and the symbolic and celebratory role of food appropriate to each.