Growing up, Anna Voloshyna was not allowed to cook. Her mom and grandmother made a hard and fast rule that she couldn’t use the stove until she was 16. So on weekends when her matriarchs made hundreds of varenyky, or Ukrainian dumplings, she would take a backseat.
“My mom and grandma would chat and gossip, and I was in charge of arranging all of them in rows,” Voloshyna remembers. “I was able to pick the fillings-cabbage, cherry, potatoes. We would eat some and freeze the rest. My grandma had a separate freezer just for varenyky and dumplings.”
This was the way of life in her small town of Snihurivka in South Ukraine, about 120 miles from historic Odessa. Home cooking was how people survived since there were barely any restaurants open after the fall of the USSR in 1991. It was also a way to preserve Ukrainian identity, something the Soviet occupation tried to eradicate for nearly 70 years.
The country’s distinct culinary culture is on full display in Voloshyna’s new cookbook, Budmo!, which means “let us be,” and is being released later this month. In it, she details her upbringing and traditions she retained upon moving to the United States, as well as nearly 100 recipes-from soups to crepes to pickles-that showcase Ukraine’s culinary history.
“I wanted to educate people about Ukrainian cuisine. Especially right now, it’s important to tell people we are not Russia,” she says. “We are at war, fighting for our culinary culture and identity as a nation. The book was done before the war started. The original subtitle was ‘festive recipes from Ukraine,’ but I changed it to ‘recipes from a Ukrainian kitchen’ because there is a lot of pain right now. I hope this can be a tiny bridge to our culture.”
Voloshyna, herself, has been a cultural bridge to her home country. She moved to Kiev for college at the age of 17, and brought her family’s traditions with her. In her dorm room, she and her friends would drink wine and use the empty bottles to shape spimini, or meat dumplings, and make crepes and heaping bowls of borscht. “We started hosting cooking parties and everyone would come over,” she recalls.
Just four years later, she made the big move to Northern California with her now-husband and continued adapting her family’s recipes for an American crowd. She remembers having to adjust to expensive, low quality produce at big supermarkets, and was grateful when she found the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco.
One of her favorite meals to prepare is her grandma’s roasted duck, which is featured in the cookbook. For any special occasion, her grandmother would roast a duck in the dutch oven with tart apples and finish it by smearing everything with whole garlic and a bit of rough salt.
“When I make it for my family and friends, I lessen the garlic,” Voloshyna says. “This was probably the first dish I made in our small Palo Alto apartment, and they loved it. People think duck is tough or gamey, but try my duck and then we’ll talk.”
Another hugely important dish in her cookbook is the iconic Slavic soup of borscht. Voloshyna shows how to make three variations-red, green, and a cold version for summer-and explains how its cultural connotations have impacted her.
“People eat borscht multiple times a week and this is such a quintessential Ukrainian dish-it’s not just another soup,” she says. “The USSR tried to erase the culinary identity of nations, they wanted to make everything Russian. They tried to erase Ukrainian borscht, Georgian wine-making. Countries survived by making and preserving these things at home.”
A tradition Voloshyna is continuing to preserve is weekend varenyky. Similar to a Polish pierogi, varenyky is always boiled and never fried (unless you’re reheating them). Unlike a pierogi, there is no cheese mixed inside with the mashed potatoes, but they look pretty much the same and are both served with sour cream.
For this version, she says the best thing to use is sour cherries, but you can substitute for frozen dark cherries. She advises not to overstuff the dumplings and be sure to drain the liquid beforehand because the filling will thin out once they’re boiled. A good rule of thumb is a three-inch, cookie-cutter dumpling should have no more than three cherries inside.
“The cornstarch in the filling will thicken them a bit, and really works wonders,” she says. “Usually, I make these for my husband for a weekend breakfast or brunch. It’s such a great family meal.”
In the end, Voloshyna hopes that Budmo! can open readers minds to the importance of Slavic food traditions and, specifically, what it means to be Ukrainian-especially now.
“People want to move on and want this war to be over because we have a lot of different problems in this world,” she says. “But by learning about Ukrainian cuisine and making borscht in your kitchen, it keeps the conversation going. It’s a way for us to know you’re still with us.”
Ingredients: • Varenyky dough (see below) • ½ pound pitted fresh or thawed frozen dark cherries (from about 1¾ pound unpitted cherries) • ¼ cup graduated sugar • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1 tablespoon graduated sugar, for cooking • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for serving • 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, for serving (optional)
1. Make the dough as directed and let rest for 30 minutes. 2. While the dough rests, make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir gently to mix well. Set aside. 3. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half. Set half aside and cover with a kitchen towel. Roll out the other dough half into a large round ⅛-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or overturned glass, cut out as many dough rounds as possible. Lift away any dough scraps and set aside. Roll out the remaining dough half and cut out more rounds the same way. Press together all the dough scraps, roll out, and cut out more rounds. 4. Dust a large sheet pan or cutting board with flour. To shape each dumpling, place 2 cherries in the center of a dough round and fold theround in half to create a half-moon, being careful to press out any air and to pinch the edges to seal securely. Transfer the dumpling to the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. 5. When all the dumplings are shaped, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the granulated sugar. Drop the dumplings into the boiling water, stir them gently with a spoon to prevent them from sticking together, and cook for 5-7 minutes. When they are plump and floating on top, they’re done. Using a wire skimmer or other broad slotted utensil, fish the dumplings out of the water and drop them into a large bowl. 6. Drizzle the dumplings with the butter and gently toss to coat evenly. If you want additional sweetness, sprinkle the dumplings with the superfine sugar. Serve right away.Varenyky Dough Yield: Enough for 36-42 dumplings
Ingredients: • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 whole egg • 1 egg yolk • ¾ cup water • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
Directions: 1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the whole egg, egg yolk, water, and oil to the well. 2. Carefully whisk the egg mixture with a fork until combined. Then, using the fork, gradually draw the flour into the egg mixture and mix until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. 3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. 4. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The dough can also be refrigerated for up to 6 hours and then brought to room temperature before rolling it out. Use as directed in individual recipes.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Jess Mayhugh is the editorial director of Food & Drink for Thrillist. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Despite the fact that they were first introduced to the world in 3500 BC, chia seeds became “trendy” around 2012. Wellness blogs everywhere touted the ancient superfood for its innumerable health benefits, and we found a way to sneak them into just about any recipe that could do with a little more fibre. But if you read the back of an average pouch, it was likely the brand had zero connection to the seed’s Aztec and Mayan origins.
Luckily things are changing, and we’re starting to see more and more members of the Latinx community take ownership of the superfoods that have long-fueled their cultures-from chocho and nopales to quinoa, and amaranth. Take, for example, The Pinole Project, a family-run oatmeal brand specializing in the Aztec superfood that is pinole, a ground heirloom corn sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico. The Mexican-American Jacquez family founded The Pinole Project to honour their grandmother, Adela, who would add pinole to many of her dishes-specifically avena, or slow-cooked oatmeal. “Adela had a lot on her plate and looked to high-quality food to help push through her physically and mentally exhausting days raising a family and working on her and my grandfather’s humble ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico,” says Bella Jacquez, head of marketing for The Pinole Project.
Pinole offers sustained, plant-based energy, with high levels of fibre and protein. “It has a low glycemic index and is a complex carbohydrate, so it’s digested slowly, providing slow-burning energy which keeps you full for longer,” Jacquez says. That also means no spike or crash. “Many of our customers comment that they’ll eat a serving before or after an intense workout and will feel full for hours.”
It’s no wonder that pinole is a popular food among the Tarahumara, an indigenous community residing in the Sierra Madre region of Chihuahua. They’re renowned for their long-distance running ability, calling themselves the Rarámuri, which, in their native language, means “light feet” or “runners on foot.”Jacquez’s grandfather, Arsenio, learned the language of the Tarahumana as a young child, and over the course of his 85 years of life, developed lasting bonds with them. “He used to go to the mountains with his father to trade with the Tarahumara, often serving as an interpreter,” Jacquez explains. “My grandparents would welcome Tarahumara into their home to provide shelter when needed, and to share stories. They were able to learn about the culture of running and pinole’s role as a nutritious pre-running meal.”
But beyond the health benefits and reverence to tradition, pinole tastes good. The brand’s oatmeal is a rethinking of your average Quaker Oats, with subtle hints of corn that add a welcome nuttiness.
Most important to the company, however, is its mission to tell the stories of their ancestors. “We believe we’re messengers trying to connect the past, present, and future-inspiring more people to connect with pinole, Mexican history, and food culture,” Jacquez says.
To incorporate more ancestral foods into everyday meals, check out these Latinx superfood brands:
A packet of Pinole Chia Oatmeal includes non-GMO heirloom corn, chia seeds, cinnamon, raw vegan cane sugar, and gluten-free oats, offering gut-friendly prebiotics that can aid in digestion. Each serving has 10 grams of fibre and 8-14 grams of protein depending on flavour. You can enjoy the corn-sugar-cinnamon combo on its own, or opt for the Banana Cinnamon and PB & Cacao flavours. A chuck in the microwave makes for a great, steamy bowl of oats in the morning, but you can also incorporate the mix into baked oats, overnight oats, waffles, pancakes, and muffins. “I find that when I’m craving something sweet, I’ll swap out the flour in cookie recipes with our original flavoured product and bake some delicious protein and fibre pinole cookies,” Jacquez says.
This single-source, plant-based protein powder was founded by fifth-generation Ecuadorian farmer and former professional athlete, Ricky Echanique. It’s made from chocho, a powerful lupin that has been harvested for thousands of years by indigenous farmers. The protein grows in the Andes Mountains and contains plant fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, all nine essential amino acids, and as much calcium per serving as a glass of milk. Plus, it’s naturally regenerative, thriving on rain water alone and pulling nitrogen deep into the soil as it grows, making it more fertile for future crops. There are three varieties available-pure chocho, vanilla, and cacao-which each blend seamlessly into anything from smoothies to veggie burgers.
These crunchy snacks are made from nopales, the fiber-packed cactus pads that are a staple of Mexican cuisine (they’re on the flag, symbolizing the time when the Aztecs founded Mexico City, after seeing an eagle on top of a nopal). Nopales are rich in vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals. When she moved to Chicago from Mexico City, founder Regina Trillo noticed a scarcity of nutritious, Latinx-owned food brands in the “ethnic aisle.” So she developed the Cheeto-like Nemi Snacks, which feature, in addition to nopal, some other Aztec superfoods, like amaranth, an ancient grain similar to quinoa, and spirulina, a blue-green algae that acts as a powerful antioxidant. The sticks come in four Latin-inspired flavors-Chile Turmeric, Churro, Mexican Lime, and Smoky Chipotle.
Born in Ecuador to a banana farmer and agricultural entrepreneur, Saskia Sorrosa founded Fresh Bellies, a family snack brand designed for preschoolers and their parents. Sorroso believes these snacks-made with the ancient whole grain sorghum-can train palates to crave savory flavors instead of sugars or extra saltiness. Sorghum is gluten-free, low in fat, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, has 22 grams of protein in one cup, and is a great source of fibre. The Groovies line features puffs that get their flavouring from actual vegetables, seasoned with spices inspired by Sorrosa’s heritage that you rarely find in kid food, like sage and garlic.
LiveKuna works directly with farmers in Ecuador to supply superfoods that are distributed worldwide. Friends Carlos Gutiérrez and Santiago Stacey launched with chia seeds, eventually incorporating other locally grown superfoods, like quinoa and amaranth, into cereals, pastas, and snack puffs. “We started this company out of curiosity and frustration knowing that 99% of chia seeds grown in our own country were being exported, and our own people who produced, were not taking advantage of this amazing seed. LiveKuna was then created to promote and bring superfood consumption back to its roots,” Santiago says on the brand’s website.
Husband-and-wife duo Lisa and Ismael Petrozzi founded Llamaland with the intent to celebrate Peru, home of some of the most nutritious superfoods in the world. Their cereals and spreads feature lesser-known superfood ingredients like arracacha, the “white carrot” of the Andes, sacha inchi, known as the “nut of the Incas,” and camu camu, one of the world’s most abundant sources of natural vitamin C. The brand’s best-selling Lucuma Superfruit Spread is made of the ancient superfruit lucuma, or the “gold of the Incas.” You can smear this caramel-like spread on pancakes, or use it to top off ice cream.
Get the latest from Thrillist Australia delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe here .
Jessica Sulima is a staff writer on the Food & Drink team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.