VARENYKY DAY
I made sure to learn how to cook as much authentic, traditional Ukrainian food as possible. I wanted to really immerse myself in the culture and be able to share that culture with others via tasty treats. One Fall, after a Summer of English camps, I did a city tour to visit all the churches we did camp with as a post-camp follow up. I asked each of my hosts to teach me how to make a Ukrainian cuisine staple, and they jumped at the chance to do so. Ukrainians love the opportunity to teach you their language and about their culture, as they are so proud of how far they have come from such a difficult history. It is deeply meaningful to them that one would take the time to learn about their home simply for the joy and appreciation of it.
My Ukrainian culinary arsenal includes: borshch (борщ), varenyky (вареники), mlynsti (млинсті), and holubtsi/cabbage rolls (Голубцы). I don’t make them very often, as most recipes are quite the commitment...we’re talking hours. My last batch of varenyky took me over 8 hours, split between two days. Sooo...ya...it’s a lot of work but well worth all the effort!
I make sure to find the freshest, most authentic (or as close as I can get) ingredients I can. I want to respect the dish and its heritage. I want every bite to transport the taster to a cozy Ukrainian kitchen where a sweet, rosy-cheeked Ukrainian baba (grandma) has lovingly and expertly prepared each bite just for you. That’s how I feel when I eat these dishes; I get all warm and fuzzy, remembering the love and care put into them when they were made for me.
Varenyky are my favorite. I’m just going to call it out, pick a side, and admit that I have chosen a winner when it comes to Ukrainian food. They even have a whole day in Ukraine dedicated to varenyky! Yes, I love eating all the different varieties (raspberry varenyky from Varenichnaya Cafe in Cherkasy, Ukraine are my absolute favorite…drooling just thinking about them), but it’s the memories associated with these delightful pillows of deliciousness that land this dish the number one spot in my heart.
My first Varenyky Day in Ukraine changed my life. I had been teaching a couple English classes for a church, Christ Fellowship, which happen to be just down the way from my apartment. The pastor and one of the youth leaders, Tanya (who, soon thereafter, quickly became my best friend in Ukraine), invited me to come to the church’s annual Varenyky Day gathering (before I even attended their church or knew anyone). Filled with anxiety, I stepped out of my comfort zone and said yes. Y'all, I loved every moment.
The person who changed everything was Valya, the pastor’s wife’s mom and everyone’s adopted grandma. She was a kindred spirit. Valya bounded over to me and quickly took me under her wing to show me the ropes and introduce me to any and every one who would listen. She was one of the most joyful people I had ever met. I could tell the moment I met her that she laughed, loved, and lived big! I love Valya. I looked at this woman and saw myself...well, my 70-year-old, Ukrainian version of myself. God knew what He was doing that day. He knew I needed Valya, and Christ Fellowship, in my life.
That was the day I discovered, without a shadow of a doubt, those people were my Ukrainian home, my family. That day gave me hope that, at the time, I did not know I desperately needed, but would tap into every time things got dark. AND I learned that making varenyky is a family affair, something to be done in community with love and laughter.
Making Ukrainian food is not just to provide tasty treats to my American friends and family, it’s a way I can share that piece of my life with them. I get to show them a part of me they didn’t get to experience first-hand. I want them to taste (literally and figuratively) and see what Ukraine meant, and still means to me.
