Ukrainian Super Food - Horseradish! Хрін

miller nurseries

If you have ever been in a Ukrainian home, you quickly recognize the beet relish made with horseradish as a favourite! This special condiment is served often, in so many different ways. But more about that later.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) хрін  is a wonder food. It is a perennial plant originating in south-eastern Europe (Ukraine area?) related to cabbage and mustard, and has some similar qualities, but interestingly enough, recently received attention for its cancer-fighting compounds. Glucosinates increase the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and may support the suppression of tumor growth. Horseradish has up to 10 times more of this wonderful compound (the stuff that gives it the hot taste) than broccoli.

Horseradish has a centuries long tradition. A tea brewed from its flowers can help fight the common cold, root tea makes an expectorant, root mash can treat joint pain, raw leaves are a natural analgesic, and the ancients pressed leaves on the forehead to eliminate a headache. Horseradish infusion is known to have antibiotic properties against certain fungi.

Not a scientist, I can attest to horseradish's appeal, especially when I am under the weather. It just calls out to me! I have been known to take the horseradish and ground beet mixture straight, or heaped on breakfast toast. The juice does wonders on my sinuses and throat. My body seems to know it is good for me. My insides thank me too. If it happens to eliminate cancerous tumors, or whatever therapeutic power it has, I am so blessed to have loved it for itself first. It tastes great. Maybe if I get in the habit of eating it often, as my ancient family must have done, it will help me stay healthy a long time. Hope so!

Horseradish isn't hard to grow.  All over Calgary, in back alleys and hidden behind fences or in wild places no-one cares for, some industrious acolyte has planted a little slip of horseradish - and it has grown to giant size.  It is resistant to low temperatures, and droughts.  It grows well in shade, in warm areas, and places rich in humus.  It can grow two metres tall!  It can be really annoying though if you plant it in a domestic plot because it is almost impossible to remove.  It has a tap root that grows forever.

If you have horseradish in sight, you can harvest the leaves, the stem, the roots - oh so many uses!

Try this beet and horseradish relish! Буряки з хроном  4 cups ground cooked beets, 3/4 cups ground horseradish, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups vinegar.  Combine the ingredients and seal in jars.  You can vary the amount of horseradish according to taste.  (It is best to grind the horseradish the old fashioned way with a meat grinder, but you can also chop the pulpy bits into pieces and process in a food processor or blender.)

Home Decorating - Ukrainian Infused

amk2012

Finding the inspiration to decorate your home can be tricky - it is hard to wear someone else's design.  However, if you love Ukrainian culture, folklore, and arts, perhaps it is easier than you think?





amk2012

In an earlier blog post, I wondered what my daughters should take from our family home when they move.  An embroidered pillow, paintings from our collection of Ukrainian artists, and a bowl of pysanky - these came to mind instantly.  But there is so much more! I hope their homes feel Ukrainian too!
http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/07/hope-springs-eternal.html



amk2012

A friend recently recommended I pick up Ukrainian Style, a book co-authored by an American mission traveler in Ukraine and an interior designer - and I was pleasantly surprised to have discovered another admirer, not only of Ukrainian culture, but its truly human soul! A beautiful, hard-cover publication, Ukrainian Style exhuberantly celebrates Ukrainian arts in home decor.  Love it!


The book is beautiful beautiful enough for a coffee table book, but really, really much more! Whether you are interested in expressing your sense of beauty through Ukrainian arts in your home, or you are drawn by the professional interior decorating advice, delicious recipes and cultural references, this volume is a lovely tabletop companion.   The photos are just spectacular, and of course, a picture can tell at least a thousand words!

Linda Wicklund and Alecia Stevens are celebrating village life and bringing it home in Ukrainian Style. Referencing great Ukrainian museums and resource people in the Eastern US it is evident the authors have decided to represent Ukrainian folk traditions and fine arts rather accurately.  And I appreciate that proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Zolotonosha Youth Center, in Zolotonosha, Ukraine.  In this way, the authors have dedicated this volume to Ukraine's future - its children!

To purchase this lovely book contact www.yevshan.com or www.UkrainianStyle.com.   A wonderful way to infuse Ukrainian style into your home decor - and pass it on!

Ukrainian Gingerbread Man?



amazon.com

Oh, little Gingerbread cookie, I can't hear your singing!  Please come closer! No, closer yet!  Oh, just jump here on this long tongue of mine so I can hear your sweet singing.....

The Ukrainian folk tale has its own little twists and its own folkloric charm.  Whether you call him Medivnyk, Prianyk, or  Kolobok, or Pampushok, or ......the Little Honey Bun Story is a fun story for this fall season.  Reading the story, considering all the beautiful ethnographic messages in the colorful illustrations, and then singing the melodies of the folksong to a loved little person - or maybe a loved grown up?  How much fun is that?

In the traditional Ukrainian folk tale, the little pyrih, or small honey bun, comes alive and escapes from Baba, then from Dido, then from the rabbit, and the bear, but the wolf loves to hear the singing!  Pryanik (or little Kolobok) sings, "I escaped from Baba, I escaped from Dido, and I will run away from you too!" to each of his captors, until the wolf asks him to come closer, closer and then.......

What a delightful way to enjoy time with the children!

wikipedia.com

Honey has been one of Ukraine's traditional riches for thousands of years.  So using honey to bind a variety of flours (rye), makes for crisp little honey and spice cookies that rise well in the oven and have an extended shelf life.  They have been a traditional part of the Ukrainian palate forever.  The word "pryanosti" refers to them being exotic and spiced! Local tastes like berries (for their color and flavour) and nuts have always played their part too!

Medivnychky gained international accalim early in the 9th century, during medieval times.  Kings and royalty of Kievan Rus' attracted a lot of affluent visitors, while Kiev itself was an early crossroads for international commerce of the day.  Exotic smells, flavours and techniques and imported spices like  cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and citrus fruits (candied peels), nutmeg and peppercorns made for a popular treat! 

Today, medivnychki, prianiki, and kolobok recipes involve cookie presses, they can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, painted with icing, or dusted lightly with sugars!

 

For a great traditional Ukrainian Tistechko - Medivnyk - Pryanik- try this lovely recipe. Enjoy!!

(Baba used a variant of this lovely and easy recipe.  The last part, adding the last bits of flour to the dough is the best part, everyone can participate and use up the excess energy in the house!)

Mix together 3 eggs, and 1 cup sugar until thick, creamy and light yellow. 
Heat 1 cup honey over a low heat with spices until the honey bubbles at the sides of the pot. Spices to try - 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cardamom.  Next time through, choose different spices!
Combine the dry ingredients, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp soda, 2 cups flour and use a standing mixer to make a stiff dough. 
Wrap the dough ball and chill it in a refrigerator for an hour. 
Prepare the pans with shortening and preheat the oven.
Remove the dough ball.  Gradually add up to 2 more cups flour to make a soft rolling dough, moldable and not sticky. The better the dough is mixed, the higher the cookies will rise.
Roll the dough 1 cm thick and cut out small 4 cm rounds, re-rolling to use up the excess.   
Leave plenty of room between the medivnychki-pryaniki.  You can brush them lightly with egg for a soft glaze at this point.
Bake 10-15 minutes, or until slightly brown at 350 degrees.
Medivnychki burn easily and they will come out of the oven soft, but will crisp up quickly.
Remove, cool on sheets, and dust with icing sugar, or glaze with icing. 
Simple, old fashioned, and delicious!  Enjoy!

Store these cookies in a sealed tin, the flavour will mature with time, but they probably won't last that long.

Pryaniky, pryaniky, ya tebe z'iim!

Perhaps it is time for tistechka z molokom???

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/08/medivnyk-honey-cake-of-gods.html