The political and national history of Ukraine is not one of stability. What we know as present-day Ukraine was only defined on the 30 December 1922, after the Soviet-Ukrainian War came to an end and Ukrainian Bolsheviks established the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (the UkSSR, rather than the USSR for all of you who hate misnomers!). Under the control of Russia, Ukraine only gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Block in late 1991, thus becoming the Ukraine we know today.
Before this, the landmass of modern-day Ukraine was owned by various worldly powers: Imperial Russia, the Hapsburg Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Mongol Empire, and even before that, the Greeks, and the Romans. Ukraine has a history of instability, constant warring over its territory and global superpowers fighting for dominance. The coveted nature of the landmass comes for many reasons, one being its geographical sandwiching between historic “East” and “West”, with Istanbul as its southern counterpart. Predominantly, however, Ukraine’s importance and value to all these empires and colonisers, came from its soil.
Two-thirds of Ukraine, a vast area as Ukraine is the second-largest country in geographic Europe behind Russia, constitutes of “chernozems”: rare black soils, rich in carbonates and humus and, vitally, the most fertile land on earth. This, along with its temperate climate, makes Ukraine the superlative ecosystem for arable farming, thus why it earns its title as the “breadbasket of the world”.
“Throughout the unstable history of Ukraine, the only true stability can be found in this agrarian culture, a country and people rooted in land and nature, and this is very much echoed in Ukraine’s cuisine”
Before the war that currently engulfs the country, Ukraine was the world’s fourth largest corn exporter and fifth biggest wheat seller, the number one sunflower and sunflower oil exporter and the fourth-largest potato producer. Ukraine’s economy is pillared by its agricultural practice and culture, with 41% ($27.8bn) of its exports in 2021 being agricultural products. Indeed, throughout the unstable history of Ukraine, the only true stability can be found in this agrarian culture, a country and people rooted in land and nature, and this is very much echoed in Ukraine’s cuisine.
Determined by the land and agrarian culture the cuisine of Ukraine is not meat-centric, unlike many other European countries, and treats arable and dairy ingredients as pivotal. This is best exemplified in Ukraine’s national dish, red borscht. Originating as a simple cow-parsnip broth – the vegetable from which it gets its name (borshch meaning cow-parsnip) – and popular amongst Ukrainian rural communities, borscht was created sometime in the Middle Ages. It then developed over time, with different herbs and vegetables being added to the traditional recipe by various tribal groups. The famous red borscht that is Ukraine’s national dish today came about by beetroot being added; various myths about Cossacks adding beets during sieges and raids for want of other vegetables sprung to life, but it most likely began in the late 17th or early 18th century. Borscht is made with a huge variety of vegetables and, sometimes, pork fat, but its primary ingredients and those that give it such a unique flavour are potatoes and beetroot. All borschts are different depending on family and area. Thus, borscht epitomises Ukraine’s history of differing ethnic groups occupying one land. However, all share a common theme, that of utilising the land for sustenance, using every vegetable available, whether that be cabbage, onions, celeriac, carrots or mushrooms and often served with sour cream all types of borscht epitomise the agrarian culture of Ukraine, and its different variations the rich and unstable history of the country.
This instability in the history of the country influencing the culture and therefore cuisine is echoed throughout Ukrainian dishes. Ukraine, due to its geographical location, was and is influenced by both Eastern and Western powers and, as it was occupied by tribal colonies constantly moving and shifting in power dynamics, holds a rich history of differing ethnic groups.
“These roaming tribes spread varenyky across Eastern Europe and various regions, much like with borscht, began to add their own twists and flavours”
This element of Ukraine’s history is exemplified in another national dish of the country, varenyky. These simple boiled dough dumplings originated as a staple food for the tribes that roamed the region that is current-day Ukraine, being both portable and filling. Once again, the agrarian culture of Ukraine is paramount, as varenyky were created to make the most out of all ingredients, using a simple dough of flour, water, and salt, and filling the dumplings with whatever ingredients were available. As time went on, these roaming tribes spread varenyky across Eastern Europe and various regions, much like with borscht, began to add their own twists and flavours. Varenyky fillings and flavours range; in Ukraine, they have been adopted as a symbol of hospitality, often being filled with potatoes and cheeses, once again reinforcing the arable culture. However, no matter what they are filled with, varenyky, like borscht, remains a staple of Ukrainian cuisine and exemplifies how the history and ecosystem of a country greatly influence both its culture and food.
Of course, the question must be asked of, arguably, Ukraine’s most renowned dish, the chicken Kyiv. However, as it turns out, this dish which gets its name from Ukraine’s capital city is, in actuality, French. Some argue that it came from Russian high-end chefs being sent to Paris to learn French cooking in the mid-19th century, some argue that it was French chefs in Russian courts that created it. Either way, this dish’s origins not being Ukrainian reinforces the idea of their arable and dairy-based cuisine and complements France’s far more poultry and meat-centric cuisine.
To finish, Ukraine’s history is one of instability, one of constant variation and an ever-changing people. The one stability of the country’s past is its agrarian culture, the people’s focus on the arable and dedication to the fertility of the land. Both these ideas are echoed in its cuisine, with a focus on vegetables and dairy products, making the most of ingredients, and ever-changing recipes from ever-changing people.
“Thus, the “breadbasket of the world” is unable to produce what so defines both the country’s culture and cuisine”
However, the one thing that stands out the most regarding their cuisine is Ukraine’s powerful agricultural community; a community that now greatly suffered since the Russian invasion in 2022, causing significant damage to crop yields, potentially cutting them in half. Thus, the “breadbasket of the world” is unable to produce what so defines both the country’s culture and cuisine.
