Ukrainians had to fight hard for the right to be independent. When you recall somebody, who didn’t betray their roots, saved traditions and gave the chance to respect everything connected to Ukraine, you start feeling pride and consideration. Right before Easter, when Ukrainians prepare largesse for festive table, it’s a sin not to remember incredible Ukrainian host Daria Tsviek

Her cookery books have become legendary, and recipes are famous all over the world. Since school age Daria has started noting recipes from granny, mom and aunt, but couldn’t admit them to be popularizing Ukrainian cuisine and making her being famous.
The girl was born in Ternopil region in the far 1909 in the family of inspector in Ministry of Amenity and used to be among honored people and knew lots of tricks of sophisticated life. The girl graduated from gymnasium and got pedagogical degree. For almost 35 years she’s been working as a teacher of biology at school.
During post-war period Daria had to work as a chef in hospital’s canteen, where she found lots of fans of her cooking talent: using cheap products she could prepare tasty and refined dishes, which were as good as restaurant ones. After some time Daria Tsviek has started holding culinary courses for soviet officers’ wives and organizing festive dinners. Having a great taste, skills and being a hard-worker, she cooked well and decorated tables with taste. A lot of years of experience and hard work, dozens of prepared dishes and persuasion of gymnasium’s mate and writer Iryna Vilde became those aspects, with the help of which we have a real treasure nowadays – a book “Solodke pechyvo”.
Since 1960, the book has being republished for nine times and then was released with millions of editions.
What is the secret of such popularity? It’s in love and kindness, which lady Daria put into every dish. Daria Yakivna loved repeating, what should be cooked together when children work with parents, feeling needed in family. She was proud of Ukrainian cuisine, own life and proved how can one preserve and pass on national traditions through generations. Moreover, always be thankful and proud, when you cook using your mom or granny’s recipe. Wise and cheerful Daria Tsviek liked making jokes: “If something is burnt, don’t worry. It means that someone has a crush on you.” This is how lady Daria recalls about making Easter cake:” Women used to follow special tradition while kneading dough. Those times nobody could enter the house, because the dough might have been spoilt. Host was praying while kneading and on the dough made a sign of cross.
Before kneading dough, flower must be warmed near an oven and sieved through twice.
If the cake was well-made, the host was proud for the full. A good Easter cake was a good forecast for the whole year. Before baking the cake, top of it was decorated with batter: cross was first, between its lines cuckoo bird was places as a symbol of longevity. Spikelet was put around, formed from dough as a symbol of good harvest. Special ceremonies were followed not only while kneading, but also while baking. While Easter cake was in an oven, nobody could sit at home, because the cake could go flat. The cakes were made only round shaped: the bigger cake is, the more a host was proud.”
Various simple recipes can be found in cookery books of Galician hosts, there are recommendations and national customs, songs and children’s games. Such a book is a great present for a young host and a nice helper for experienced one.
This and other books by “The Old Lion Publishing House” are in “Lviv Chocolate Workshop”, 7, Maidan Peremohy Str.

Translated by Aliona Matushevich