The book offers a rich tapestry of Ukrainian culture through the lens of family recipes and traditions gathered over a decade. Olia Hercules shares the stories of her extraordinary family, highlighting their resilience, joy, and unique quirks alongside the culinary heritage that has shaped their lives. This blend of personal narrative and culinary exploration captures the essence of Ukraine's rich history and the enduring power of food as a connector across generations.
100 comforting recipes that unite us no matter where we are from and where we end up. In her most personal book yet, Olia Hercules distills a lifetime of kitchen curiosity into her 100 most loved recipes. She draws on her broad influences from all the places she has called home: her childhood in Ukraine; her years in Cyprus and Italy; her simple, plant-centric family meals in London; and the special festive recipes she has gleaned along the way. The recipes are nostalgic like Potatoes of my Childhood, they are trade secrets like Pasta with Confit Garlic, they interweave every day like Joe's Beetroot, Cornichon, Feta and Potatoes, and they make everything okay like Life-giving Rhubarb Cake. These recipes have been hand written, handed down and shared among friends. Dotted with vignettes from fellow chefs and food writers that explore different meanings and associations of home, this charming and extremely personal book from Olia offers irresistible recipes, charming storytelling and boundless heart.
'A complete revelation' NIGELLA LAWSON 'What a wonderful world Olia and this cookbook transport us to' ANNA JONES _______________________ This summer, here are the only recipes you need... What is a 'summer kitchen'? In Ukraine, it means a small cooking space located in the veg garden, away from the main house. Calling on fond childhood memories and countless conversations and cooking sessions, Olia Hercules shows how you can truly make the most of summery ingredients to create new, inventive and utterly delicious plates of food. Her recipes include Ukrainian favourites like: · burnt aubergine butter on tomato toast · sourdough garlic buns · poppyseed cake with elderflower and strawberries With each bite more delicious than the last. As you cook your way through generous salads, moreish mains and sweet delights, you'll discover a way of cooking that is both traditional and contemporary, because these techniques and flavour combinations have been handed down through generations, yet reworked for every home kitchen. Summer Kitchens also has a detailed chapter on fermentation, preserving and pickling (an ancient practice in Ukraine) that will inspire beginners and frequent picklers alike. It's a gorgeous way to discover sustainable, healthy and delicious food for the summer and beyond. _______________________ 'I'm so glad she's sharing these culinary secrets' MELISSA HEMSLEY
The Culinary Journey Through Georgia, Azerbaijan & Beyond
Olia Hercules introduces us to more than 100 recipes for vibrant, earthy, unexpected dishes from across the region such as Plum fruit leather, Chestnut plov with pumpkin crust, Quince stuffed with lamb & carmalised shallots, Vine leaf dolma, Village breakfast, Khachapouri, Armenian "cognac" profiteroles and Red basil sherbet
Winner of Fortnum & Mason's Debut Food Book Award 2016.
A celebration of the food, flavors, and heritage of Eastern Europe—from the Black Sea to Baku, Kiev to Kazakhstan—Mamushka features over 100 recipes for fresh, delicious, and unexpected dishes from this dynamic yet underappreciated region. Olia Hercules was born in Ukraine and lived in Cyprus for several years before moving to London and becoming a chef. In this gorgeous and deeply personal cookbook, she shares her favorite recipes from her home country with engaging and loving stories about her culinary upbringing and family traditions. Featuring personality and panache, Mamushka showcases the cuisine from Ukraine and beyond, weaving together vibrant food with descriptive narratives and stunning lifestyle photography. From broths and soups to breads and pastries, vegetables and salads to meat and fish, dumplings and noodles to compotes and jams. You’ll also find some of Olia’s favorite dishes, like a Moldovan giant cheese twist and garlicky poussins, to sublime desserts such as apricot and sour cherry pie and a birthday sponge cake with ice cream, strawberries, and meringue. Including new flavor combinations, vibrant colors, seasonal ingredients and straightforward cooking techniques, Mamushka’s earthy dishes appeal to home chefs everywhere. Join Olia on this delicious and diverse culinary tour through Eastern Europe.