Foods From Around the World: Ukrainian Sour Cherry Dumplings
Welcome back to Foods From Around the World! Today we’ll explore a popular breakfast or dessert dish served in many Eastern European countries, but particular to the Ukraine: varenyky, or sour cherry dumplings.
One of the highlights of my semester abroad last Fall in Turkey was hopping on a plane across the Black Sea to Odessa Ukraine, and making my way up to Kiev, where my family traces some of our roots to. It was already pretty nippy outside when I visited in November, and we warmed ourselves up everyday by eating lots and lots of dumplings! My favorite was definitely the sour cherry variety. Sour cherries are not the most common fruit to find in the US, but they have a unique sweetness and tartness that complements many baked goods. Sour cherry scones (with chocolate) are also amazing!
For a warm, satisfying and traditional Ukrainian meal, cook up some dumplings and serve warm with a dollop of cool sour cream!
Check out this (not so crazy) step-by-step recipe for perfect sour cherry dumplings. I’m sure if you are having a hard time finding sour cherries or prefer another filling, apples, pears, or even smoked salmon and cream cheese would be great substitutes. Enjoy!
-Alex Golub