Good Friday Prayers

 it is Good Friday , the holiest day of the Christian calendar. All of our prayers should go to those suffering around the world and especially in the Ukraine and those displaced elsewhere. 

Hope and pray that they can enjoy their Palm Sunday and Easter without fear and with a good meal. The same goes for those observing Passover. 

Some of us have already begun our Easter baking yet our prayers are not only for a well turned out cake but for everyone to enjoy a holiday full of sweets and Spring hopefulness.

In Celebration Of Ukranian Food

 Our hearts and prayers are with the people of The Ukraine right now.This country was the birthplace of Russian culture and some of their classic foods. They have contributed immensely to the international table.

New York City has the largest Ukrainian populations in the United States. If you live in or near New York, please show your support and visit the many eateries owned by Ukranian-Americans. Try  Vesslega  on Second Ave for borscht and pierogi.Also on Second is Ukranian East Village restaurant. What is good at these recipes and in the cuisine? Start with borscht , the famed beet soup. It's a mix of sliced beets,beef shanks  or ribs and potatoes. Carrots, tomatoes and the Slavic staple cabbage are also added along with garlic and red wine for flavor.each bowl is topped with a generous dollop of sour cream. This can also be made at home for a different type of  week day dinner.The Ukraine is also known for their dumplings or varenyky . They're identical to their Polish cousins the pierogi. The dough isn't a simple one. Sour cream, butter and milk are added for a rich , chewy dough. The fillings can be potato or an indulgent cheese one made with cottage or farmer's cheese. There is also a sauerkraut one , that's also filled with onions and butter and a sweet one made with blueberries, cinnamon and lemon zest.

Of course the best known and loved recipe of the country is the Paska or Easter bread made for the Russian Orthodox Easter.It' is a light sweet bread , baked in special tall tins and decorated with a glaze and sprinkles>lemon zest or orange peel give it extra flavor. There are other  recipes too, including deruny from northern Ukraine. They are similar to potato pancakes found in Germany and Poland , with the shredded potatoes mixed with onion and eggs to form cakes. These are fried and served with either sour cream or a mushroom sauce.Nalysnyky are another sort of pancake or crepe. Traditionally they're made with buckwheat flour, flour or cornmeal and filled with sweet cottage cheese and berries or fried mushrooms. what would Ukrainian cuisine be without chicken Kyiv? It's known the world over and served in the finest restaurants. Parsley is finely chopped with a clove of garlic and added to six tablespoons of butter. A pinch of hot pepper is added as is salt.  This is shaped into a cylinder and chilled. While it's sitting in the fridge, chicken breasts are tenderized with a mallet  The cylinder is then sliced in two and the breasts are wrapped around them. They're then dipped in egg , followed by bread crumbs and fried. They're a lovely , elegant Sunday supper , served with a simple salad.

Our hearts stand with this culinary giant. Their recipes stand tall like the proud , brave people. Honor and support them and their dishes.

What This War Means

 Sadly we're in another war and one that affects everyone on the planets. Along with the destruction of all life, it has a serious impact on our food and crops world wide. Expect some major and drastic changes  to how we eat and shop.

The Ukraine has bee known as the bread basket of Europe but also of Africa and Asia too. Many countries , from Egypt to Sudan, Nigeria and Tanzania to name a few rely on their

 wheat along with barley and maize.Lebanon will be severely hit because a good portion of their grains come from the area. The area is rich in sunflowers and sunflower oil is one of the staples in Chinese and Indian cuisines. From an agricultural perspective this does benefit some African farmers. There will be a need for grains grown locally and that means an increase in production. yet there's also an international ripple effect that touches us here back in the States. It's surprisingly a plus in all this darkness, Like African farmers US and even Canadian ones will step in and help with the supply chain as per Farm Policy News from University of Illinois. Another problem is that Russia is the biggest importer of fertilizer world wide. economic sanctions against it could easily result in farming and production products. (although we could always find another country to fill in for that).

Prices are already high  to begin with thanks to the pandemic and supply chain problems. Cold cuts are almost ten dollars for a package. Cookies are up thanks to the price of sugar. Dairy is going up too. what will happen a few months into this war. Could a roast chicken cost twenty dollars? Or will tomatoes be eight or nine dollars a pound? With hopes and prayers this conflict won't hast long thanks to  some kind of intervention. If not we may have to look to our own backyards for help. It is easy to live off one's land. It's time to think about growing veggies and berries. We can easily grow everything from those tomatoes to melons to even corn in our yards and community gardens. We may have to go vegan, eliminating dairy and meat, The problem is that soy prices may go up  which eliminate some vegan products. Again ,luckily for everyone mung beans are now a big part of vegetarian products like Beyond Burgers and Just Egg. We may not need to rely on purely soy products as a meat sub in ;

This conflict is not only vile and unnecessary but disruptive. It will affect every aspect  of the food chain , from farming to baked goods. Hopefully it will end soon with some kind of peaceful resolution.