Mamushka - by Olia Hercules (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Recipes from Ukraine & Eastern Europe"--Cover.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Hercules captures classic Ukrainian dishes, which her family faithfully tended to through the generations...Each appears with the story of how the recipe came to her." http: //www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/ukrainian-stuffed-cabbage-recipe-olia-hercules-mamushka-cookbook-- "Tasting Table"

"The garlicky Georgian poussins I revere and will be eating again and again...Served with cheesy Moldovan lazy flatbreads and beet and gherkin salad, this food is pretty extraordinary."-- "New York Times"

"...a gorgeous love letter to the food of her homeland that definitively proves there's more to the Ukraine than borscht and potato dumplings."-- "SAVEUR Magazine"

"Forget what you think you know about Ukrainian food; with OIia Hercules, it's fun and colorful."-- "Epicurious"

"In the era of all things Sichuan-blasted and bacon-infused, this lovely Ukrainian cookbook is a breath of fresh air. Sections on homemade dumplings and breads are delightful, and simple soups like duck and sorrel or mushroom with buckwheat look downright healthful."-- "NPR"

"In this cookbook, [Hercules] sets the record straight, offering dozens of recipes that illustrate the culinary depth and breadth of Ukraine and Eastern Europe... Artfully photographed and buoyed by Hercules's enthusiasm for the region and culture, this is a thoughtful and welcome diversion for foodies of all tastes."-- "Publisher's Weekly"

"The food of Ukraine in particular (and Eastern Europe in general) is given beautiful treatment in this comprehensive volume, chock full of the flavors of the region, with just enough of a seasonal twist to keep very old recipes feeling surprisingly fresh."-- "Eater"

About the Author

Olia Hercules trained at the renowned Leiths School of Food and Wine and in 2015 published Mamushka, winner of the Fortnum and Mason Award for best debut cookbook 2016. Her second cookbook, Kaukasis: A Culinary Journey through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Beyond, was published in 2017.