Ukrainian National Dishes

The hospitality of the Ukrainian people is well-known throughout the world.

When a foreigner sets foot in Ukraine first he gets acquainted with our cookery – national dishes and meal times. Frequently he gets to know that in this country they are not the same as in his as eating habits differ from one country to another.

The usual meals "in Ukraine are breakfast, dinner and supper. They are not served at a definite hour in this country.

Breakfast is the first meal of the day. But it is often a rather hurried and informal meal. Most people do not have a full breakfast, and some have no breakfast at all, except a hot drink. The lighter evening meal is called supper. The chief and the most substantial meal is dinner.

The Ukrainians can't imagine it without the first course. To begin will they may have either the Ukrainian borshch (beet and cabbage soup) sorrel soup, sauerkraut soup, broth with dumplings, fish soup chicken broth, cabbage soup (thick soup made of meat broth, new cabbage, potatoes and onions), soup with quenelles or Russian okroshka (cold kvas soup with vegetables and chopped meat or fish Then follows the main course. The Ukrainian national cuisine is rich in different delicious things such as: holubtsi (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice in sour-cream sauce), Kyiv style cutlets (chicken cutlets filled with butter), varenyky (either with cherries, blueberries, cottage cheese or mashed potatoes etc.), kholodets', kruchenyky.

In a great many Ukrainian homes dinner is followed by a cup of tea with a slice of lemon, jam, home-made pastries. A very Ukrainian beverage is uzvar (kompot).

“Ukrainian food is of extremely good quality, and it really tastes of something - unlike American food, for instance, which tastes the same” says an English television’s famous cook who has visited our country. He praises the Ukrainian national dishes and the Ukrainians who are considered to be hearty eaters. There is a wide range of nutritious foods in the Ukrainian cuisine. But let us remember Moliere’s saying: “One should eat to live, not live to eat”.

Exercise 6. Answer the questions.

1. What can you say about Ukrainian hospitality? 2. What are your meal-times? 3. What order of meals do you follow? 4. What is the difference between meals and meal-times in England and Ukraine? Do national Ukrainian dishes differ from those of English? What are the peculiarities of the Ukrainian cuisine? 7. What national beverage could you recommend us? 8. What does a traditional Ukrainian dinner consist of? 9. What dishes is your country famous for? 10. What kind of food is eaten a lot in your country?

Exercise 7. Read and translate the text.

American Food and Eating Habits

Speaking about typical American food, we have a phrase “as American as apple pie” so that’s the first thing that comes to mind. I suppose that a hamburger is rather American and pancakes with maple syrup. Pumpkin pie, of course. Hot dogs, I guess, would be another American thing. We’ve had people all over the world come into America throughout its history and so we’ve rather absorbed all the world’s cooking. You know, pizza is a very American thing now. I am not sure, but I believe it really comes from Italy.

Now, for main dishes – especially for dinner – Americans eat a lot of red meat, but more and more people are eating fish and poultry. Beef is the most popular red meat, followed by pork, and least popular lamb. In general, Americans like thick steaks. There are three ways to cook the meat: rare (not cooked very much), medium and well-done.

The favourite American vegetable is potato. It is served in many ways but the most common are: baked potato, mashed potato and French fries. Corn too is truly American vegetable. It is especially popular to eat the whole ear (cob) holding the ends with your fingers. This is called “corn on the cob”.

Eating out is popular in the USA. Some restaurants are open even for breakfast, many restaurants especially the better ones, open at about 11.30 a.m., others are open 24 hours a day. It is often necessary to make a reservation. Otherwise the restaurant you choose may be filled up. By the way do not expect to share the table with other parties. It just isn’t done. If you want to ask for a bill which is usually called the check, signal the waiter with a raised hand. If that doesn’t work you can say “Excuse me, may we have a check, please.”

As the charge for service is not included in your restaurant check, everyone from waiters to porters anticipate tips. The amount you give should take into account the quality of service you receive. You should give 15 percent for good service, 20 percent for outstanding service and 10 percent for less than adequate service. Figure the tip of the total of the bill (excluding tax). Don’t tip the headwaiter, though. Now many restaurants post menus in the window so you can see the prices before you enter. If they do not, it is acceptable to enter the restaurant and ask for a menu before you sit down. If it is too expensive it is OK to leave. If you do not eat all your food you may ask for a “doggie bag.” The waiter will put your uneaten food in a paper or plastic bag and you can take it home. You should not do it at an expensive first class restaurant, of course.