NEW RELEASE: An instructional DVD on Ukrainian cooking (12/11/05)

NEW RELEASE: An instructional DVD on Ukrainian cooking

ARLINGTON, Va. - Ukraivin Productions has released an instructional cooking DVD, "Ukrainian Christmas Eve," which provides detailed, yet simplified, instructions on how to make the most popular, traditional recipes. The two-hour English-language DVD shows the "must have" Christmas Eve recipes, which have been modified, wherever possible, for busy, modern cooks using today's modern kitchens.

Chef and host Pavlo Czerwoniak takes the viewer step-by-step through each recipe, using time- and labor-saving techniques. Along with the printable recipe files provided on the DVD, the viewer will learn how to overcome the oftentimes monumental task of putting together a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve meal.

Some dishes are prepared in the traditional way, such as kutia (honey-sweetened wheat dish) and uzvar (dried fruit compote), while others are prepared in time-saving ways, like the dough for varenyky (potato- and cabbage-filled dumplings), meatless borshch (beet soup), ushka (mushroom-filled dumplings), fish in aspic, holubtssi (stuffed cabbage rolls), and strutslia (braided Christmas bread).

"As with many cultures, much of the Ukrainian culture is preserved through the observance of holiday food, ritual and custom. Because cooking and baking can be rather complicated, following recipes in a cookbook alone is often not enough - visual depiction always helps," said Tatiana Terleckyj, director and executive producer of the DVD.

Ms. Terleckyj, along with co-creators, Katerina Sloniewsky-Ntep and Marijka Lischak (secretary of Ukrainian National Association Branch 15) grew up in Ukrainian households and learned traditional Ukrainian cooking from their mothers and grandmothers.

Ms. Terleckyj, who has over 20 years' experience in television production, goes on to explain, "A year or so ago, Marijka, Katerina and I helped organize a Ukrainian paska-and babka-making class for our local branch of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America. There was great interest in this particular class, and we realized there was a lot of overall interest in Ukrainian cooking and keeping our traditions alive. And we felt there was a void that needed to be filled."

Ms. Terleckyj further noted, "A lot of the wonderful recipes prepared by our mothers and grandmothers are being lost and need to be preserved and passed down to our generation. We hope to fill this void with this instructional cooking DVD. Realizing there is no one way to prepare the Ukrainian Christmas Eve meal, we strive to present the traditional recipes using time-saving methods. In putting together this DVD, we take into consideration the fact that in today's households, with both parents working, it's difficult enough to juggle day-to-day living, let alone prepare a 12-course meal."

The 17-chapter DVD also has informative chapters explaining Ukrainian traditions and customs. In addition to the printable recipe files that may be printed using a PC or Mac, the user-friendly DVD allows the viewer to navigate the menu, using a television or computer screen, to view either the entire DVD or select individual recipes.

The DVD also features traditional Ukrainian Christmas carols performed on bandura by multi-faceted performer and accomplished artist Olya Chodoba-Fryz (www.olyfryz.com) who has been entertaining audiences for over 20 years.

For more information, or to order the DVD online, readers are advised to visit www.ukraivin.com.

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