Food&Drinks

What to eat and where to eat?

The Carpathian cuisine is incredibly diverse. It includes components of Ukrainian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, and other European national cuisines. There is everything for everyone. Hutsul traditional dishes have conquered many stomachs. Half of those, who have visited the Carpathians, return to experience their divine taste once again.

Mushroom Soup

In summer, plenty of porcini mushrooms grow in the Carpathian forests. They are often ingredients of many local dishes. Having a vacation in the Carpathians, try mushroom soup made of porcini mushrooms. Its cooking is pretty simple. Dry porcini mushrooms are boiled in chicken broth with parsley root and spices. In addition, noodles and fresh herbs are added to it. That's all.

Banosh (cornmeal porridge)

Banosh is another traditional Hutsul dish. This is an authentic dish that the local population has been cooking for several centuries. This dish is cooked of fresh sheep sour cream and corn flour, which are constantly stirred over the fire. Classic banosh is prepared in a cast iron dish. It is usually flavored with sheep's cheese. There are also options with cracklings or roasted mushrooms.

Bohrach (spicy meat soup)

Bohrach is recommended to spicy dishes lovers. In Hungarian, "bohrach" means "cauldron". So, this Transcarpathian dish is cooked in a cauldron. A spicy mixture of different types of meat, paprika, mushrooms, onions, garlic and spices, including hot pepper, has been prepared in Transcarpathia and Hungary since ancient times.

Trout

Fish lovers will appreciate a Carpathian trout. Most of Ukrainians are familiar with this dish as a grilled trout. This is the same trout, which is founded in rapid Carpathian rivers. It is worth to mention that there is no special recipe for cooking this kind of fish. Tourists, traveling through the Carpathians, are always willing to taste the Carpathian trout.

Deruny (potato pancakes)

Wherever the first deruny appeared, their path turned out to be far and wide. The potato delicacy was brought to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland. In the Carpathians, this dish was called "terchanyk", "tertyukh", "dranyk", "potato platsky", "drachanka" and "kremzlyk", as well as many other names, depending on the inspiration or location of a cook. Main ingredients of dyruny are potatoes and eggs. Meat can be added optionally. They are served with sour cream, mushroom sauce, or cheese. Depending on the size of a grater and a type of grinding, deruny change their color, consistency and even aroma. The finished dish is served on a plate or in a pot after additional baking.

Hombovtsi (sweet dessert)

They are also called steam pies, steamed dumplings, or dumplings. This dish is perfect as a dessert. Hombovtsi are made of yeast dough with plums or cherries inside, mostly steamed. Traditional hombovtsi are prepared not only in Ukraine, but also in Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. Despite their unusual name, you can find this dish in almost each local restaurant.

Brynza (sheep cheese)

Dairy products of a mountain meadow farm, such as brynza, budz and vurda have a special role in the Hutsul cuisine. Hutsuls herd sheep in mountains from June to September, in order to enjoy milk products throughout the fall. These products are cooked of milk stored in oak barrels at high-altitude meadows. Brynza is a unique and incredibly useful local product. The Carpathian villages perform festivals with fairs, songs, and other festive activities in its honor. Of course, you can also taste sheep cheese in numerous local restaurants or cafes. However, we advise you to visit the mountain meadow farm, in order to not only taste, but also see brynza producing.

These and other dishes you can taste in local cafes and restaurants, as well as in local cottages. Bon appetit!

Recommended locations:

Kolyba “Vedmezha Hora” (Bear Mountain)

Address: Hrushevsky St. 29B, Yaremche

Hours: 9:00 a.m. ‒ 10:00 p.m.