Tastes of home and foreign lands: gastronomic culture of the Kosach family
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/2304-9383.2023-36.danKeywords:
Lesya Ukrainka, Olena Pchilka, the Kosach family, epistolary, memoirs, home, dish, dessert, tradition, national cuisine, gastronomic cultureAbstract
The article elucidates the features of the Kosach family’s gastronomic culture, using the letters and memories as the case study material. The food preferences of the family were formed in the traditions of national cuisine, however, the processes of food preparation and its processing had distinct regional features. Family practices of harvesting and processing fruits and berries (jam, jelly), vegetables (pickling), preparation of festive and ritual dishes (kutia), and cooking (cherry dumplings, cookies, pies) are defined as the tastes of home. The information about festive culinary traditions (Christmas, Easter) is essential in this
context. The family changed places of residence (Zviagel, Lutsk, Kolodiazhne, Kyiv) but hospitality remained unchanged, as evidenced by the memories of parents' friends and children. The study findings argue that food was a significant element of intercultural communication in the family. The family members shared their impressions about new tastes experienced during travels. Over time, the tastes of home and foreign dishes were combined and established as favorites because, in addition to nutritional value, they conveyed various senses and encouraged reflection. Izydora Kosach-Borysova's recipes for "Grandma Lyzaveta's Borsch" and French dessert
"Floating Islands (Oeufs a la Neige) are evocative illustrations for family gastronomic stories.
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