What was cooked for Butter week 100 years ago and now: we share a recipe for fragrant apple pancakes

100 years ago, traditional dishes were prepared for Butter week in Ukraine, many of which have survived to this day. However, the menu differed from the modern one by being more simple and using natural products.

The FoodOboz editorial team shares what they used to make from food and drinks for Butter week 100 years ago and a recipe for delicious apple pancakes.

Main dishes for Butter week 100 years ago:

1. Pancakes

This is the main dish of Butter week and they could be:

Lenten (water-based) - cooked on days when animal products were avoided.

Rich (with milk, oil, eggs) - baked in wealthy families.

Buckwheat pancakes were very popular because buckwheat flour was available to everyone.

2. Dumplings with cottage cheese

In Polissya and in the central regions of Ukraine, dumplings with cottage cheese were considered a must-have dish. They were often served with sour cream and honey.

3. Kalachy and cakes

In some regions, people would bake kalachy or yeast cakes in oil and symbolically hand them out to guests.

4. Kutia or compote

Although this is more of a Christmas dish, it could be prepared as a festive dessert.

5. Milk porridge

Millet or buckwheat porridge with milk was a popular dish in villages.

6. Fish dishes

On Butter week, it was not yet possible to eat meat, but fish was allowed. Therefore, fish soup, fried or baked fish were prepared.

7. Cottage cheese casserole

Baked cottage cheese with eggs and sour cream is one of the prototypes of the modern cheese "babka".

What did you drink?

• Medovukha or beer are traditional drinks for adults.
• Fruit or oatmeal jelly for children.
• Tea or compote were common drinks for everyone.

Ingredients:

• Milk 250 ml
• 1 egg
• Flour 100g
• Butter 30g
• 1 apple
• Sugar 2 tbsp
• A pinch of salt
• Vanilla sugar 1 tsp,
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Method of preparation:

1. Beat eggs with sugar, salt, add milk, mix. Pour in the flour and mix.

2. Grate the apples, add cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and mix, add to the dough.

3. Fry the pancakes, brush with butter.