Ukrainian Food Flair

In this episode of Ukrainian Food Flair on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio, Sylvia shares the storied tradition of Ukrainian Easter Babka—a tall, cylindrical sweet bread that’s as demanding as it is rewarding.Babka is made from a delicate raised yeast dough and was considered one of the most important and demanding tasks of the Ukrainian homemaker during the Easter holiday season. The preparation is time‑consuming, but the end result—rich, tender, fine‑textured, spongy, and very light—is well worth the effort.This version is more manageable with modern kitchen conveniences, while maintaining the character of the original. It includes a yeast starter, enriched dough with citrus and raisins, and a simple icing of icing sugar, lemon juice, and warm water, finished with baker’s confetti.Whether you’re a seasoned baker or trying Babka for the first time, this episode offers a glimpse into the heritage behind the loaf—and why its successful rise is considered a true triumphFor the full recipe and more legacy-rich dishes, check out the cookbook Ukrainian Food Flair: Authentic Recipes from Canada's West Coast.

In this archival feature of Ukrainian Food Flair, a long‑running series on Nash Holos, you will hear the story and recipe behind beetniks — traditional Ukrainian bread rolls wrapped in beet leaves.Beetniks hold a special place in Ukrainian Canadian kitchens — a dish instantly recognized across Canada yet virtually unheard of in Ukraine itself.For Ukrainian pioneers and their descendants, these beet‑leaf‑wrapped bread rolls have long been a cherished seasonal treat, made only when the garden offers perfect young leaves.This podcast features the voice of the late Sylvia Molnar, a beloved culinary personality in Vancouver, who presented her recipes, stories, and cooking on Nash Holos in the series Ukrainian Food Flair.The recipe appears in Ukrainian Food Flair: The Cookbook, published as a tribute to her culinary legacy and now available from online booksellers (including Amazon) to home cooks everywhere.