Ukrainian cuisine meets culinary mastery Please see Dan's flickr photos which correlate with this post. I figured there might be some gulleteers out there that might enjoy hearing about the concept of reinterpreting Ukrainian cuisine in a contemporary French restaurant, especially if you are familiar with Ukrainian food. Last Sunday, Feb 25, Weczeria Food and Wine (616 10th St E, Saskatoon) put on a Ukrainian themed 7-course meal. In the past, we've been treated to other themed nights, including an Alain Ducasse night, Paddock Wood brewery night, Christies Bakery night, and others. A Ukrainian night must have special meaning for Chef Dan and his wife/pastry-cook Nicole since both are Ukrainian and Polish, respectively. Neither speak Ukrainian, but both were compelled to choose a name for their restaurant which reflected their heritage. They chose Weczeria, which is Ukrainian for evening meal. For Dan, being Ukrainian means feeding people with sense of heart and hospitality Ukrainians are known for in the prairies and in Ukraine. Of course, there are many people in Western Canada who cite Ukrainian food as their favourite cuisine, without really experiencing its essence, never going beyond the grocery store commodities nor understanding the "deep structure" of Ukrainian cuisine and culture. For many young Ukrainian-Canadians, the only direct bond to their culture they feel comes from food (I have heard this directly from many young Ukes), and even then, this is a surface understanding. I was worried before this dinner how Dan would handle some of the issues. Yet, Nicole and Dan's sensitivity and familiarity for Ukrainian flavours shined through; not a course missed its mark. The first course was a petit plat of 4 types of vareneky, each a different flavour. The flavours did not necessary explode; instead they were sublime. The level of craftsmanship in their construction provided a unique mouthfeel which set the tone for the rest of the courses that evening. Second course was a deconstructed cabbage roll, containing the four elements of a Ukrainian cabbage roll: tomato sauce, cabbage, rice and a fourth ingredient escaping my memory. The dish was interactive, allowing diners to explore the composition of flavours and was well received by other diners. Third course was borscht. Dan's unique take on this dish was instead of using a beet broth, he used a puree, topped by a dollop of smetana. Again, the flavours were well composed and would hold up to a most discerning Baba. Fourth course was chicken fricasse, with cranberries. I will admit, I was not initially familiar with the technique of stewing in gravy, until I realized later, I've had this dish more than a few times while helping with grain harvest in rural Sask. Traditionally, whole breasts of chicken would have been cooked in an black enamel roaster and brought to the field for dinner. What made me miss this point was the flavours were refined enough to completely defamiliarize the dish. The slightly acidic-but-sweet fresh cranberries balanced the dish further by providing contrast. The fifth course was the universal favourite of everyone at my table. Smoked Pike with mushrooms and buckwheat, and a herring vinaigrette. The flavours were edgy and challenging, but for me, invoked nostalgia for the flavours of Ukrainian Christmas eve dinner, the smoked fish, herring and mushrooms, but in a re-imagined form. This to me is what Ukrainian cuisine is all about - specific ingredients providing a sense of continuity, thanks in part to family rituals of eating but also in observing the seasonal limitations of ingredients, which is present in most agrarian cultures, including Ukrainian culture. It is about mastery first, controlling the flavours, honouring ingredients and traditions, and only then can individualistic creativity occur second. Sixth course was Beef, Hetman style on sweet potato puree w/ vegetable medley. For me this was the only dish that seemed out of place, not capturing the imagination or the palate the way the other dishes, however, it was still well prepared and in retrospect, had a tough act to follow. The final course was fruit quiche, but I thought of it more as a stewed fruit quiche, using familiar ingredients like rum-soaked raisins, all encased in a fine tart crust. Not only did this rank with the smoked pike in enjoyment, but they also demonstrate the amazing power of memory and nostalgia residing in food. Before I sat down for this dinner, I didn't know how Dan and Nicole would interpret a traditional cuisine deeply rooted in a culture which strives to maintain cultural continuity in an ever-changing and impersonal urban society. For Dan and Nicole to so clearly "get" the cuisine and the culture, while claiming not to be hardcore Ukes themselves, attests to the deep bonds Ukrainian culture has among many people, Dan and Nicole included, in this province. -Jimmy Oneschuk
