Gastronomy events “Tasty Scandinavia with Irena Khmelowska” are a great way to learn and to taste culture of the Northern Europe in Kyiv. Why Scandinavia? This region has many links to Ukraine from the Iron Age. In the Middle Ages the ruling dynasty of Rus’ was of the Scandinavian origin. There were many military camps of the Scandinavian retainers in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr regions and along the Dnipro River. Later, in 1700s the fate of Ukraine dramatically changed because of one lost battle of the Swedish king Charles XII. In late 1700 Swedish settlements flourished in the steps of Cherson region – to name only most important connections.

In my gastronomy events history, nice stories are mixed with good and authentic food. Each event is devoted to a certain topic or a country within a Scandinavian frame. There are no two events alike. Sometimes I cook all meals, sometimes just prepare ingredients and welcome participants to finish or to decorate a dish as they like. The recipes are thoroughly selected from the Scandinavian sources. The ingredients are as close to the original as possible. Stories are wonderful! And great time is guarantied!

Topics for the “Tasty Scandinavia with Irena Khmelowska”:

1. Jul celebration. We did it in the Medieval style, read sagas and ate delicious goat meat with good dry bread and fantastic porridge from ancient type of wheat, with cheese and spices.

2. Icelandic cuisine. Have you even seen black salt? Eaten the Icelandic moss? Smelled Icelandic herbal tea? I am sure you have never heard about most of the products I am going to tell. And, of course, funny food stories wait for you at this event.

3. Danish society and smorrebrod as its representation. Here we talk about philosophy, the royal dynasty, fairy tales, watch a piece of a film and cook our own smorrebrod or two.

4. Sweet Swedish waffles and women of Scandinavia. Participants can choose ingredients for their waffles, decorate them as they like and listen to stories about great, unusual and extremely interesting ladies from the North. There are stories about their life real or imagined, fame and chose.

More are coming! Feel free to order any of the existing gastronomy trips via irynakhmelovska@gmail.com