GASTRONOMIC CULTURE OF UKRAINE IN LIGHT OF THE MID-18 – EARLY 20 CENTURIES COOKERY BOOKS

Abstract

The paper aims to analize hand-written and printed cookery books published in Ukraine from the mid- 18 to the early 20 centuries as a source for studying gastronomic traditions, methods of preparation and consumption of dishes, rations, festive and everyday food as well as interrelations of different European gastronomic practices. Research methods. The research is based on the cultural- historical approach. It involves the descriptive method for identifying pecul- iarities of each cookery book that is analized. Comparative method and content analyses were used to reveal both continuity of tradition and innov- ations in nutrition practices of the Ukraine’s population. Systematization method allowed to classify cookery editions according to some strict crite- ria. Scientific novelty. By analising the cookery books the author demon- strates the continuity of the Ukraine’s population nutrition practices. The paper reveals how different gastronomic cultures, religious beliefes, econo- my and medical science influenced on the cookery books’ content. Concl- usions. It is stated that the mid-18 – early 20 centuries cookery books are reflecting the tendency of modernization and globalization of the nutrition practices. Cookery books influenced significantly shaping of the gastr- onomic practices of the Ukraine’s population. Among the various types of cookery editions there were guides and companions for young women that were not enough experienced in preparing food, examples of dinner menue- s, works on vegetarianism, childhood nutrition, healthy eating etc. Such books were based on the up-to-date achievements in the fields of physiolog- y and dietology. By the end of the 19th century the quantity of cookbooks rised noticeably. One of the popular types of the cookbooks were editions aimed at young housewives. At the same time, a lot of cookbooks, espec- ially those involving medical aspects of nutrition, were unable to pass thr- ough the censorship institutions in the Russian empire.

Keywords

• cookery books
• nutrition practices
• national cuisine
• ukrainian cuisine
• vegetarianism
• dietology