Olena Brajchenko

Folk Cuisine

December 10, 2021

In traditional society, there existed folk knowledge and practices pertaining to cooking that included the following categories: the primary techniques for processing food, the everyday and holiday menu, cooking techniques, the correct sequence of steps, the proportion and combination of ingredients, cooking temperature and duration, how to cook on the road, managing the oven/open fire, serving, looking after tableware, and table etiquette, among others. This experience was passed on through the family line mainly among women, from generation to generation: from grandmothers, mothers, and aunts to daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and more. From an early age, girls were involved in food processing and food production. From year to year, her workload increased and knowledge expanded. Once girls reached the age of majority, they already had rich knowledge and skills to apply when they got married. The transmission of culinary knowledge also occurred through a synchronous process. During large dinners, ritual ceremonies, weddings, and other feasts that were usually cooked by a group of women, women and girls exchanged experiences and recipes.

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