Easter, one of the most important holidays for many Ukrainians, is rapidly approaching. But this year, the holiday celebration will be far from the traditional one.
In Ukraine, Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians will celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 19, a week after Protestants and Roman Catholics celebration on April 12.
Days before Easter are usually spent in preparations: cleaning up homes and preparing traditional dishes. Food is a very important part of the Easter celebration in Ukraine. The holiday marks the end of the Great Lent, which restricts people from eating meat, milk, eggs and other animal products. So the Easter table is usually full.
Paska, the traditional Ukrainian Easter bread, is the most important dish on the table. For believers, it symbolizes the body of Jesus Christ. Traditional Ukrainian paskas are usually sweet and decorated with icing, raisins, nuts and candied fruits.
The second most important component of the Easter table: eggs. Painting Easter eggs before the holiday is a time-honored tradition in Ukraine. Painted eggs are called pysanky and there are different techniques of painting them.
A traditional Easter celebration starts with the blessing of the food. One puts paskas, pysankas, some wine and other delights in a basket and go to church for the Easter Vigils, at some time between the eve of the day before Easter and the Easter morning. There, priests bless the food by sprinkling the baskets with holy water. After that, people return to their homes to share the blessed food with their families. The tradition says that paska must be the first thing one eats in the morning of Easter.
This year, however, Easter in Ukraine will not be celebrated as usual.
Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the government has imposed strict quarantine measures in the country, shutting down all public transport, restaurants, cafes and more, as well as banning the gathering of groups of over two people.
Churches will still hold Easter Vigils on April 19, but people are asked to refrain from it and stay at home. Some churches will stream their services online.
However, quarantine should not ruin the joyful Easter celebration. Even at home, one can paint some hard-boiled eggs and savor delicious paska.
For those who are in Kyiv and ready to explore Ukrainian Easter traditions, the Kyiv Post has picked out some of the best venues that bake and deliver paska.
Madame Josy
Looking for traditional Ukrainian Easter bread with a modern twist? Madame Josy cafe has the right option: creamy dough baked with raisins, lemon zest, candied lime and orange, as well as dried cranberries and cherries.
Here, paskas are adorned with icing and meringue, as well as French macaron cookies on the top. The cafe does not have different sizes of paska, it offers only one option (650 grams) for Hr 320.
Madame Josy asks all to place their orders as early as possible, so that they can deliver all on time. Delivery by taxi.
Paska – Hr 320. Order at +38095 430 1857
Madame Josy cafe offers paska with raisins, lemon zest, candied lime and orange. (Madame Josy/Facebook)
Bassano Dolcheteka
Bassano Dolcheteka has an impressive choice of paskas this year. Apart from the original paska with candied fruits, the cafe also offers traditional Easter bread with salted caramel and peanuts. Another option here is paska with meringue and chocolate eggs.
Bassano also prepared something special for cheese lovers — paska made with ricotta cheese with candied fruits and fresh orange zest.
In addition to paskas, Bassano has a wide choice of eggs made of finest Belgian chocolate, for Hr 250-450. Here, one can also order a special Easter basket with wine, meat, pates, paskas and other delights. Bassano’s staff says they are ready to help their guests to create their own Easter basket and offer everything needed for the celebration. Delivery in Kyiv is free.
Ricotta paska – Hr 350-480; paska with salted caramel and peanuts – Hr 270-470; paska with meringue and chocolate egg – Hr 250-320; paska with candied fruits – Hr 320-470. Order at +38044 237 7991 or bassano.com.ua
100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered
Those looking for some authentic Ukrainian Easter bread should try the one from 100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered restaurant.
The restaurant’s staff says they use a special recipe for paska and bake it in a real Ukrainian wood-burning oven, adding raisins and some orange zest to the dough.
100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered offers paskas in two sizes and different decorations. One can choose between paska topped with meringue, decorated with cornflowers, thyme, acacia and lime, or the one with chocolate glaze with caramelized peanut and beet powder. Delivery in Kyiv is free.
Big paska – Hr 320, small paska – Hr 250. Order at +38068 068 6975
100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered restaurant offers paskas in two sizes and different decorations. (100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered/Facebook)
Milk Bar
This year, well-known Kyiv cafe Milk Bar offers two types of paska.
For those looking for more traditional options, Milk Bar offers its classic paska for Hr 299, baked with raisins, dried cranberries, candied oranges, and almonds. One can also choose between paska with or without decoration — the one with decor is Hr 320 and is topped with merengue, icing, chocolate eggs and chocolate bunny ears.
Another option offered at Milk Bar is paska with a milky flavor called the “tres leches” paska for Hr 425. In addition to raisins, candied fruits, dried cranberries and almonds, this paska also has a sweet creamy filling inside, which is made of condensed milk, mascarpone cheese, and cream. This paska is also offered with additional decoration for Hr 450. Delivery within 10 kilometers from the venue is free.
Classic Paska – Hr 299-320, tres leches Paska – Hr 425-450. Order at milkbar.com.ua or +38097 737 3838
Ajour Pastry
Kyiv-based bakery Ajour Pastry offers three types of paska for all tastes.
For a more original taste, one can order paska with dried cranberries, walnuts and almonds, topped with some coconut flakes. Another option here is paska with dried cherries and poppy seeds, almonds, sesame seeds and coconut flakes, as well as Sicilian red orange flavor.
For the sweet tooth, Ajour Pastry offers paskas with sweet condensed milk and dried apricots, as well as almonds, sesame seeds and coconut flakes.
Apart from that, the bakery has reasonable prices for its paskas — each costs Hr 149 for 500 grams.
Paska with coconut, cranberry, walnuts and almonds – Hr 149; paska with condensed milk – Hr 159; paska with dried cherries and poppy seeds – Hr 159. Order at +38063 857 7735
Kyiv cafe Milk Bar offers two types of paska: Its classic paska baked with raisins, dried cranberries and paska with a milky flavor called the “tres leches.” (Milk Bar/Facebook)
Beef meat & wine
Pricier Kyiv restaurant Beef decided to surprise its guests this year. The restaurant, which specializes in meat, steaks and wine, offers three types of paskas for those who celebrate Easter in Kyiv — all for reasonable prices.
Beef offers chocolate paska almond praline, paska with lemon and fresh basil flavor as well as savory paska with candied fruits, nuts and almond praline, all for Hr 200. Also, for those tired of traditional Easter bread flavors, the restaurant serves cottage cheese paska for Hr 300.
All paskas at Beef are topped with icing, nuts, colorful candied fruits, slices of lime, chocolate, dried cranberries and raisins. Additionally, Beef has free delivery in Kyiv.
Chocolate paska – Hr 200; paska with lemon and basil – Hr 200; paska with candied fruits – Hr 250; cottage cheese paska – Hr 300. Order at beefstore.kiev.ua or +38094 928 9804
The Cake
This year, The Cake cafe decided not to stick to Ukrainian traditions and prepared four types of paska with a modern twist.
For chocolate lovers, The Cake has a special chocolate paska with a sweet chocolate filling inside, topped with M&M’s candies and more chocolate. Another option is paska with condensed milk filling, decorated with pink icing and edible pink balloon dog figures.
They also offer paska with Oreo cookies flavor with a creamy filling, topped with meringue and tasty Oreo cookies. However, the most unusual option at The Cake is paska with currant and white chocolate filling. This paska is adorned with white icing and an edible little bear.
Besides paskas, The Cake also offers an Easter basket full of sweets, including chocolate eggs, nuts cookies with condensed milk, macarons, paskas and cakes for Hr 1,200.
Paska with condensed milk – Hr 250-400; chocolate paska – Hr 250-400; Paska with currants and white chocolate – Hr 250-400; Oreo paska – Hr 250-400. Order at iamthecake.com.ua or +38050 468 8800
Bassano Dolcheteka offers paskas made with ricotta cheese with candied fruits and fresh orange zest. (Bassano/Facebook)
Good Bread From Good People
The bakery is known not only for its delicious cakes: It is the first bakery in Ukraine to employ people with mental disabilities.
This Easter, Good Bread From Good People offers two types of paska. The first option is almond paska baked with almond flour, decorated with icing, almond flakes and a slice of dried orange. Another option is an orange-flavored paska adorned with icing and orange zest. Good Bread From Good People has its own delivery, which is free for orders over Hr 600; regular delivery is Hr 50.
Almond paska – Hr 500; orange paska – Hr 300. Order at goodbread.kiev.ua
Bo. Pastry
Some venues, however, decided to replace Ukrainian paska with traditional Italian panettone. And Bo. Pastry cafe is among them.
The cafe offers delicious Italian panettone bread to enjoy the Easter holidays.
Unlike in other cafes, here panettone is made with coconut Malibu liqueur and spiced rum. Apart from that, Bo. Pastry adds candied fruits, dried cranberries and two types of raisins to panettone. However, mind that the cafe offers its panettone one size only (250 grams).
Panettone – Hr 175. Order at +38096 208 0088
Bo. Pastry cafe offers traditional Italian panettone. (Bo.Pastry/Facebook)
Honey
This Easter, Honey cafe also does not stick to Ukrainian traditions only. The eatery decided to bring some Italian traditions to the country.
Honey offers traditional Italian panettone bread prepared with special Italian sourdough. The cafe serves panettone with oranges, white and black raisins, honey and vanilla, each decorated with icing.
Here, panettone is offered in three different sizes, each for a different price. Delivery in Kyiv is Hr 70.
Big panettone – Hr 385, medium – Hr 290, small – Hr 165. Order at honeycafe.com.ua
