Recommendations from the Kyiv Independent: Summer recipes (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community, this is Myroslava Chaiun. I'm a reporter with the Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigations Unit. You may have seen some of the investigative documentaries I've worked on.

This year, the weather in Ukraine hasn't really let us enjoy spring. As soon as temperatures finally began to rise in early May, weeks of rain followed. So now we're placing all our hopes on summer, which is just around the corner. To help set the mood for warmer, sunnier days, I'd love to share three simple dishes that many Ukrainians enjoy making in the summer. And trust me — the last one is hard to forget.

The Iconic Summer Salad

This salad is a staple of almost every Ukrainian summer meal, especially once stores and markets fill up with fresh seasonal vegetables. It couldn't be simpler: chop tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, dill, or parsley, add a little salt, and dress it with oil or sour cream. Mix everything well and let it sit for a few minutes so the vegetables release their juices into the dressing.

The best part comes at the end: soaking up the sauce left at the bottom of the bowl with a slice of dark bread. Toasting the bread beforehand makes it even better. I personally love this salad with fried potatoes or mashed potatoes and sausages.

Eggplant Rolls

This appetizer is light, quick to make, and requires only a few ingredients. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into thin strips and fry them in a small amount of oil until golden brown. Afterward, place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

For the filling, you'll need chopped tomatoes and grated block cheese. You can also substitute the block cheese with a soft cheese like Philadelphia or even mayonnaise. If you'd like, add a bit of grated garlic.

Then simply wrap the filling inside the eggplant slices. That's it. You can season them with salt, pepper, or khmeli-suneli to taste.

Time for Dessert

This is a classic summer dessert for many Ukrainians growing up — though honestly, it's just as popular with adults. Take a bowl of fresh strawberries and add sour cream mixed with sugar or honey. Stir everything together and enjoy. To this day, I'd still choose this over cakes or candy any time.

And if your parents used to send you to your grandmother's village for summer vacation, this dessert usually came with a little work first. You had to go out into the garden, search for strawberries hiding beneath the leaves, and pick them in the heat of the summer sun. But the smell of those ripe strawberries made it worth it every time.

I hope I managed to share at least a little of the flavors and aromas of my — and many other Ukrainians' — summer memories. And yes, maybe the joke about Ukrainians adding sour cream or dairy products to everything is not really a joke after all.

If you make any of these dishes, feel free to share your photos with us. Stay in touch.