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W e h a ve o n l y fre s h a n d s a vo ry n e w s!

Spring 2018 | № 168

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The Energy of Life: Hard Eggs

A WOODEN CHURCH:

The Most Precious UNESCO Treasure in Ukraine

SEASONAL CUISINE:

The Spring Diet or How to Recharge Your Batteries

THE GLOBE IN YOUR POCKET: A Horseback Tour on African Trails WI-FI IN ALL RESTAURANTS

24/7 FOOD DELIVERY AND HOTLINE:

8 (495) 780-77-44 WWW.TARASBULBA.RU

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2 | CULINARY

THE ENERGY OF LIFE: A GOLDEN EGG Soft-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, or an omelet are probably the most popular breakfasts.

It’s fast, it’s tasty, and it’s nourishing. And despite all the disputes led by scientists – it is “golden” nutritional content. also healthy! Because the egg has a The egg’s chief benefit is its whole protein (with an entire set of indispensable amino acids), which is easily digested and is nourishing for your body, and also helps you “build” your muscles. One egg contains 15 percent of your daily recommended protein intake. That is why eggs are so popular among athletes. Protein and fats received by your body from a breakfast of eggs will let you stay full and strong, and stop you from craving snacks before lunchtime.

It’s interesting to know that softboiled eggs are easier to digest than hard-boiled or fried ones. Nutritionists recommend to combine them with fresh vegetables, greens, and juice, but not with meat or dairy products. In other words, an omelet with bacon and yogurt will take more time to digest and will bring you less benefit than softboiled eggs with a vegetable salad and fresh juice.

Raw eggs are digested worst of all: the body receives only the most deficient elements.

Among the indispensable amino acids found in eggs that help build proteins and are required for muscle growth and good metabolism are leucine and methionine. While you

can g e t l e u c i n e from consuming nuts, beans, whole wheat, and soy, methionine is hardly ever present in vegetable food.

In addition, eggs contain a lot of valuable vitamins and minerals. These

are ferrum, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and selenium, as well as vitamins E, A, D, B12, B3, B9 (folic acid), B7 (biotin), B4 (choline).

Choline is a very important substance that maintains your liver and kidney functions.

It also stimulates brain work, improves memory, and fosters concentration.

Vitamin E improves heart and vessel function, and when combined with the lutein in eggs it also helps to prevent cancer.

Vitamin D and phosphorus are good in strengthening your bones and teeth.

Eye health is supported by a range of substances contained in eggs. These are vitamin A, sulfur, cysteine, amino acids, and anti-oxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are so-called natural sun shades – they protect human eyes from the harmful effect of ultra-violet rays. Thanks to those substances, there is a lower risk of developing a cataract in older age.

And yet, even with such an impressive list of beneficial properties, be careful with eggs – don’t consume more than two a day. They also contain a high dose of cholesterol whose harm or benefit has been a topic of scientific disputes for many years. It’s also better to go for locally produced and very fresh eggs. Or at least try to buy them from a trusted producer. Because the quality of eggs depends a lot on the living conditions of the hens. By purchasing really quality eggs, you will be able to both benefit and enjoy your meal.

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The tradition of consuming eggs goes back to very ancient times. And it can hardly be contributed only to the product’s nutritional value.

For many peoples, the egg is a symbol of birth, life, energy, sun, productivity, and fertility. This symbol is deeply ingrained in many religions, including Christianity. For example, Christians have a tradition of painting eggs (pysankas) at Easter and to give them to each other as a sign of love, friendship, and faith. It is long believed that an Easter egg possesses magical powers and is able to protect people from evil and from sicknesses. The pysanka has become a symbol of Easter, while its creation was turned into a real art.

For the Church, the pysanka is a symbol of the Holy Sepulcher, and its red color is Christ’s blood – a sign of revival for the faithful. According to a legend, the first Easter egg was given by Mary Magdalene to the Roman Emperor Tiberius with the words: “Christ is risen!” The Emperor responded that this was impossible just like it was impossible for the egg to turn red. After he uttered those words, the egg he was holding in his hand turned red.

Today, the pysanka is decorated with different colors and patterns, not limiting the color palette to the shades of red. There are also different techniques for drawing the ornaments.

One of the most widespread is by putting hot wax in places that are supposed to stay unpainted and then submerging the egg in paint.

Such coloring can be done in several stages and layers by putting wax in different places. In the end, the wax is melted away so that it’s possible to admire the ornament. Otherwise, a white egg can be painted first, and then a sharp object (like an awl) is used to scratch a sophisticated drawing. A talented artist can also make an Easter egg out of wood, stone, porcelain, beads, and other materials. In some European countries, there is a tradition of giving chocolate or wooden eggs for Easter.

In any case, an egg is a symbol of revival and vital energy. This cultural and religious meaning is closely connected to its meaning in cooking. Eggs are consumed both on their own and are used as ingredients in many dishes making your diet more diverse and tasty. It’s hard to overestimate the egg’s health benefits.

Text by Olga SINYUGINA

Christ is risen!

TARAS BULBA TAVERN CONGRATULATES EVERYONE ON THE BRIGHT HOLIDAY OF EASTER!

4 | ART

SAINT GEORGE, SAVE US! A UKRAINIAN UNESCO TREASURE

It was built without a single nail and was once exchanged for salt. It stands over a spring, and the building had to be propped up a few times because it was regularly flooded. For centuries, the temple protected people from evil and helped the faithful even in the most difficult of times. Nothing has changed today. For the past several years, the wooden church of St. George in Drohobych in Western Ukraine has been under restoration, but none of its old components are being thrown away. Artist Lev Skop is painting unique icons on the old boards. He is convinced that this wood has a powerful energy capable of helping people in need… Here we share with you the story of the wooden temple thought to be the most valuable UNESCO treasure in Ukraine.

THE TEMPLE BOUGHT FOR SALT Drohobych used to be a town of salt and saltworkers. Many centuries ago, there stood a St. George church over one of the rivers, which was burned during a Tatar invasion. But the townsfolk did not despair. They came together and decided to restore the church. In 1657, the Drohobych residents bought a new church from the village of Nadiyevo, took it apart, and brought it to their town.

They paid for the church

with salt, which was extremely valuable back then.

It should be noted that the masters built the temple without a single nail – it was a common practice at that time. The building was repaired a few times since then, but it managed to preserve its original appearance until today.

Now, St George’s Church is considered not only the oldest wooden church in Ukraine, but also the most interesting. It is included in the UNESCO heritage list and is carefully monitored by experts.

AN ARTISTIC GENIUS: CLAY WITH SOOT AND NATURAL PAINTS The walls of the church have no empty spot on them. They are all covered with religious stories and floral ornaments. They were created by an artist known under different names: Ste-

fan the Painter, Painter from Medyka, Stefan of Medyka. All we know is that he came to the church in 1659 and stayed to work there for thirteen years!

He was a very gifted artist and during that period of time he created numerous unique paintings. He not only painted the walls, he also created a magnificent iconostasis, which is thought to be a masterpiece. Stefan of Medyka was assisted by his two sons.

It’s interesting to know that the artists used only natural colors of clay and soot. They used only one layer of color, without any priming, and so all the pictures seem light-weighted and deep at the same time. Centuries have passed, but the natural colors are still bright.

GEORGE THE DRAGON SLAYER AND EXECUTIONER WITH SCRATCHED-OUT EYES One of the best icons in the church is “The Miracle of George the Dragon Slayer,” which is traditionally placed on the right side of the iconostasis. It shows a figure of a young man mounted on a white horse slaying a dragon and proving an old truth: good always prevails over evil.

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Under this icon, there is a picture called “Execution of Saint George.” The composition accurately documents the reality of public executions, which existed in this region in the 17th century. The author shows that it took place outside the town, and he showed magistrates and military guards who were present at the scene.

The figure of the executioner is very thoroughly painted, and his clothing reveals his German origin. This man was depicted so realistically that sometime after the icon was painted, a town resident scratched the executioner’s eyes out.

ADAM AND THE SEDUCTIVE EVE The church has an entire series of paintings illustrating stories about Adam and Eve. In one painting, Eve has just convinced Adam to bite from an apple, in the other an angel throws them out of Paradise, and in a third Adam is beating Eve. The man is the same in all the painting, but Eve’s face changes from one picture to the next. At the beginning, she looks very erotic, while at the end horrible. Researchers have found a simple explanation: back then nobody asked questions of what was allowed and what wasn’t, what was canonically accepted and what wasn’t. Everyone painted how they felt.

THE WOOD WITH UNIQUE POWERS AND ICONS ON SHINGLES For over thirty years St. George’s Church has been restored

by Lev Skop. Besides short breaks, he works there practically every day, he lives in a workshop nearby. For this job, he moved to Drohobych from Lviv. He says that when he first came to the temple, his life changed forever. Now he does everything he can for the wooden church to keep living. Lev takes restoration very seriously; his main guiding principle – “do no harm.” An ideal restoration as he sees it is preservation. To preserve means to fortify, to glue the weakest spots on the icons, to fix some colors but without adding anything from himself.

The artist does not even throw away the old shingles (roof tiles in the form of wooden boards) that used to cover the church. He says that these boards protected the church from wind and rain for many centuries, that they are sacred and they have a powerful energy. In his spare time, the artist takes out his paints and writes icons on these shingles. This is how his brush gives life to new saints who will once again protect people. His paintings are in demand because Lev Skop does not prime his boards with anything. They are black and cracked from the weather, in places damaged by worms and decayed so that there is dust falling out of them.

But this is exactly what makes these icons valuable!

Text: Stepan HRYTSIUK Photos: Yuriy HELYTOVYCH

6 | HISTORY

MARCH March 3 – Poetry Day. Read a fable by S. Mikhalkov and get a “Moral” cocktail as a present!

March 4 – Father’s Day March 8 – International Women’s Day. Dear Ladies! Today, everything is for you!

March 20 – Chess Day Cake Day March 22 – Birthday of restaurant Korchma Taras Bulba on Krasnokazarmennaya St. March 25 – Birthday of the Korchma Taras Bulba chain of restaurants Birthday of restaurant Korchma Taras Bulba on Petrovka March 26 – President’s Day March 29 – Salo Day

APRIL April 1 – Father’s Day Birthday of the restaurant on Odintsovo April 3 – Birthday of the restaurant on Velozavodskaya St. Poetry Day (Gumilev) April 7 – Children’s Day April 17 – Postcard Day April 19 – Birthday of the restaurant in Kyiv April 20 – Chess Day Cake Day April 30 – President’s Day

MAY May 3 – International Sun Day Poetry Day (Okudzhava) May 5 – Children’s Day May 6 – Father’s Day May 9 – Victory Day May 17 – Postcard Day Birthday of restaurant Korchma Taras Bulba on Leningradski Avenue May 28 – President’s Day

KORCHMA CHAIN HOLIDAYS Celebrate with Us Every Month 1st day of the month– Gogol’s Day 6th day of the month – Father’s Day 8th day of the month – Women’s Day 9th day of the month – Victory Day 10th day of the month – Borscht Day 12th day of the month – Photography Day 13th day of the month – Day of Kindness 14th day of the month – Varenyky Day 21st day of the month – Pancake Day 23rd day of the month – Men’s Day 24th day of the month – Mother’s Day Friends’ Day (second Tuesday of the month) Cossack’s Day (every third Friday)

CARL FABERGÉ:

THE HISTORY AND TRAGEDY OF A LEGENDARY JEWELER It would be a difficult task to try and find a more famous jeweler than the Russian master Carl Fabergé. His jewels that had been created for the imperial family are now exhibited in numerous museums and estimated to cost millions of dollars. They are now coveted by many collectors and deemed to be the prime examples of the jewelry art. But despite his success and wealth, the artist’s life was full of tragedy. After his careless years and a stunning triumph in Russia, he had to emigrate where he barely made ends meet.

Carl Fabergé was born on the 18th of May 1846 in Saint Petersburg, and for our spring issue we tried to assemble the most interesting facts from the life of this famous jeweler.

“I WASN’T BEATEN SO NOTHING GOOD CAME OF ME” Carl Fabergé was born in Saint Petersburg where his father owned a quite popular jewelry store. No wonder that his father wanted his son to also be a jeweler and sent him to study in Europe. The young Carl studied the craft from experienced masters but he never managed to master it properly.

Later, he would say that the best tool for any master is a belt. He said he wasn’t beaten during his studies and so nothing good came of him. It’s curious that of all the masterpieces associated with the name of Fabergé,, none were made by Carl himself.

FROM FAMILY BUSINESS TO INTERNATIONAL HOLDING Carl Fabergé might have been a bad craftsman, but his lack of talent was well compensated for by his highly developed business skills. He travelled

around Europe, searched for natural geniuses and invited them to work for his family business in Russia.

When 24-year-old Carl came to preside over his father’s company in 1870, it already employed hundreds of masters – jewelers, stonecutters, and precious metal workers.

While his competitors produced jewels in the style of Renaissance, Rococo, and Empire, Faberg started exploring modernism. For that, he would travel to various exhibitions where he explored new trends. He perfected his own taste on the masterpieces of old masters; he volunteered as a restorer in the Hermitage Museum.

“If the value of expensive things lies only in the abundance of diamonds or pearls, they present little interest to me,” he liked to say.

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THE MASTER OF EGGS In 1882, at the Pan-Russian Exhibition in Moscow, Carl Faberg presented his sophisticated women’s jewelry and was awarded a golden medal for them. This is when Emperor Alexander III noticed his pieces. He wanted to give a special gift to his wife for Easter and so he asked the jewelry mogul to supply him with an interesting idea. Next year, the present was delivered to the emperor’s palace. It was an Easter egg made of precious metals and gemstones. It was produced by the best masters and it made such an impression on the Emperor that he commissioned Fabergé to make such precious eggs every year thereafter. This tradition was carried on by his successor – Emperor Nickolas II. He ordered two eggs – for his wife and his mother.

The shape of the egg, the surprise within, the uniqueness. These three components were a chief society intrigue of the Easter holiday in the imperial family.

SUPPLIER TO THE HIGHEST COURT In no time at all, Carl Fabergé became a court jeweler for the imperial family. In addition, his firm was active not only at Russian but also overseas exhibitions, and it kept receiving new awards. This lay the foundation for active international trade. In 1903, the businessman opened a store in London. From there, he delivered his products to India, China, Siam. The Siamese royal family was one of the most serious clients. They especially favored the carved nephrite and the miniature portraits of the king and the queen depicted on enamel and framed with diamonds.

THERE’S NO POINT IN LIVING LIKE THAT By the start of the Great War, Carl Fabergé’s factory employed about five hundred people.

But the war shook his family business. Many jewelers were drafted to the front, and the number of orders dropped significantly. Fabergé made a big mistake in those years – he responded to an appeal from the Tsarist government and transferred all his stocks from foreign accounts to Russia. The Bolsheviks who came to power after the 1917 Revolution robbed him and he lost his entire fortune. The factories and stores in many Russian cities were nationalized, and Fabergé’s ’s museumworth masterpieces were sold all over the world – this was how the Communist country raised funds for its industrialization.

SCARLET SAILS: THE FRAGRANCE FROM THE USSR With the arrival of warm weather when women put away their bulky clothes and replace them with light spring jackets, dresses, and skirts comes a perfect time to talk about perfumes in our column GOST. We simply cannot but mention the factory with the romantic name Scarlet Sails from the city of Mykolayiv, Ukraine, which was famous in the entire Soviet Union and abroad for being highly competitive even with foreign producers.

The factory earned its international reputation for its perfume gift sets, which was one of the trends in Soviet perfumery. The set consisted of two small bottles

THE JEWELER’S TRAGEDY Amid great difficulties, in 1918 Carl Fabergé left Russia. After long wanderings, he settled in Switzerland and lived there in great poverty until his death.

The founder of a legendary jewelry brand died on the 24th of September 1920 and was buried at the Cimetière re du Grand Jas in Cannes, France.

In 1951, all heirs to Carl Fabergé lost their rights to the trademark. After that, the company changed owners several times. Today, the Fabergé brand sells its jewelry in Geneva, New York, London, Hong Kong, and other world centers. They are always in demand.

Text by Maria KRASNA

– perfume and eau de cologne – packed in a beautiful box. “Those sets were in high demand in the Soviet Union, but they also provided a useful experience as they taught consumer culture: during the day eau de cologne was used for freshness, while in the evening perfume was used for a fragrant trail. These boxes were often given to foreign delegations, ambassadors, and most of them were produced in a limited edition,” recollects Ukrainian perfumer Bohdan Zubchenko.

The most popular of all products by the factory Scarlet Sails was the women’s perfume “Scheherazade.” The aroma’s composition included citrus, vanilla, cloves, rose, musk, and sandal oil, and was able to drive mad even the most sophisticated of women. Its legendary fame can be proved by one fact – even though this perfume has been out of production for many years, some fans continue to look for “Scheherazade” on various internet forums and are ready to pay any amount of money for it.

Another coveted dream for Soviet fashionistas was the perfume Assol. It cost about 9 rubles, while a bottle of regular perfumes used to cost between 1.5 and 3 rubles.

But besides perfumes, Mykolayiv also supplied a multitude of other desired beauty products. Its creams, powders, Vaseline, lipsticks, and blushes were present on the toilet counters of most Soviet homes. In 1970, the factory produce over 310,000 cosmetic items per day… They were made by almost two thousand employees, who, according to Soviet custom, were rarely short of a present for their friends.

8 | TRAVELLING

RIDING THROUGH MOROCCO: A HORSE-BACK TOUR ON AFRICAN TRAILS Empty deserts that look like Mars, thousand-year-old trees, exotic cuisine, and very exuberant people – these are the things that attract tourists to the unique African country of Morocco.

We asked Ukrainian traveler Hryhoriy Prystay about his impression of the country. He experienced a double adrenaline rush because he traveled through Morocco not by car but on the back of a thoroughbred Arabian horse… All the while mastering his horse-riding skills as he traveled along!

WOJTEK AND HIS PROPOSAL Becoming a part of a Moroccan horse-riding tour was a mere coincidence. I was once on a whitewater rafting trip with some Polish travelers on the Dnister River, and one of the participants was called Wojtek.

He was an experienced traveler who had been to almost all parts of the world. I was fascinated by his stories about this African country. Imagine this – he used to say – the wind in your face, the beach, the horse gallop, the cold beer and the ocean breeze. It all sounded so enticing that I simply could not pass up the tour. Another factor was ridiculously cheap airfare – I bought my two-way ticket for less than 100 Euro. Everything sounded great. If only I had known how difficult it would prove to be as opposed to what I had imagined, I would have never signed up for this.

MOROCCO IS A DESERT COUNTRY When our plane landed in Marrakesh, the very first thing that impressed me was a large and very beautiful airport, because I had read that Morocco is an extremely poor country. But when I went outside, everything fell into place. Around me was a virgin desert with sheep and goats grazing around. Some people in shabby clothes were herding them. All the information I read in guide books turned out to be true. I had never seen such a destitute country in my life. And it’s not about having no money, but rather having no drinking water or greens. We traveled

for over 100 km from Marrakesh to Essaouira and it looked like we landed on Mars: reddish-brown valleys, mountains on the horizon, not a single tree in sight, dried riverbeds. Sometimes, we would pass a sign with the name of a river, but the river wasn’t there – only a deep stony estuary. People in some villages need to travel five kilometers just to find a well or a spring with drinking water. That was really stunning.

RIDING CLASSES I have never ridden a horse before then, and I was warned that I need to have at least some experience. So, still in Ukraine, I went to the hippodrome and took three riding lessons.

Calling them lessons does them really too much honor, because the only thing I learned was how to sit on a horse.

After striking up a conversation with other members of the tour, I realized something was amiss. It turned out this tour brought together either horse stables owners or active riders. For

them, it was a regular walk in the park, while for me it turned into a real challenge. I realized that when I saw the horses we were supposed to ride – my horse’s back was at my eye-level. They were excellent Arabian horses: tall, long-legged and beautiful. They were a far cry from the horses I rode at the hippodrome. When an Arab helped me onto my horse and it suddenly started to prance and to rear, I panicked.

I wanted only one thing: to climb down from that horse, to have two shots of cognac, a cigarette, and walk back to my hotel. But our team was selected, the money was paid. I had no choice. I was lucky because one of the participants taught me how to at least control the horse – to keep it by the bridles and pull them in any risky situation.

MY WISE MARE ZINA My biggest scare came when the entire group urged their horses into a gallop.

They rode on rocks and stirred a cloud of dirt behind them.

Thank God, I had some wit in me and took at least a bike helmet with me. I put it on, gritted

TRAVELLING | 9

my teeth, and rode on. There was another challenging situation when everyone had to jump over a deep mountain river. I was the last one to jump and I was sure I would never manage to stay in the saddle. Since Morocco is a former French colony, I started to appeal to Zina – that was my horse’s name – with all my French words. I was saying: “Sweet Zina, I am begging you, I promise you all the tangerines and bananas in the world…” The mare looked at me and was the only one of all the horses who did not jump over the river, but simply waddled through it. It was a miracle and I stayed alive!

MOROCCAN VILLAGES: TINY HOUSES AND BAREFOOT CHILDREN I had to go all the way to Morocco to realize what a wealthy country we live in. When we passed villages, we would ride past the local people’s homes. It’s difficult to explain, but their houses are very tiny, and they are just piles of un-mortared stones – one upon another. I can’t imagine how they live in there because they seem to have been built by children. I have a separate story about Moroccan children as well. Wherever we rode, they would run barefoot after us and cry: “Stylos! Stylos!” – they were asking for a pen or a pencil. Not for food, not for money, but for a piece of stationary. If only I had known, I would have brought a bag of pencils with me. I felt sorry that they kept asking me, and had nothing to give them.

MOROCCAN CUISINE Morocco has quite an interesting local cuisine. For example, we were always served tajine for dinner. Tajine is both a dish and the kitchenware used to prepare it. It is a heavy earthenware pot closed tight with a high domeshaped cover with a tiny hole on top.

When the food is prepared, the steam is not allowed to escape but the condensation is returned to the bottom.

In this way, the meat and vegetables are stewed in their own juice. They don’t cook pork in Morocco because it’s a Muslim country, and so we were served chicken, mutton, or veal. Another mandatory part of the meal was delicious local wine.

On the oceanside we always ate fresh fish. Before that, I had only tried canned sardines, and now I saw how different it can taste! It is delicious!

Now I can also say that Moroccan coffee is the best in the world. Even the Italian varieties don’t measure up to it. I don’t know how they prepare it, but it’s incredible!

A THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD TREES AND BEST OIL IN THE WORLD My other memory was the argan trees and the oil made from its fruits.

They live for a very long time. People say that some of them are several thousand years old! The trees are practically left without any green leaves, there are only a few that remain on the top branches. And they are hunted by goats who have to climb very high to reach them. At first I couldn’t believe that was possible, because they jump like regular squirrels. And when the goats lose footing and fall down, they remain unharmed… They land on

their feet and resume their jumping.

The argan trees bear fruits whose seeds are turned into very valuable oil. We visited a factory where women press them and rub them in special pots. This oil is considered to be the best cosmetic ingredient ever.

COGNITIVE OVERLOAD This trip is a perfect experience for people who want to get away from

work or other problems. When I returned home, I felt that my consciousness was cleansed. All the adrenaline and stress that I experienced allowed me to fully forget about all my prior life troubles. I am a great admirer of active leisure. A desert in front of me and the stars overhead are much dearer to me than a trip to a seaside. It is so cool!

Text and photos by Grigoriy PRISTAY

10 | CULINARY

SPRING DIET: HOW TO RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES Spring is associated with restoration, revival of living beings, and new grand plans. But where do we get enough energy for all of that after an exhausting winter? Sometimes we feel like we lack the energy even for basic errands.

The reason lies in vitamin deficit. Hypovitaminosis is something we should try to fight. Because the deficit of even one vitamin can lead to changes in metabolism and to various diseases.

How do we fight that? You go to a pharmacy, buy vitamins, and take them regularly without any trouble. But this should not replace healthy eating. Vitamins from natural products are better digested since their biological structure is more suitable for your body.

Your spring diet should contain not only vitamins but also proteins, fats and carbohydrates, in other words – it should be balanced. And the vitamins, especially water-soluble ones, should be consumed on a daily basis because they cannot be stored in advance. Our body is in special need of vitamins of the В, А, Е, С, and D group. What do they affect?

Vitamin B1 is a natural anti-depressant, it is good for your nervous system, and takes an active part in your metabolism. It is contained in beans, nuts, beef, bread, oats, buckwheat, and rice.

Vitamin B2 facilitates the healing of wounds, participates in generating hemoglobin in the blood. It can be found in leafy green vegetables, milk, meat, fish, eggs.

Vitamin A is required to keep your eyesight and bones healthy. Foods rich in vitamin A are carrots, pumpkin, red pepper, apricots, beetroots, tomatoes, corn, spinach, liver, dairy products.

Vitamin E is called the youth vitamin.

It is needed for correct tissue metabolism, for skin health. It helps of the functioning of sex glands and the heart muscle. Vitamin E can be found in vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, egg yolk, leafy green vegetables.

Vitamin C is responsible for strengthening blood vessels, boosting your immunity, facilitating ferrum digestion. Vitamin C is contained in citrus fruits, dogrose, black currants, greens, sorrel, bell peppers, beans, sea-buckthorn, apples, strawberries, potatoes, cauliflower, coleslaw and sauerkraut.

Vitamin D is required for the body to process calcium and phosphorus, to make bone tissue grow and to ensure steady work of the thyroid. For the most part, it is produced in the body with the help of ultra-violet rays. But this vitamin can also be found in some produce such as

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caviar, fatty fish (salmon, herring, etc.), liver, egg yolk.

What is the best way to organize your diet in the spring months in order to nourish your body with these and other nutrients? In winter we craved for hot and fatty foods. It was dictated by the cold weather. But in spring, the amount of fat meat, pilaf, dumplings, and heavy soups needs to be cut down. These dishes are heavy for your body, they require a lot of energy to be digested. Spring is a time to eat lighter food, rich in vitamins, dietary fibers, and proteins. It could be vegetable stews, light soups, salads, water-based cereals, fish, beef, dairy and fruit. They will improve your digestion and along with it your health and figure.

By spring many vegetables and fruit lose their vitamin stock after long storage. But some of them still preserve the majority of their vitamins and minerals.

Pumpkin, for instance. It remains health-beneficial until May, when the new harvest comes to the market. Pumpkin contains vitamins В1, В2, С, Е, calcium, magnesium, ferrum, etc. Due to the calcium in its content, it’s very good for heart and vessel conditions. It is recommended for gastritis

and stomach ulcer. It improves the condition of skin and hair. Pumpkin seeds are especially valuable. Pumpkin is used to prepare a lot of delicious dishes: porridges, soups, casseroles, pancakes, and even desserts.

While waiting for new summer fruits and berries, spring is the best time to consume lots of citrus fruits. Oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruits are a wonderful source of vitamin C and pectin, which helps remove toxins from your body.

It is absolutely necessary to consume dairy products in spring: kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, and others. They are a perfect source of calcium.

They help to keep your intestine microflora in good health so that all the nutrients are better digested. And Vitamin A contained in dairy products strengthens the mucous membranes that protect us from spring colds.

After cutting down on fatty meat, you should substitute it with fish. This is a wonderful source of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids required for good metabolism. Herring, salmon, and sardines help make your teeth and bones stronger by supplying your body with vitamin D that improves calcium digestion.

In March, April, and May don’t forget about beans. They are rich not only in protein but also in other useful substances. Peas (even if they’re canned or frozen) contain antioxidants that slower the aging process. And kidney beans are rich in the group B vitamins and magnesium that support your nervous system and protect you from depression.

Cabbage is also available in spring and contains just as much vitamin C as the citrus fruits. It is rich in dietary fibers needed for better digestion processes. It could be added to salads, soups, vegetable stews, and pickled. The brine from sauerkraut is no less valuable than the cabbage itself.

It has a lot of vitamin C, as well as vitamins of the В, А, К, РР group and a record-breaking amount of potassium so good for your heart.

In the battle with hypovitaminosis, greens are indispensable. Parsley, dill, shallots, coriander, spinach, and lettuce should always be present on your table. They contain antioxidants, vitamins С, Е, В2, В9 (folic acid), calcium, phosphorus, etc. The greens are useful both on their own and as part of different dishes, but it’s better to avoid thermal processing.

One of the first spring vegetables is radish. By adding it to salads, cold soups, or by eating it as a side dish, we simultaneously receive vitamins C, B, as well as ferrum and calcium. Radish is also rich in phytoncides that help you fight spring colds.

“Natural” tomatoes are hard to come by in the early spring, but please do not disregard them.

They contain vitamins of the В, C, A, PP, E groups, a rare vitamin K, antioxidant lycopene that has anti-tumor properties. The characteristics of lycopene are only enforced after thermal processing, which means that you can easily add tomatoes to different hot dishes. Besides, they contain serotonin which has a positive effect on your nervous system, and phytoncides characterized by antibacterial properties. Also in spring, when the sun becomes more active, tomatoes (due to lycopene and beta-carotene) help to prevent the harmful effect of the ultraviolet radiation.

Our spring diet should be light but diverse and all-inclusive. There is no one marvelous product that can provide our body with all the necessary substances. And a lot of them can only be digested when combined with other components (like vitamins with fats, for example). The best way to combine useful ingredients is by eating salads with different dressings. They are a life-saver in the spring.

Text by Olga SINYUGINA

12 | IN MEMORIA

LEONID KADENIUK: «NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE ON EARTH…» IN MEMORY OF THE UKRAINIAN ASTRONAUT It took Leonid Kadeniuk thirty five years to fly into the space. He first qualified as a pilot fighter, then he was forced to extensively study biology, medicine, and astronomy and pass a great number of tests and examinations. But he did accomplish his goal and he proved to everyone and primarily to himself that nothing is impossible in this world.

Last winter, we said farewell to the first and so far the only Ukrainian astronaut who ventured into the space. In this issue, we collected the most interesting facts from interviews with Leonid Kadeniuk where he talked about the Universe, his childhood dreams and…

is living. I mean all this development of nuclear, chemical weapons – it all pollutes our biosphere.”

ON THE SECRET OF SUCCESS I often get asked: “What is the secret behind your success?” I reply that there is no secret. It’s all absolutely transparent: you set a goal and you work hard. That is the only secret there is.

UKRAINIAN ANTHEM FOR THE AMERICANS We all had a chance to bring tapes with our favorite tunes. I chose the artists I grew up on: songs

by Anatoliy Solovyanenko, Dmytro Hnatiuk, Sofia Rotaru, and others. And my American teammates listened to them with great interest! Our Ukrainian anthem also played twice in space. I chose it as a wake-up tune. And so the Americans were woken up twice by the words: “Ukraine’s glory has not yet died, nor her freedom …” And all the astronauts stood at attention during the song!

ON HIS CHILDHOOD DREAM Just like a lot of boys in my time, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut, and so I enrolled in Chernihiv High Aviation Pilot College. I was only 16 at the time, but I could not wait another year, so I pled with the major-instructor to accept me as a cadet.

He then said a phrase which I remembered for the rest of my life: “Let’s help this boy out, there will come a time when we will be greeting him at the space port with flowers.”

ON HIS FIRST FEELINGS IN SPACE I had a feeling that I had already been in such a state. When I started to analyze why such a feeling prevailed, I had a semifantastic assumption that maybe humans originate from space after all, and this state is recorded on the genetic level for each of us – for me, for you, and every other person on planet Earth.

And another thing – you feel like you find yourself in a different world, not only from a

physical perspective. When you look out the illuminator, you can see such beauty that you can hardly find words to describe it.

American astronaut John Glenn used to say: “To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible.”

ON THE EARTH AS SEEN FROM SPACE Besides positive impressions, I also had a few negative ones based on what I saw – and that is the extremely thin layer of atmosphere that protects the Earth against a pitch-black outer space. I was suddenly horrified: could such a thin layer contain life? Up there you come to understand how wrong our society

NEWS FROM KORCHMA| 13

Н и к о л а й

Н и к о л а й

Г о Г о л ь

Г о Г о л ь

EXCLUSIVE EDITION OF THE NOVEL TARAS BULBA!

Тарас БульБа

Exuberant literary characters, the exotic Cossack life, and ongoing wars with the Poles and infidels! This classical Russian novel is brought back to life with illustrations by the legendary Vladislav Yerko! б у л ь б а - п р е с с

“So you want to fight me? With your fist, eh?”

“Yes, however.”

“Well, let it be fists,” said Taras Bulba, turning up his sleeves. “I’ll see what sort of a man you are with your fists.”

And father and son, in lieu of a pleasant greeting after a long separation, began to deal each other heavy blows to the ribs, back, and chest, now retreating and looking at each other, now attacking afresh.

“Look, good people! The old man has gone mad! He has lost his senses completely!” screamed their pale, ugly, kind mother, who was standing on the threshold and had not yet succeeded in embracing her darling children. “The children have come home, we have not seen them for over a year, and look what he’s doing – he’s pummeling them.”

Taras Bulba

Search for an exclusive edition of the novel Taras Bulba from our publishing house. The number of copies is limited!

14 | NEWS FROM KORCHMA

SPRING IS IN THE AIR! CELEBRATE THE NEW SEASON’S HOLIDAYS WITH US! After the long cold winter months when due to frosty weather and snowdrifts we had not even the slightest desire to peak outside the door, the advent of spring is probably the best time to finally take that walk outside, to enjoy healthy and delicious produce from the new harvest, or

MARCH 8 WOMEN’S DAY March 8 is the warmest holiday of the month. Even though this is just the beginning of spring and the weather can still surprise us with its stunts, the cold is not as fierce as it used to be. And no wonder, because on International Women’s Day we will be kept warm by hugs, smiles, and kisses. We would also like to remind the men to greet all the beautiful ladies around them. Please greet all women, regardless of their age and social status. Believe us, flowers, sweets, perfumes, or even a caring gesture may go a long way in terms of winning respect and love from the better half of humanity for many months ahead.

And what could be a better present than a romantic dinner? It’s a rhetorical question, naturally. So get your sweetheart and we welcome you to Korchma!

We made sure you’ll be most comfortable here. This is where you can get away from the daily hustle and bustle and enjoy your time with your beloved. You will be treated to elegant dishes from our chef and a special holiday menu, as well as entertainment and a cozy ambiance. And certainly, every woman will receive flowers and a smile from our staff!

to paint the town red with your friends. Especially because there are more than enough events to celebrate this spring. Korchma is taking spring seriously. So leave you warm fur coats and parkas at home – the heat is on!

APRIL 1 APRIL FOOL’S DAY AND THE BIRTHDAY OF NIKOLAI GOGOL April 1 is a dual occasion for celebration. First, because we celebrate April Fool’s Day when people in many countries play pranks and jokes on their family members, friends, and colleagues. There is only one such day a year, so don’t restrain your imagination and make sure your prank will be remembered for a long time. Naturally, you have no right to stay gloomy or angry on this day. Smile at people, make jokes, but do be careful not to become the target of someone else’s prank.

April 1 is also the commemoration of the birthday of the great writer Nikolai Gogol. It’s a special date for our restaurants since our chain is named in honor of one of his literary characters – the legendary Cossack colonel Taras Bulba. Are you still contemplating whether to come visit us? Come on! Can’t you smell the Ukrainian salo with fresh green shallots? Go ahead, try our home-made moonshine vodka! It’s simply irresistible…

PRIZES: 1st prize:

5,000 rubles 2nd prize:

3,000 rubles 3rd prize:

2,000 rubles

We started organizing a monthly photo contest. The conditions are quite simple. You just have to take an interesting picture in any of our restaurants and post in on social media with a geolocation. Your profile should be open and the picture needs to show that it was taken

in a Korchma. Winners will be selected every month. The more likes you get, the better your chances are. Participants who gain the most votes will get valuable prizes and their pictures will be published in our newspaper.

NEWS FROM KORCHMA| 15

MAY 9 VICTORY DAY

APRIL 8 HOLY EASTER Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! This these are the traditional greetings on the day of the most holy and greatest Christian holiday – Easter. For each devout Christian it stands for the hope of salvation and eternal life, because it is thought to be the day when our savior Jesus Christ has risen from death and thus celebrated the victory of life over death.

Easter is a family holiday with numerous traditions and customs. No one goes to sleep on the night before the Easter Sunday, people go to church for an evening service. After midnight, the priests put on their festive garments and pronounce: “Christ is risen!” Upon the end of the service begins the process of blessing Easter food: paska breads, painted eggs, sausages, horseradish, etc. Every lady of the house prepares her Easter basket with the most of care and fills it with the best dishes.

We would like to remind you that Korchma has a long-standing tradition of basket-blessing. You can also buy freshly baked paskas from our chefs.

There is no city or town in our country where Victory Day is not celebrated, and Korchma has always participated in this tradition. On May 9, we hold all sorts of events in our chain restaurants. In some of the restaurants, our waiting staff change from their Ukrainian costumes into military service shirts and peg-top breeches, and they present red carnations to all visitors. In other restaurants, the guests are entertained with the “Smuglianka” and other military tunes played on the accordion. And no celebration is complete without a shot of vodka, because otherwise – what kind of holiday is it?

This year we are going to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of our victory over fascism. In present-day Russia, millions of people remember how their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought the occupants. The large-scale commemorations always include giving flowers to the people who contributed to that victory – they are the main heroes of this holiday. The military, schoolchildren, and other activists lay flower wreaths at the feet of the Eternal Flames. All cities hold celebratory concerts where they sing old Victory songs.

We h av e o n l y f r es h a n d s a v o r y n ew s !

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19 korchma taras bulba This is not just our birthday, this is the day when the most delicious home cuisine was born!

Get the party started on march 29, 7pm!

Join us for the celebration!

Жена грустно говорит мужу: «Весна пришла, на улице тепленько, хорошо, а мне раздеваться не во что». Итак, похудеть к весне не получилось. Раскормлю подруг, сыграю на контрасте. Эх, весна: утром фигурное катание, вечером гребля на байдарках. Умная женщина никогда не кричит на мужчину. Ей достаточно одного взгляда. Совесть – как хомяк. Или спит, или грызет. «Изя, ты уже устроился?»

– «Нет, пока еще работаю...»

Cautio�!

Reading books may change you!

Change for the better with us. В ДРУГУЮ РЕАЛЬНОСТЬ

НЕПАЛ

4 4 7 7 0 8 (495) 7

Ukrainian cuisine – made with love!

Restaurants’ location:

MOSCOW, Aviamotornaya metro station, 6 Krasnokazarmennaya St., (499) 763 5741

ПУТЕШЕСТВИЕ

Avtozavodskaya metro station,

6 Velozavodskaya St., (499) 764 1532

Akademicheskaya metro station,

16/10 Profsoyuznaya St., (499) 125 0877

Alekseyavskaya metro station, 3 Bochkova St., (495) 616 6754

Airport metro station,

ПУТЕШЕСТВИЕ

НЕПАЛ

64 Leningradskiy Prospekt St., (499) 151 9011

В ДРУГУЮ РЕАЛЬНОСТЬ

23/41 Bakuninskaya St., +7 (495) 956 55 81

Baumanskaya metro station, Borovitskaya metro station,

8 Mokhovaya St., 24-hour, 89037965141; 89856448544

Leninskiy Prospekt metro station,

37 Leninskiy Prospect St., (495) 954 6466 Н и к о л а й

Н и к о л а й

Maryino metro station,

Г о Г о л ь

163/1 Lublinskaya St., 8 (495) 349 78 09

Novokuznetskaya metro station,

Г о Г о л ь

14 Pyatnitskaya St., (495) 953 7153

Novye Cheryomushki metro station, Nametkina St., 13 г, (495) 331 4211

Smolenskaya metro station,

12 Smolenskiy Avenue. St., 24-hour, (499) 246 6902

Tsvetnoy Boulevard metro station,

13/14 K2 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya St., (495) 694 0056

Chekhovskaya metro station,

Тарас БульБа

30/7 Petrovka St., (495) 694 6082

Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station,

6 Borovskoye Road, (495) 980 2051

Vystavochnaya metro station, of 1905 year,

27 B1 Shmitovskiy Passage, 24-hour, (499) 256-4660

The town of Odintsovo

122 Mozhayskoye Shosse 8 (925) 166-16-18

б у л ь б а - п р е с с

Loo� for th� boo�

of th� Korchm�

i� al� restaurnt�

“Tara� Bulb�” chai�!

KIEV, “Teatralnaya”, “Zolotye Vorota”,“Kreschatik” metro station, 2-4/7 Pushkinskaya St.,+38 (044) 270-7248

www.bulbapress.ru Certificate of registration PI № FS 77 – 19940. Circulation is 5 000 copies.

Laskavo prosymo!