Comforting recipes of Soup, Stew, and Solace, from Eastern Europe

Lozhka

In Lozhka, award-winning writer and co-founder of #CookforUkraine, Alissa Timoshkina explores the cuisines of Eastern Europe through recipes, stories and shared histories, revealing a rich culinary landscape shaped by resilience, migration and generosity. 
 
Spanning Ukrainian, Jewish, Tatar, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak and Roma traditions, among others, Lozhka captures a cuisine without borders – one shaped by migration, resilience, generosity and deep-rooted connection to the land. From fragrant soups and nourishing stews to soft dumplings and comforting desserts, every recipe tells a story of home, survival and belonging. 
 
With its vibrant, vegetable-forward approach and layers of smoky, tangy and creamy flavour, Lozhka brings the spirit of Eastern European cooking into the modern kitchen while honouring the traditions behind it. More than a cookbook, it is an invitation to discover the histories, cultures and shared comforts gathered around the spoon.

Alissa Timoshkina

Alissa&lsquo;s recipes speak to my stomach. I am especially a lifelong fan of cabbage, and her cabbage chapter is fantastic.

Alissa turns the cabbage clich&eacute; on its head in this joyful celebration of Eastern European cooking. Come for the food and stay for the stories&mdash;every curious cook will take a leaf out of this book.

Kapusta is a word that&rsquo;s close to my heart, as it brings to mind my favourite dish of young cabbage cooked in buttery dill. The book is just as warm and inviting. Alissa&rsquo;s writing soothes the soul and her recipes always inspire. Kapusta is filled to the brim with beautiful, imaginative recipes that have the power to revitalise the kitchen, comfort the spirit and shine a fresh light on the world of Eastern European food.

Just like the vegetable for which this book is named, Alissa&rsquo;s recipes are always full of layers: of flavour, of history, of intention. Kapusta will fill your heart with gladness and your belly with buckwheat.

If the measure of a cookbook&#39;s success is whether it inspires you to try the recipes then&#160;Kapusta&#160;goes one better. It is a book of plenty, a meal in itself.

Vegetable-Forward Recipes from Eastern Europe

"Come for the food and stay for the stories &ndash; every curious cook will take a leaf out of this book."&#160;&ndash; Yotam Ottolenghi 
 
 "A rare cookbook that engages our thinking and delights our senses."&#160;&ndash; Olia Hercules 
 
 "This book is just as warm and inviting and shines a fresh light on the world of Eastern European food."&#160;&ndash; Zuza Zak 
 
A culinary journey across Eastern Europe,&#160;Kapusta&#160;celebrates the humble vegetables that have shaped some of the most vibrant culinary traditions in the world. Focusing on five key vegetables to the region &ndash; cabbage, beetroot, potato, carrot and mushrooms &ndash; it&#160;honours a philosophy of cooking that has affordability, seasonality, sustainability and, above all, great flavour at its heart.&#160;With chapters on dumplings and pickles and ferments as well, you&rsquo;ll find a diversity of dishes which exemplify the Eastern European culinary DNA. Recipes are accompanied by beautiful photography and include a range of both meat-based and vegetarian dishes such as A Cabbage Strudel, both Vegan and Beef Borsch, Potato Babka, Pierogi, a Tzimmes Carrot Cake, Bulgarian Mushroom and Walnut P&acirc;t&eacute;, and a range of sauerkrauts. Kapusta bursts with original recipes and shines a spotlight on the whole kaleidoscope of little-known culinary cultures and history from across the extensive region.

Alissa Timoshkina

Praise for Kapusta

Alissa‘s recipes speak to my stomach. I am especially a lifelong fan of cabbage, and her cabbage chapter is fantastic.

Alissa turns the cabbage cliché on its head in this joyful celebration of Eastern European cooking. Come for the food and stay for the stories—every curious cook will take a leaf out of this book.

Kapusta is a word that’s close to my heart, as it brings to mind my favourite dish of young cabbage cooked in buttery dill. The book is just as warm and inviting. Alissa’s writing soothes the soul and he ...

Alissa‘s recipes speak to my stomach. I am especially a lifelong fan of cabbage, and her cabbage chapter is fantastic.

Alissa turns the cabbage cliché on its head in this joyful celebration of Eastern European cooking. Come for the food and stay for the stories—every curious cook will take a leaf out of this book.

Kapusta is a word that’s close to my heart, as it brings to mind my favourite dish of young cabbage cooked in buttery dill. The book is just as warm and inviting. Alissa’s writing soothes the soul and he ...

Alissa‘s recipes speak to my stomach. I am especially a lifelong fan of cabbage, and her cabbage chapter is fantastic.

Alissa turns the cabbage cliché on its head in this joyful celebration of Eastern European cooking. Come for the food and stay for the stories—every curious cook will take a leaf out of this book.

Kapusta is a word that’s close to my heart, as it brings to mind my favourite dish of young cabbage cooked in buttery dill. The book is just as warm and inviting. Alissa’s writing soothes the soul and he ...

Books by Alissa Timoshkina

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