Let Sevala's help you out with dishes like kutia, prune perogies, buckwheat cabbage rolls, beets & horseradish, Studenetz and more.

Team that up with our Sevala's perogies, cabbage rolls, pyrishky, and borsch to complete a delicious meal just like Baba makes!

Easter - Find out about the specials Sevala's offers specifically for your Easter festivities

Kutia - To find out more click on 'kutia'

The Tradition of Ukrainian Christmas…

The preparation of Christmas Eve supper begins long before Christmas day. The meal consists of 12 different dishes - symbolic of the 12 apostles. The dishes contain no meat or dairy products to show respect for the animals that shared their place of shelter and were present for the birth of Christ. The animals are given special care this day and are fed fresh hay (instead of the usual straw) and some food from the meal.

The table and room are prepared - hay is strewn under the tables as a reminder of the humble place of Christ's birth. A white or embroidered tablecloth is spread over the dinner table and a kolach is placed in the center. The kolach is a special, circular braided Christmas bread. Placing three loaves on top of each other symbolizes the holy trinity. A beeswax candle placed in the middle of the loaf symbolizes the star of Bethlehem.

A didukh, a sheaf of the finest wheat, is brought in as a symbol of hope that next year's crop will be bountiful and announces the arrival of the holidays (Sviatky idut).

The children watch for the first star. When it appears the father of the house carries in a bowl of kutia (cooked wheat with honey). The father comes to the table first and then the others take their places. The father leads the grace and asks the blessing of the health of his family and the hope that all will be together again the following Christmas. Prayers are recited and a carol such as "Boh Predvichny" is usually sung.

The first dish eaten is always kutia. Everyone must have at least a taste of this ritual dish. In some localities, it is custom for the eldest member of the family to throw a spoonful of kutia to the ceiling - the more kernels of wheat that stick to the ceiling, the greater the good fortune the following year. The meal continues with the rest of the twelve dishes.

The entire family joins in the singing of Christmas carols, until it is time to prepare for church. The next three days are holy days and groups of carolers go from house to house bringing glad tidings and singing carols in all the homes they visit.

Kutia

An ancient, traditional, Ukrainian Christmas Eve delicacy

Kutia is cooked whole wheat with honey and ground poppy seeds. The origin of this dish dates back some 5000 years when the Ukrainian people first cultivated wheat.

Custom dictates that everyone must partake of kutia on Christmas Eve. It is the first dish of the twelve-course Christmas Eve supper, "Sviat Vechir". This ritual dish is served only during the Christmas cycle of holidays, which ends with the Feast of Jordan on January 19.

The meaning of kutia is not known, but it is believed that it was originally an important part of ancient religion, and symbolized a spiritual clan unity of all living and deceased members. It may also have been a ritual offering to the Sun God from who came both the earth and the harvest.

After the acceptance of Christianity in Ukraine in 988AD, kutia came to symbolize the Christ Child in the manger.

Kutia is delicious warm or cold. Serve in sherbet glasses, and garnish with chopped nuts.

Call us for information regarding our Hot Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper.
(Available for take-out only.)
 

Visit Sevala's for all your Christmas/Easter Holiday Foods!

Kutia ... Borsch with Vushka ... Sauerkraut Perogies ... Prune perogies ... Mushroom Gravy ... Fruit Compote ... Buckwheat Cabbage Rolls ... Nalysnyky ... Pyrrishky ... Ukrainian Cheese Cake ... Chrustyky ... Pampushky

Symbolism behind the Ukrainian ritual foods of Easter

Paska, a ritual bread rich in both ingredients and meaning, symbolizes Jesus Christ. Bread is the "staff of life" and in the Eucharist, Christ is the bread of everlasting life, nourishing the soul as bread nourishes the body.

Butter, cheese & other dairy products symbolize the prophecies foretelling the prosperity and peace of the messianic age.

Meat products symbolize the sacrificial animals of the Old Testament as well as Jesus Christ, the "Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world". Ham represents freedom from the Old Law, which forbade the eating of certain meats. Sausage symbolizes the links of the chains of death, broken when Christ rose from the dead.

Salt symbolizes the Truth of Christ's message, which preserves the eternal soul as salt preserves food.

Horseradish, part of the original Passover meal reminding Jews of the bitterness of life in Egypt, became to Christians a reminder of the bitter drink given the Lord on the cross. Sweetened with red beets, it reminds Christians of the Passion of Christ, which he overcame through the glory of His resurrection.

Pysanky, traditional Ukrainian Easter Eggs, have represented fertility and the rebirth of spring since ancient times. After the acceptance fo Christianity in 988 AD, the egg has become a religious symbol of the Easter celebration. Sharing hard-boiled eggs on Easter Morning breaks the Lenten fast, and the beautifully decorated pysanky are exchanged as a gesture of love & goodwill, along with wishes for prosperity.
 

Call and let us help you plan your menu for your holiday feast!

Sevala's Ukrainian Deli & Catering
126 Victoria Ave. W. Winnipeg, MB R2C 1S5
Tel. (204) 224-4900 Fax (204) 222-3732
E-mail
www.sevalas.com