Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Such a lovely, warm book about cooking, caring about food and what brings it to our tables, and how the rituals of cooking and eating unite us with our families

Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules was a cookery book I just had to ask for my birthday. It's beautiful illustrated throughout with great recipes I've tried and tested many of these with my family.
It's a book that's used and does not get time to collect dust on my shelves in the kitchen.

I love it. "Happiness within a great book of sunshine! within my farmhouse"

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review and then my Hubby for getting it for me

A wonderfully written book of family and food. Summer kitchens were just that, kitchens outside the home to cook summer meals and keep the heat from the main house. The practice has been used in most every culture for many years with stories of the gossip and comradery enjoyed in these gathering places ruled by women. Olia Hercules has given us some very well defined communities and populated them with generations of women whose lives revolved around their families. An excellent read for most.

Delicious recipes from every corner of less known Ukraine..... Must try exotic recipes were in this book.....

Beautifully written and photographed, and seriously informative, just like I like my cookbooks to be. I felt the recipes were maybe a little too meat heavy for my tastes (although I did expect that to be the case). There wasn't necessarily anything I would hurry to make, but I loved the insight into Ukrainian culture and history.

Mmmmm!! This is a feast for the soul, full of hearty, healthy dishes and photographs that ooze the fragrances of summer.
As a very occasional meat eater, having spent 9 years a vegetarian, I often lean towards meat free meals, and found plenty of recipes in this book to suit me. There are plenty of vegetable based meals in the book, and they will even please hardened carnivores.

As part of my 2020 resolution to live more naturally - meaning more fresh cooking from scratch and home grown herbs, as well as eating what is in season to do good for myself and the planet, this little guide will be by my side!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I live in Europe, but I have never been to Ukraine, nor eaten genuine traditional Ukrainian food, so this book intrigued me from the start. What a delight it was to read! Even if you do not try the recipes, the author’s love of her homeland, its people and its food culture make this a book to enjoy.

The chapters, including topics such as fermenting, pickling and preserving, vegetables, bread, pasta and dumplings, reflect authentic recipes and regional food differences, shared through generations of cooks using home grown products .

Most of the recipes are simple to prepare with natural ingredients and there are a number I have ear-marked to try; Little peppers with tomato sauce, Braised cabbage of Sean’s dreams and Sashko’s Bogracz stew, to name a few.

But it is the accompanying text that I enjoyed so much, beautifully written stories of a life that revolved around the traditional masonry oven (a “pich”) and of generations cooking together with ingredients from the garden and field. The evocative photos of people and the countryside provide a wonderful glimpse of life in rural Ukraine.

The final chapter – a sample of the more than 50 letters the author received after she sent out an appeal for first-hand experiences of summer kitchens – is a fitting end to the book recording the love of a country and its food and precious memories of parents and grandparents.

I don't usually read recipe books but I picked this one to review for two reasons: 1 I know precisely 0 things about Ukrainian history, culture, and cooking and 2 it fulfils my quota for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge (Number 13, read a book about a cuisine you've never tried before).

And I am so glad I did. Olia Hercules writes so engagingly, so lovingly about her ancestry and wonderful summers. I was desperate for a time machine so I, too, could experience a summer kitchen in all its glory. The recipes were not entirely my cup of tea but somehow they still sounded sumptuous and delicious. This book went on the list of birthday presents for my beloved step mother about 10 pages in. I'm sure she's going to love it too.

I really enjoyed this cookbook. It is a great read with recipes in context, a lot of interesting anecdotes and highlights on a culture/country which is not mine but which I can perfectly relate to and enjoyed discovering. It brought back a lot of memories of my own childhood summers in the northern French countryside while discovering new recipes with mostly similar produce. I love reading cookbooks and this one was an almost spellbinding experience with the mix of memories and discoveries it brought up.
The great photos definitely help setting the scene and atmosphere, the recipes are clearly explained and the ones I tried were very nice.
Loved it !

Summer Kitchens is a beautifully designed book full of traditional Ukrainian recipes, how the dishes came to happen and how they are being made to this day.
The loveliest part about reading it were not the recipes themselves, but seeing the family connection, the photos and reading the stories. It is almost a travel book taking you on a summer holiday home stay with a Ukrainian family, seeing their garden and taking a peek into the kitchen before sitting down at a beautifully set table full of local goods.
However, to me, it really was more of a travel experience (a very good one!) than a cookbook, as I was happy looking at the recipes and the process but not everything is available here at the moment or it just didn’t seem like something I would make myself though I would love to try it when I go.
But I have to say you have a certain sense of pride when you expertly speak to Ukrainian friends about their dishes and I have ordered a few dishes for our next get together.

A lovely cook book and more. The author takes us on a journey through the Ukrainian summer kitchens, a rapidly vanishing life style where food is prepared, cooked, preserved in a building separate from the main house but close to the vegplot/fruit garden. The recipes are split into broad categories - baking, fermenting, soups, stews, desserts etc - and each section has anecdotes about the food, the activities of family members and history. All very interesting. The recipes themselves sound tasty mostly (apart from tripe - memories of the 1950s when mother boiled some dry over a very very long time and the house smelt of charred nastiness for weeks; and, sorry, beetroot which was always pickled in strong vinegar and nothing else, stained the Christmas boiled eggs and potatoes an unappetising pink and tasted of earth anyway. I have persevered with the beetroot and variously spiced pickling attempts, to no avail. The stuff still tastes like dirt, even the young freshly picked beets. However, enough, many of the recipes are delish - salds, dougnuts/dumplings, blueberries, various slow cooked meats not to mention more ideas about fermenting things. My pantry will be groaning even more this autumn!! Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating book with fabulous photos and a glimpse into a cuisine and lifestyle of the Ukraines, in summer. There is pickling, breakfast dishes, soups/broths, dumplings/bread and pasta, fish/meat, vegetables and sweets. Ukraine has taken and mixed many influence from neighbouring country and invading tribes to come up with a unique and nourishing food culture.
Full of hearty and easy recipes, this book is a real step into history both from the food and the country.

A really interesting look into the culture and food of Ukraine. I'm not sure I'll personally be trying out any of the recipes, but I found it fun to have a read through nonetheless.

This charming cookbook transports you to the Ukrainian countryside and makes you want to stay a while. I love cookbooks like this - ones that introduce you to new things that somehow feel familiar and strange all at once. Gorgeous!

Olia Hercules cookbook is a gorgeous looking, beautifully illustrated thing. It is a guide not just to the cuisine of the generally overlooked Ukraine, but also to - at least a part of - Ukrainian culture. It is perfect for the armchair (or should that be kitchen) traveller and I thoroughly enjoyed browsing its collection of photographs of sunny days and delicious looking unusual food and the accompanying anecdotes, stories, reminiscences, as well as recipes. In current uncertain world - and with genuine travel looking unlikely for the time being - this is a welcome tonic.

The downside is that, although many of the recipes look interesting, there are fewer that are candidates to try immediately. The best cookbooks contain dishes that the reader can imagine fitting into amongst their normal everyday cooking. There should be the sort of obviously appealing recipes that you thinking of adding to the meal you were already going to cook. That is largely lacking here.

There are plenty of recipes for making pickles and fermented foods - but these require some forethought and a glut of the necessary ingredients. Some of the baking looks lovely but slightly intimidating. Those already making these sorts of things might find more here. There are dishes I shall give a go - an unusual courgette side dish, a braised cabbage dish, another stuffed pepper dish and a lovely looking pork and fruit main - but overall just not quite as much as I would have hoped.

A beautiful and fascinating cookbook and story of the author's exploration of the summer kitchens she grew up with.

I read this during lockdown, and like many others have found myself cooking quite differently through this period, and spending as much time out in the garden as I can. Every house should have a summer kitchen!

It was a real treat to read this book. I love the idea of summer kitchens and the story of how they evolved.
The pictures made me dream of a time long gone in most countries and rapidly disappearing in the rest. I'm going to try several of the recipes, particularly the fermenting and pickling ones. It was also a lovely touch to include the letters and reminiscences at the end.
I will be buying myself a hard copy of this book to enjoy.

Olia's love for Ukranian summer kitchens of yore comes through so strongly in this book, her writing is so evocative and comes to life with the book's beautiful photography. The section at the back which included several other people's recollections of summer kitchens was really touching. It made me want to visit Ukraine so badly!

As for the recipes, they (almost!) all look delicious but are a little tricky to go about in a small city kitchen, especially during lockdown! That said I have book marked several I would like to try if I get the chance.

Full of meal ideas and beautiful recipes, this is easy to read and follow and will be a staple on our kitchen shelf