Ukrainians furious over NYT calling Medovyk 'Russian' cake

Details of the medovyk controversy

The dispute went far beyond cooking, serving as a vivid example of how Russia has spent years appropriating the cultural heritage of other nations.

Users rightly point out that medovyk is a popular dessert in Ukraine, the Baltic countries, and Eastern Europe, so calling it exclusively "Russian" is historically inaccurate.

Comments included:

• This newspaper is really trying hard to turn into toilet paper.
• Shame on you! You can't go a single day without supporting colonial appropriation. Medovyk was common in Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian, Slovak, and Czech cultures, and even older Russian sources confirm this. I proved it in my book "The Fantastic History of Ukrainian Cuisine," Fulbright scholar Marianna Dushar confirmed it, Polish researchers confirmed it, and so on. Only imperialist supporters can call it 'Russian'.
• Lately, I'm skipping Russian cakes. Bombs kill, and I like desserts without geopolitics!

Ukrainian popular chef Yevhen Klopotenko also weighed in, writing:

"The New York Times, you look like Trump."

Where the well-known recipe really comes from

The key argument proving the dessert's Ukrainian origin is that the first recipe for the medovyk, which later became wildly popular, was published in the book "Ukrainian Cuisine" in 1957.

Screenshot from the 1957 book Ukrainian Cuisine

From this publication, the recipe spread throughout the Soviet Union and became a beloved dessert in many households.

Earlier, we revealed what Americans really think about Ukrainian cuisine.