Chesnok - by Polina Chesnakova (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A love letter to the food of her childhood, acclaimed writer Polina Chesnakova shares 100 vibrant regional recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from Georgia, Polina Chesnakova grew up cooking and eating at the hip of her mother and aunts. Chesnok paints a warm portrait of the Soviet diaspora through food, with dishes that will be nostalgic and familiar for those within the diaspora and enticing to anyone looking to expand their palate and pantry.

From Georgian Tkemali (sour plum sauce), Uzbek and Azeri Plovs, and Armenian Gata (butter pastry) to Ukrainian Varenyky (dumplings), Russian Olivier Salad, and Medovik (honey cake), Chesnok is your invitation to learn the rich history of a people through their most cherished recipes and traditions. Essays, stories, and profiles of the amazing cooks in Polina's life are peppered amongst recipes as diverse as the communities from which they blossomed and the immigrant experience they were subsequently passed down in.

Review Quotes

"Chesnok feels like sitting down at the table of an old friend--one who understands the bittersweet nostalgia of a cuisine shaped by movement, resilience, and the blending of cultures. Polina Chesnakova captures the essence of the post-Soviet table, where dill-flecked salads, golden khachapuri, and steaming bowls of dumplings aren't just food, but touchstones of identity. Her writing is tender, her recipes deeply familiar yet fresh, and her perspective so necessary in this moment. This book is a gift to those of us who have longed to see our food, our stories, and our histories reflected on the page."--Bonnie Frumkin Morales, author of Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking

"After spending time with Chesnok, I'd love nothing more than a seat at one of Polina Chesnakova's family gatherings, elbow-to-elbow with relations and dishes with roots reaching back to Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and beyond. Maybe someday I'll land an invite, but in the meantime this book is the next-best thing: a rich, gorgeous, and lovingly crafted collection of recipes, traditions, and stories from her post-Soviet diasporic upbringing."--Andrew Janjigian, head baker at Wordloaf, and theauthor of the forthcoming Breaducation

"Polina Chesnakova has a unique voice and Chesnok is the most joyous book, heartfelt and bursting with colour and life."--Diana Henry, James Beard Award-winning writer

"A real labour of love, this book introduces you to the kaleidoscope of dishes and stories close to Polina's heart. Its broad geographic and historical scope gives you a fascinating glimpse into the diaspora kitchen that produces a tapestry of flavours from Central Asia to the Caucasus. Polina has a real gift with words, creating evocative vignettes to introduce her recipes, making them feel instantly homey. While countries featured in the book are steeped in centuries of complex and painful conflict, Polina's book, with its warm and inviting photography, reminds us that given the necessary time and distance, food always has the power to soothe."-- Alissa Timoshkina, Co-founder of #CookforUkraine, Authorof Kapusta and Salt Time

"Like her namesake, 'chesnok' (garlic), I can never get enough of Polina Chesnakova's writing! As a fellow emigré, it fills my heart with both longing and joy to see these dishes laid out on sumptuous spreads so like our own."-- Alice Zaslavksy, author of Salad for Days and In Praise of Veg

"Polina Chesnakova's book presents a delicious panorama of the flavors of the post-Soviet diaspora. Recipes like Ukrainian varenyky, Uzbek plov, and Georgian khachapuri are all woven together with gorgeous photography and compelling personal narratives."-- Anya Von Bremzen, author of National Dish and Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking

"This book is a delight! In exuberant prose, Polina Chesnakova conveys the joyousness of feasting post-Soviet style in the diaspora. Enticing recipes from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, and beyond showcase the heirloom dishes her family brought into immigration, including innovative takes on traditional preparations. Chesnok generously invites us to share in this multicultural feast."--Darra Goldstein, founding editor of Gastronomica, editor in chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Food Studies

"This cookbook is a beautiful invitation to explore the delicious home cooking traditions of the Soviet diaspora. Polina's cooking is anchored in Russian and Georgian tradition, with lively influences from other nationalities. The resulting mix is enticing, presented in easy-to-follow recipes and attractive photographs."--Naomi Duguif, author of The Miracle of Salt and Taste of Persia

About the Author

Polina Chesnakova was born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from the country of Georgia. She was raised in a tight-knit Rhode Island community of refugees from all over the former Soviet Union, and has cooked and baked in a handful of professional kitchens. She's had her blog (now newsletter) Chesnok since 2015, and her work has been published in Saveur, Epicurious, The Washington Post, and Food 52. She has written two cookbooks: Hot Cheese and Everyday Cake. She worked for Book Larder in Seattle and presided over the cooking class program as the Culinary Director from 2021-2023. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Lee, and son, Anton.