Huslianka

What it is

Huslianka is a traditional sour milk product of the Hutsul region. The name is related to the word 'thick': the milk 'thickens'. It is brought to a boil, cooled to body temperature, and then fermented, left in a warm place until morning — and the liquid milk becomes thick, tender, with a slight sourness.

Unlike regular sour milk, huslianka is distinguished by the boiling process: its taste is softer and purer. Hutsuls traditionally preferred huslianka over raw sour milk and always served it with Kulesha and Banosh. Huslianka is also used instead of sour cream — in borscht and other dishes.

The second name, 'winter milk', is explained by the fact that huslianka could be stored for a long time and could replace milk in winter; over time, its taste became sharper.

In terms of technology, huslianka is close to matsoni, katyk, or yogurt. Ethnographer Volodymyr Shukhevych noted in the late 19th century that huslianka was made in the Hutsul region alongside cheeses and bryndza.

History and name

Huslianka has been known since at least the 19th century. Ivan Zelentsiuk — one of the founders of the Ethnographic Museum of Hutsul Antiquities in the village of Kryvorivnia — explains the Hutsul proverb 'milk comes in three kinds, but borscht is none': the first milk is fresh, the second is huslianka, the third is bryndza. Borscht, however, was a rarity in the mountains, as Hutsuls engaged little in agriculture.

Ingredients and allergens

Cow's milk1–3 lThe raw material for huslianka, cow's budz, and cheese koniki.Contains allergens: milk

Sour creamstarter (a bit of sour cream or ready huslianka)Thick homemade sour cream is the base for banosh and machanka, a common dressing for Carpathian dishes.Contains allergens: milk

Contains allergens: milk
Diet: vegetarian · gluten-free · no cooking

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is made

Fresh milk is brought to a boil and cooled to 30–40 °C — 'when it does not burn your finger'. The walls of a clay pot or jar are greased with sour cream or a starter from the previous huslianka, warm milk is poured in and not stirred.

The container is wrapped and placed in a warm place for about 12 hours, until morning; then huslianka is transferred to a cool place. Traditionally, it was kept in wooden barrels or clay dishes.

Where it is eaten

The area is approximate and based on the sources below. The dish is cooked outside it too, and ethnographic borders are blurred.

Ethnographic Hutsul region: Verkhovyna, Kosiv, Rakhiv, Bukovinian Hutsul region. The area is approximate.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Everyday food

In tradition

Huslianka is a daily product for Hutsul families: it is served with Kulesha, Banosh, potatoes, and used instead of sour cream in borscht and other dishes.

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