Uzvar

What it is

Uzvar is a brew made from dried fruits: apples, pears, plums, and sometimes cherries. The dried fruits are washed, covered with water, brought to a boil, and left to steep; honey is added when the drink cools slightly. No one measures the proportions: you take whatever dried fruits you have in the pantry.

In the Carpathians, dried fruits were prepared in the autumn: fruits were dried in the sun or in wooden dryers called lozynytsia. In winter, uzvar was made from them on Christmas Eve.

In Hutsulshchyna, uzvar is referred to as 'var'. Vasyl Karpiuk from the village of Brusturi in the Kosiv region writes that on Christmas Eve, 'uzvar is made from dried fruits, which for some reason is simply called “var”.'

Uzvar is one of the lenten dishes of Christmas Eve for both Hutsuls and Lemkos. It is also prepared before Epiphany, and on weekdays, it is made as an ordinary drink.

History and name

Uzvar is known throughout Ukraine; the Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language records the custom of making it on the eve of Christmas and Epiphany. Ethnographer Lydia Artyukh wrote about the history of uzvar among Ukrainian drinks.

Resettled Lemkos mention uzvar among the ceremonial dishes of Viliya (Christmas Eve) alongside kiselytsia, bobalyky, and cabbage pies.

Ingredients and allergens

Dried fruit300–500 gApples, pears, and plums dried in the sun or oven; the base for the Christmas uzvar — among Hutsuls, it's called 'varu'.

Honey2–4 tbsp, optionalCarpathian honey is used for bobalyky, kutia, and varenyky; allowed during fasting.

Also: water (2.5–3 l)

Contains allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the traditional recipe
Diet: lenten · vegan · 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

Dried apples, pears, and plums are rinsed, soaked if necessary, covered with cold water, brought to a boil, and simmered for a few minutes on low heat or simply poured with boiling water. Then, uzvar is steeped for several hours to become rich and dark. Honey is added to the warm, not hot, drink.

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.

All of Ukraine, including all Carpathian groups: Hutsuls ('var'), Boykos, Lemkos, Transcarpathia, Bukovina. The area is not limited to the mountains.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Christmas Eve · Lent · Everyday food

In tradition

Uzvar is placed on the Christmas Eve table next to kutia. The dried fruits for it are prepared in the autumn, so uzvar is the taste of the summer garden in the midst of winter.

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