Book of the day: Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
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NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Book of the day: Endling by Maria Reva
Endling author Maria Reva: 'Life gives you an opening, even during the most horrible times'. Photos / Supplied What do you do when you're a Ukrainian-born Canadian fiction writer deep into the composition of your first novel, which is set in your homeland and written in the absurdist, dark comedic tradition of Kundera, Kafka and Hašek, when Russia suddenly invades your home country, your relatives start fleeing to safety while bombs explode all around them, and your beloved grandfather refuses to leave Kherson, which is being eviscerated in real time? How can you keep on writing imaginatively when atrocities are being perpetrated against innocents in your homeland? Can you keep on living as before, when your reality has dramatically split in two? Such was the dilemma facing Maria Reva while working on Endling. At first, she was seized by panic and debilitating self-questioning. She stopped writing the novel; fiction seemed a folly during times of existential crisis. The only way she could conceive of completing the novel was to fold all those questions into the trajectory of the plot. She did that by breaking the fourth wall: inserting herself as a character narrating her own experience of stopping writing the novel to travel through her war-torn homeland. What began as fiction ended in nonfiction, making Endling neither a work of magical realism nor auto-fiction or memoir, but an original piece encapsulating elements of all three forms. Though written in four parts, the book is riven in two by Russia's very real invasion of Ukraine. The first fictional story is the cinematic unfolding of a complex metaphorical plot, which suddenly concludes by something like the running of credits at the end of a movie. The second section is marked by Reva actually entering the novel to recount her experience of viewing the horrors of wartime and retracing her failed efforts to encourage her grandfather to leave Kherson. But somehow the fictional plot is not left behind, and is woven into the war narrative. What results is a braided tale of extinction, survival and love, concluding in the resurrection of hope. If this sounds like an unattainable ambition, it might just be, but what must be admired is Reva's determination to finish the novel as an act of both desperation and renewal. So what is the plot? And what exactly is an endling? The story revolves around three Ukrainian women, Yeva, Nastia and Solomiya, who meet working for a romance tour company, Romeo Meets Yulia, which brings eager bachelors to Ukraine in search of 'docile' Eastern European wives untainted by feminism. In truth, Yeva is a maverick scientist, a malacologist, who scours Ukraine's forests and valleys in her mobile RV laboratory, collecting, cultivating and nurturing snail endlings – the last existing specimens of a species – in the hope of keeping their lines alive. Why snails? Because 'gastropods have evolved to live anywhere on the planet … have gills to live on water, or have lungs to live on land … can survive extreme temperatures, unsuitable for human life … and possess both male and female parts and reproduce solo'. Yeva believes herself to be an endling; she has no desire to marry or reproduce, despite familial pressure to do so. In fact, she has procured a canister of hydrogen cyanide to see herself out when the time is right, as well as a bridal dress to be buried in. Working as an eligible 'docile' bride is lucrative, and her earnings are funding her scientific experimentation because government grants have run dry. The other two protagonists, beautiful Nastia and her sister Solomiya, who are also entangled in the booming marriage industry, posing as a hopeful bride and her translator while secretly searching for their missing mother, who vanished after years of fierce activism against the romance tours. Their mother is renowned for organising guerrilla theatre protests, not unlike the members of Russian radical pop band Pussy Riot. The sisters are concocting a huge public political act, mimicking their mother's exploits, in the hope that global attention will bring her out of hiding. The sisters know about Yeva's RV, and are hoping she will allow them to use it, because their grand plan is to kidnap a group of bachelors under the ruse of taking them to a special event where they will finally meet the women of their dreams. That kidnapping, they believe, will expose the exploitation of Ukrainian girls and women and bring universal attention to their plight. The women plot and persevere. Luring the bachelors into their RV along with Lefty, a last-of-his-kind snail with one final shot at perpetuating his species, they are on their way. But on the road, they hear what they believe to be fireworks and soon learn Ukraine has been invaded by Russia. Rather than driving away from the fierce fighting, they move towards it in search of Lefty's last living mate. At this point in the fictional narrative, the curtain falls, the imagined tale is over, credits roll and the author offers her thanks to all those who have helped her publish this fiction. Then the second part begins and the reality of war sets in. Maria has entered Ukraine and is narrating her journey to save her grandfather, but the three women are still on the road, kidnapped bachelors in tow, in search of a snail. This non-fictional fiction I found gripping but confusing, and also a bit of a slog. Like the RV going off-road, the story veered into allusive and metaphorical tangents filled with elegant explanations of snail copulation and gruesome depictions of slaughter. But like the kidnapped bachelors, I often felt like I was being driven through a void in the dark, not knowing where I or the plot was going. In the end, I admired the novel's intelligence, dark humour and ambition, as well as the author's stated belief that 'life gives you an opening, even during the most horrible times'. For in our worst moments, stories, real or imagined, remain, so we never forget and never lose hope.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Connection the key ingredient
A sense of connection is the common ingredient in the work Good Bitches Baking does and is evident in its latest book Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa . The idea of making food that contains love and no judgement is implicit in every aspect of Good Bitches Baking (GBB) kaupapa. "From the daily treats our volunteers bake for people having a tough time to our programmes where participants learn practical baking skills and concepts of kindness to themselves and to others, the sense of connection that food offers is the common ingredient," Hannah Molloy, of Dunedin, says. As the editor of GBB's latest book Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa , Molloy says it has been a different kind of treat to collect these stories and recipes, which were photographed by Dunedin photographer and director Lara Macgregor. "It has been such a privilege to talk to so many people about their history, their families and their love of food, and a joy to share them with my own family and friends along the way." The project evolved from a simple concept of baked treats from some of the many cultures represented in Aotearoa to a much wider interpretation of the word "treat" and how food makes people feel connected and nurtured across time and space. Many of the recipes in the book have been handed down through generations. "A couple were written down for the first time for this book; muscle memory and intergenerational knowledge drawn out of hands and minds." Through those generations, the recipes have evolved and adapted to work with available ingredients, changing technology and new locations. "There's such joy in the process of cooking something so familiar, and in experimenting to make it new while retaining its rich heritage and the memories it stirs." The stories GBB's contributors from around the country, including Otago, have shared show the common thread across the world of food, not just for nourishing the body but also, and perhaps more importantly, for nourishing the spirit, heart and mind. "There are themes throughout of identity, of connection to whakapapa and culture, of the importance of feeding people generously — and of the comfort and pleasure of carbs and fats." Good Bitches Baking • Volunteers who bake treats in their own kitchens, with their own ingredients, to give to organisations that work with people having a tough time. • Was established in 2014 • Operates in 38 locations around New Zealand • At the end of 2024, it had 3500 volunteers baking treats for 531 recipient organisations. • Also has Community Good programmes — Prison bake and Sweet as Hapori, teaching practical baking skills. The book Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa , Good Bitches Baking, $50. Photos: Lara MacGregor Kyiv cake Hanna Kryvonos, Ukrainianna, Ōtepoti Dunedin I've been thinking what kind of dessert can represent Ukrainianna's traditional sweets but doesn't tie up with other Slavic countries, and I remembered one which definitely belongs to Ukrainian baking, called Kyiv cake. The recipe was discovered because of a mistake in a factory when egg whites were left out and the pastry chef hid the mistake by baking them and spreading them with custard and decorations (no-one knows if it's a true story). The recipe has had some changes since then but still it's an icon of Ukrainian baking. Kyiv cake typically consists of layers of meringue and nut-based meringue wafers. These layers are sandwiched together with buttercream and sometimes a fruit or jam filling. The meringue layers give the cake a light and delicate texture, making it a unique and delicious dessert. For the cake 12 egg whites 2½ cup sugar 340g cashews and peanuts (coarsely chopped any nuts will work) ¾ cup flour 1 tsp vanilla Custard buttercream 12 egg yolks 2 cup milk 1½ C sugar 500g butter 2 Tbsp cognac 2 Tbsp cocoa powder Chocolate glaze (optional) 1 cup chocolate chips 4 Tbsp of oil Method • The first day: If you have an extra day, separate your eggs the day before the first day put the yolks in the fridge and leave the whites out overnight (but covered). Make the cake: Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add sugar and keep beating. Add vanilla. Beat until stiff peak stage. Mix nuts with flour, then fold slowly into the egg whites with a silicone spatula until well blended. Line two 25cm round cake pans with baking paper. Divide meringue into the pans and bake for 1 ¾ hours at 150°C. Cool on wire racks and let them sit overnight. Make the custard cream: Pour milk in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks slightly in a separate bowl, add a little of the hot milk, whisking to combine, and then pour yolks into the hot milk pot. Cook, stirring until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, strain if it looks a little lumpy, cover and leave to cool. Refrigerate overnight. • The second day — make the custard buttercream Beat softened butter until creamy and gradually add custard cream, add cognac and beat some more until smooth. Take cake layers out of pans and remove the baking paper. Place the first layer on the serving plate and put the springform side around it. (If you do not have a springform side big enough then refrigerate cream until firm enough to fill the cake without running.) Pour about ¾ of the buttercream over. Place the second cake layer on the top but inverted so the bottom of the second layer is the top of the cake. Add cocoa to the remaining buttercream, mix well and spread over the top layer. Refrigerate the cake several hours or overnight. • Later (or the third day...) Microwave the chocolate and oil for 1 minute and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove the springform side and pour over the chocolate glaze. Cheese and bacon pierogies Nicki Dobrzynski, Australian/Polish, Wānaka Making these pierogies has special meaning for our family as it's a dish we make and eat every Polish Christmas Eve (called Wigilia). Our children get involved and we spend the day making pierogies together as a family, which is the most wonderful thing. It creates wonderful food memories for the kids, but also means a lot to my mother-in-law that were continuing this tradition. My mother-in-law still makes the best pierogies I've ever eaten, and even though some Christmases we can't all be together in person, we still make the pierogies together over FaceTime. For the dough 300g Italian fine 00 flour (can substitute for all-purpose flour) 2 egg yolks 2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter 1 tsp salt 100ml warm water For the filling 200g bacon, finely chopped 2 onions, finely chopped 1 Tbsp salted butter 2 medium-large russet potatoes (or similar) 200g cheddar cheese, grated To serve: chopped chives and sour cream Make the dough Combine the flour with the egg yolks, melted butter, salt, and enough of the warm water to bring the mixture together in a medium bowl. Once the dough comes together, knead the mixture on a pastry board (about 10 minutes or so) until its smooth. Cover the dough with cling film or place back in the bowl covered with a damp cloth to let it rest. Prepare the filling Chop the bacon into very small pieces and fry until the fat has rendered down and is golden, but not too crispy, then remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Finely chop your onions and gently fry for about 3-5 minutes on low-medium heat in the leftover bacon grease (or add a little butter.) Once lightly golden, remove from the pan and set aside with the bacon. Boil potatoes until soft and mash well with a fork into a medium-sized bowl. While still hot, add the grated cheese, bacon and onion and mix well. The cheese should melt into the potato mixture, which should be pliable and able to be formed into balls. Once the mixture is warm enough to be handled, shape small spoonfuls into almond-shaped balls and set aside. Make the pierogi Roll out your dough as thinly as possible (ideally until it's translucent) on a floured surface. Using a small circular cutter or the thin rim of a small glass, cut out circles. Fill each one with the potato and cheese mixture, rubbing the edges of the dough with water and then sealing the edges together. Once all your pierogies are ready, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and carefully lower a batch of pierogies into the water (you will need to cook them in a few batches). As soon as the pierogi float to the surface, usually about 3-4 minutes, leave them to cook for another 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a warm plate, or directly into a fry pan on medium heat with a little butter and fry until golden and crisp on both sides. Serve immediately with freshly chopped chives and a little sour cream and/or some buttery onions. Fesenjan Kiana Jalali, Iranian, Ōtepoti Dunedin Fesenjan (also called fesenjoon) is a sweet and sour Iranian stew from Northern Iran. It is typically served over rice in the Iranian manner. It is a festive dish for special occasions. Fesenjan is flavoured with pomegranate paste and ground walnuts and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, orange peel, cardamom, and rosewater, depending on the regions. It is traditionally made with poultry (duck or chicken) but can also be made using balls of ground meat or chunks of lamb. Depending on the recipe, it can have a sweet or sour taste. Fesenjan is served with Iranian white or saffron rice (polo or chelo). If the pomegranate sauce comes out too sour, sugar and fried onions may be added to sweeten it. Some regions like it sweet, some sour, and some a combination of both. I am from a city in Iran called Esfahan, and this is how my grandma used to make hers, with a side of saffron rice and tahdig (crispy rice). Since this is a dish reserved for special occasions, you know your grandma loves you too much if she makes it for you outside of these special occasions — it basically means you are an honoured and esteemed guest. 4 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken, cut into medium-size pieces 2½ cups walnuts, finely ground 1 ½ cups pomegranate molasses 3 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter 1 big onion or 2 small ones, finely chopped ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp cinnamon Salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbsp bloomed saffron 2 Tbsp sugar (optional, to balance the tartness of the pomegranate molasses) Cooked rice for serving Method If using chicken breasts, cut them into bite-sized pieces. If using a whole chicken, cut it into pieces, removing excess fat. Grind the walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Be careful not to over-process, or they may turn into walnut butter. In a large skillet or pot, heat the vegetable oil or butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until golden brown. Once the onions are golden, add turmeric and cinnamon to the skillet. Saute for another minute to toast the spices and release their flavours. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Once the chicken is browned, add the ground walnuts to the skillet. Stir well to coat the chicken pieces with the walnut mixture. Pour the pomegranate molasses over the chicken and walnut mixture. Add a little bit of cold water (½ cup) and mix well. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the fesenjan simmer for about 1 to 1⅕ hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and darken during this time. You know it's ready if the oil from the walnuts has separated from them, forming an oily, glossy layer on top. Grind a pinch of saffron and bloom it with 2 tablespoons of hot water or ice cubes. Add the saffron at the end closer to serving time. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar if desired. The sauce should be slightly tart, sweet, and savoury. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking and the chicken is tender, remove from heat. Serve the fesenjan hot over a bed of fluffy rice. Optionally, garnish with chopped walnuts or pomegranate seeds for an extra burst of flavour and texture. Enjoy your home-made fesenjan, a delightful Persian dish that combines the richness of walnuts with the tanginess of pomegranate molasses.
NZ Herald
22-06-2025
- NZ Herald
French police probe fake Disneyland ‘marriage' with 9-year-old
French police were on Sunday probing the circumstances of a bizarre stunt at Disneyland outside of Paris, with a group of adults suspected of hiring the theme park and paying hundreds of extras to stage a fake marriage for a 9-year-old Ukrainian girl. Two people were held for questioning in
