OLIA HERCULES

Growing up in secular, postSoviet Ukraine, Christmas was frowned upon, but we still celebrated it. According to the Orthodox calendar, it happens on 7 January, with a 12-course vegetarian meal in honour of the 12 Apostles. There are lots of different salads, a vegetarian borscht and a dried fruit soup with wheat berries called kutya. We always leave an empty chair for our ancestors, with a shot glass and a little plate of food. I love a good Bloody Mary and make mine with fermented tomatoes and a little brine for a real fizzy kick. We also put a little quince syrup in Prosecco and it’s like Christmas in a glass. This year I’m doing a Georgianinspired turkey. There’s a shared Eastern European vibe between Ukrainian and Georgian cuisine, but there are small differences. Georgia is sandwiched between Turkey and Russia and you can really taste the Middle Eastern influences more than in Ukraine. The most important thing is having top-notch walnuts. And make sure you order traditional Georgian khmeli-suneli spice mix — it’s about 15 spices packed into one mix, including coriander, dill and thyme — because it goes with the meat.