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The Ukrainian community invited to taste potato pancakes

On 8 September, the courtyard of the Tolerance Centre in Ukmergė was full of the smell of potato pancakes and the sounds of Ukrainian music. Ukrainian refugees living in our city celebrated their traditional Potato Pancake Day here. The Ukrainian women prepared pancake batter from potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic, and the Mayor of Ukmergė Municipality Rolandas Janickas and the Director of the Administration, Darius Varnas, helped them bake the pancakes.

Not only the leaders of Ukmergė District Municipality, but also the staff of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, the Ukmergė Museum of Local History and the Ukmergė School of Technology and Business helped to organise the Potato Pancake Day. 

The tradition of the Potato Pancake Day, which takes place on 10 September, comes from Korosten, Ukmergė's partner city in Ukraine. A potato pancake festival is organised here to revive traditions and pass on traditional gastronomic heritage to young people. The festival offers the most delicious potato pancakes, baked following the best recipes from all over Ukraine and other countries.

This year, the potato pancake festival was held for the 14th time and it was a bit different - the pancakes were sold for a fee, and the money raised was donated to the Ukrainian army. In previous years, a pancake school was organised during the festivities, with experienced chefs teaching everyone how to make pancakes. There were also quizzes, tastings of local drinks, exhibitions, and performances by folklore groups. A potato pancake masterclass by the Mayor of Korosten was a particular attraction..

In 2010, Korostenians baked a record-breaking potato pancake that weighed as much as 140 kilograms, and in 2011, the Korosten Potato Pancake Festival won the title of the "Most Creative Festival" in Ukraine.

IT and public relations department information
Photos: Dainius Vytas