Harvest Recipes from Around the World
A good harvest is something to be celebrated, no matter where you are in the world. Harvest festivals are specific and local because the crops the grow and develop around the world are unique. Food is most definitely one of my favorite things to experience when I travel throughout the world. We want to share a few recipes that we are excited to try this year from different harvest festivals around the world.
These recipes are not our own, and we gladly give credit to the people who share their traditions and recipes, so please follow links to their original source. While most of these recipes are not ones that we have tried before, we hope that we can try them over the course of the coming months. If you try some of the recipes too, let us know if you enjoy them!
UKRAINIAN APPLE FEAST OF THE SAVIOR
In Ukraine, there are three feast days traditionally celebrated in August. Honey Spas (August 14th), Apple Spas (August 19th), and Nut Spas (August 29th) are all celebrations of different events in the Savior's life. While each day has its traditions, we are going to share a recipe for the middle feast day, Apple Spas. The first apples, pears, and peaches of the season are picked are taken to the church in baskets to be blessed. This is the opening of the fruit harvest for the coming weeks. The first fruits are then taken and used in a variety of recipes, including yabluchnyk, a Ukrainian apple cake.
For the cake:
3-4 apples large, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (or replace with peach or pear as desired)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup cream
For the streusel topping:
2 tbsp cold butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the bottom circles a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with butter or olive oil. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter and mix until crumbly. In another bowl, mix the egg and cream together. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the the dry ingredients and gently mix until it forms a sticky dough. Press dough into the greased pan.
Layer the thinly sliced apples in a radiating spiral on top of the dough. The taste of the cake will vary based on the type of apple you choose. Next mix together the streusel topping and sprinkle in crumbles on top of the cake. Add an extra dash of cinnamon to the top if you love cinnamon like I do. Bake the cake until the apples are softened and the topping has browned. It should take about 25-35 minutes. Enjoy!
NIGERIAN NEW YAM FESTIVAL
Next we are going to head over to Nigeria for the New Yam festival. Many African communities throughout the world celebrate Iri Ji, which literally means "new yam eating". This festival has many iterations within Western Africa, as they all celebrate such a precious vegetable: the yam. We are going to share a recipe from the Igbo people of Nigeria.
Each year, the festival date varies by region, most taking place during the month of August. This recipe calls for specific West African tuber yams that have a white flesh and are starchier than others. However, the majority of the world's yams come from Africa, and there are over 600 varieties, and substitutions can work.
1-2 yams based on size, cubed or diced
1 bunch Ugu leaves, or another green leaf like spinach, chard, or even kale
3 tbsp red palm oil, or another vegetable oil
Ugba, oil bean seed
Spices: chili flakes, salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder, paprika
1 Onion
Water
This dish is a simple stir fried vegetable dish. Mince onions, cube yam, and chop your leafy greens. Heat oil in a pan, add onions. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the cubed yam, oil bean seed, spices and water. Add spices to taste, depending on how spicy you would like you mixture. Mix and cook together, adding more water as needed, until the water has cooked out and yams are soft. Turn off the heat and add your chopped greens. If you like your greens more cooked, leave heat on for a bit longer. Serve on its on or as a curry over fufu.
KOREAN MOON FESTIVAL CHUSEOK
In Korea, and many other Asian countries, there are unique celebrations that happen in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which often falls near the autumn equinox. Depending on the country this can be known as the mid-autumn festival or the moon festival. In Korea, it is known as chuseok, a three-day celebration of the harvest, particularly the rice harvest.
During this time, many Koreans travel to the villages of the ancestors. They eat regionally based foods. But most Koreans will eat traditional rice cake, with a honeyed mung bean filling, steamed over pine needs for fragrance and aroma called songpyeon. These unique sweet treats often come in a variety of festive colors.
This recipe is a bit more involved so we are going to send you directly to this link for the full recipe and more history and traditions from chuseok.
BEAR LAKE RASPBERRY DAYS
This is a tradition from my home state and one that I have participated my whole life. Bear Lake straddles the state lines between Utah and Idaho. The water of the lake is bright turquoise and so clear. In early August each year, all of the small lake communities celebrate the raspberry harvest with Raspberry Days. It becomes all things raspberries. Fresh raspberries, raspberry jam, chocolate dipped raspberries, and my personal favorite, raspberry shakes. This recipe isn't fancy or difficult, but is best when the raspberries are fresh.
RASPBERRY SHAKES
4 scoops of vanilla ice cream (homemade is best, but store bought works)
2 large handfuls of fresh raspberries
a drizzle of heavy whipping cream
Mix the vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries into a blender and blend. Add a bit of milk to thicken or thin as needed. Pour into a cub and drizzle the top with heavy whipping cream. Serve and enjoy!
Shop our harvest collection to enjoy some of our favorite things this time of year.