TRAVERSE CITY — Amical's 2022-23 Cookbook Dinner Series continues with "Mamushka" from Feb. 6-11.
Olia Hercules' 2015 cookbook highlights dishes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe. "Mamushka" means "mother" in Russian.
Amical General Manager Jeffrey Libman said in the more than 25 years of hosting the series, this is the first time they have made and served food from this region. Libman said that is precisely why they chose the cookbook.
"It's fun how this thing after 25 years keeps reinventing itself," he said. "We're very excited about this book. It should be a lot of fun."
The menu, Libman, said is "perfect" for wintertime. The Amical chefs decided to make stuffed Ukrainian pasta and potato cakes, a gherkin and shredded beef soup and other items.
Executive Chef Ben Hoxie added that the pasta is stuffed with feta cheese and served with sour cream and chives. Another appetizer is the lamb turnovers, which Hoxie said is "like a fried pastry" with plum chutney and cabbage. The potato cakes include duck confit and blackberry sauce.
As for the entrée choices, Hoxie said they modified the Soviet goose noodles by using duck instead. The item also includes tomatoes, dill and parsley. Other main dishes are the braised rabbit with rice and vegetables, beef short rib with garlic bread and swordfish with flatbread.
"There's an emphasis on fermented and pickled items in this book," Hoxie said. "It's a good menu to do this time of year with heartier items."
Finally, the menu may finish with a Ukrainian cheesecake. Hoxie said they top this with golden raisins and a jam.
"It differs from a traditional cheesecake in that the cheese is mixed with semolina flour," he explained.
Libman said they connected with the author, whose brother and father still live in the Ukraine. She suggested organizations to support, and Libman said they settled on Razom — meaning "together" in Ukrainian — to receive 5% of February cookbook dinner sales.
Amical is open from 4-9 p.m. Feb. 6-11 and is closed Feb. 12. Reservations for the Cookbook Dinner Series can be made by calling 231-941-8888 or through Resy.
The restaurant features the cookbook "My America" by Kwame Onwuachi from April 3-9 and "Flavors of the Sun" by Christine Sahadi Whelan from May 1-7.
[Originally published online and in print Feb. 4, 2023]
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