Potato pyrohy are not to be confused with varenyky, baked pyrohy or starchy cepelinai! Potato pyrohy are one of the oldest simple Boyko meals traditionally served only on Sundays and holidays. The first holiday of the year when they were reverently prepared and eaten was the Intercession of the Theotokos on October 14. This day marked the end of the potato harvest.

So, on October 14, 2019, Oksana with a group of local heritage preservation enthusiasts organized the first Boyko Potato Pyrohy festival on her estate Darvayiv Kut. 

Potato pyrohy are the star of the festival, prepared and shared in all their variations, stuffed with fresh cream cheese, ground meat and even sweet apples.

The juice squeezed from potatoes is not wasted, but used in other Boyko specialites. Mixed with milk, it becomes a first course called Zalizny Borscht (iron borscht), named for the grey color of oxidised potatoes. Potato and flour halushky noodles are added to this borscht. As it boils, the starchy mix becomes thick like jelly. The final taste depends on the cook’s culinary skill and preferences.

Another festival dish prepared with audience participation is Boyko tokan grits made with cornmeal and potatoes. During the festival, visitors are offered several dozen culinary master classes and presentations about gathering and using forest herbs and mushrooms as well as wine and goat cheese tastings. The wonderful atmosphere is enhanced by Boyko songs and folk entertainment.