Slavic Kitchen Alchemy - An Interview with Zuza Zak

Slavic Kitchen Alchemy - An Interview with Zuza Zak

Author: Rachel Mosses September 12, 2023 Duration: 33:10

I met with Zuza Zak and we talked about her wonderful new book Slavic Kitchen Alchemy: Nourishing Herbal Remedies, Magical Recipes & Folk Wisdom. Zuza is also the author of ‘Polska: New Polish Cooking’, ‘Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food Journey Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania’ and ‘Pierogi: Over 50 Recipes to Create Perfect Polish Dumplings’ all of which I own and have allowed me to do some of my favourite travelling via food and books without leaving my kitchen.  


This book is different to her previous books and is essentially a wonderfully illustrated notebook steeped in Slavic lore containing natural remedies, healing recipes and wellbeing rituals with accompaniment of magic and folktales.

You can pre-order Slavic Kitchen Alchemy and buy Zuza's previous books via this link: https://linktr.ee/zuzazak


You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my Linktree

You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: How Food Frames Stories. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller 

You can also subscribe here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail.

You can also find out more at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.  


Rachel Mosses hosts Folklore, Food and Fairytales, a podcast that sits at the comfortable, worn-in table where narrative and nourishment meet. Each episode begins with a story-a piece of folklore, a fairytale, or a lesser-known myth-and then delves into the culinary world hidden within its lines. The discussion isn't just about whether the porridge in a tale is symbolic or simply a relatable detail; it's about unearthing the real food history and traditions that those fictional meals echo. You'll hear about the rituals of both eating and storytelling, and how each feeds a different kind of hunger. This podcast naturally explores how recipes are themselves stories passed down, and how the history of a dish can be as compelling as the plot of a legend. Listen for a thoughtful blend of narration and analysis, where a great story is always served with a side of fascinating context, leaving you to ponder the deep, savoury connections between the tales we tell and the food we share.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Folklore, Food and Fairytales
Podcast Episodes
The Hand of Glory or the Miracle of Milk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:06
In which we discover that a Hand of Glory is not always the solution you might think it is, pretending to be asleep is sometimes the cleverest & bravest option and that its surprising what you can achieve with a bowful o…
Billy Biter and the Round Parkin or the Trouble with Dragons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:49
In which we discover that marital problems can be resolved by supernatural means as long as you're not too picky about the outcome, that everyone loves Parkin and that you should never, ever bake when angry, especially w…
The Storyteller's Supper - An Interview with Taffy Thomas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:56
This is a bonus episode of an interview I did with Taffy Thomas MBE about his wonderful new treasury of food folk tales and recipes, beautifully illustrated by Dotty Kultys. We had a lovely conversation all about stories…
Darkness Amongst the Trees or A Feast of Divination [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:02
In which we discover that trees have a dark side, that they occasionally attack livestock and that they sometimes assist river spirits in sacrifice. We also learn that there can be hope in little things, that Grannies re…
The Smith & The Devil or The Turnip Turpitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
In which we discover tricking the devil doesn't always work out well, that sometimes in tales there are more turnips than women and that frankly you can pretty much pickle anything. We also learn that tricking people int…
A Dark History of Chocolate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:35
In this bonus episode I talk with Emma Kay about her new book The Dark History of Chocolate. Firstly, may I say that this is a fantastic book. I constantly alternated between being ashamed of ever eating chocolate to bei…
The King of Love or The Horseradish Uncertainty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:15
In which we discover that last names are underrated, there are always worse mothers-in-law, and that horseradish can be a gateway to a better life. We also find that kindness, goodness and a close relationship with the K…
Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller - Dave Pitt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
In these fractured times l wanted to look at how stories from different voices can overcome the the distance between people and highlight our shared experiences. I interviewed five amazing storytellers and asked them all…
Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller - L M Daini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:54
In these fractured times l wanted to look at how stories from different voices can overcome the the distance between people and highlight our shared experiences. I interviewed five amazing storytellers and asked them all…