Dziisna potato babka is included in the list of Europe's cultural heritage

Thanks to the initiative of Olga Moroz, the hostess of an agro-tourism estate in Disna, potato babka has been included in the list of Europe's cultural heritage.

— After retiring, I looked after my grandchildren and my home. By the way, I didn't have to think long about the name of the estate; it was inspired by life. I am a grandmother, my surname is Moroz, hence "Usadba Baby Moroz" (Grandma Moroz's Estate). Initially, I didn't attach much importance to the invitation to participate in the European Union project "Improvement of Culinary Services in Latgale and Vitebsk Regions based on the Culinary Heritage Concept" (Bella Cuisine), — she says. — I thought it was for enterprises interested in promoting their products on the European market. Therefore, when I received a call from the district executive committee a few hours before the application deadline, asking why I was hesitating, I had to mobilize quickly. In such situations, everything secondary fades into the background, leaving only what is truly important. And the first things that came to mind were cold soup according to my grandmother's recipe and our traditional babka made from grated potatoes with fried onions and salo. The application was accepted, and my home was included in the culinary heritage route through the Latgale region and Vitebsk Oblast, with babka becoming the signature dish I treat my guests to.

Our family loved it and often prepared it. I still remember the taste of my grandmother's babka, cooked in the oven. The prepared babka was cut into pieces and drizzled with sour cream. Cold babka was taken on trips or to work.

Olga Moroz serves her babka with butter, which she seasons with cheese, garlic, or white pepper for a piquant flavor.

— Disna butter was renowned for its taste in the past, — the interviewee explains. — It was sent along the Western Dvina River to Riga, and from there to England, where, incidentally, it cost four shillings more than the local butter.

Every hostess has her little know-how, her exclusive touches for favorite dishes. Olga Alexandrovna, before freezing, portions out her prepared butter with additives into silicone molds in the shape of snowflakes, stars, and rings. This is her signature touch on her babka.

— I also prepare cold soup according to an old recipe, — shares Olga Moroz, revealing her home cooking secrets. — In my family, it was always made with homemade yogurt. If you don't have it, you can use store-bought kefir and sour cream. Everything is poured into a soup tureen, to which boiled beets, onions, cucumbers, and eggs are then added. The consistency of the soup can be varied according to your taste. I make it thick, as my family and guests like it.

Olga Moroz's culinary treats are always accompanied by her excursions into the history of her native region.

— Guests, especially those visiting Disna for the first time, are interested to learn that the city began as Kopets-gorodok, a fortress-outpost of the Polotsk principality known since the 10th century (from the word "kopať", meaning "earth fortress"), — she recounts. — In 1567, Polish King Sigismund II Augustus named Disna a city and granted it its first coat of arms — "Tры вежы з муру" (Three towers from a wall). Two years later, it received the right to self-governance and its second coat of arms — "Lad'ya" (The Boat), which is still in use today.

Olga Alexandrovna not only tells but also gladly shows guests the sights, preserved historical monuments, and organizes walks through the cozy streets of Disna. At one time, she put a lot of effort into popularizing her hometown as a tourist center. Moreover, at her initiative, the slogan “Disna is the smallest town in Belarus” was established to define this settlement.

Tatyana Gornova, "Vitebskiye Vesti".