Ukrainian food has always been a part of my life. I grew up eating pierogi, sauerkraut soup and herring over the holidays with my mother’s side of the family. It was only a matter of time before I set out for an Eastern European  food adventure in Ukraine.

Think platters of sour cream-slathered vareniki, black caviar and bucketloads of borscht in cheap Soviet-style cafeterias, traditional farm-themed Ukrainian restaurants, and one extraordinary (and creepy) lunch at the Chernobyl power plant.

In Kiev, I discovered my passion for Kvac (pronounced: kvas) and the joys of a starter called “Appetizer to vodka.” Where else can you pose with AK-47s in your best high heels? If you smile sweetly, the bartender might even set you on fire.