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The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association, with the assistance of the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry, has launched a national competition "Taste, Country!" for the promotion of Ukrainian national cuisine before the Euro 2012. euro-2012news.com The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association, with the assistance of the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry, has launched a national competition "Taste, Country!" for the promotion of Ukrainian national cuisine before the Euro 2012 European Football Championship for guests of the championship and Ukrainians.

"By March 15, everyone can send three traditional recipes, which they think are really Ukrainian, national ones, and that are used on the most territory of the country. Then a jury of well-known historians, ethnographers, and restaurateurs will select ten national dishes that are really national and traditional for Ukraine, according to them. From March 15 until May 15, all Ukrainians, almost all chains of Ukrainian restaurants, domestic producers, supermarkets will take part in this competition, and we will choose together which of these ten dishes is number one, number two and number three in Ukraine," President of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association Alex Lissitsa said during a press conference hosted by Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

According to him, voting will be organized via sending SMS messages, in social networks, in the Internet, by post, and by phone. On May 15, a gala concert and a presentation of the most popular national dishes of Ukraine will be held, after which a national menu for future guests of Euro 2012 will be presented in the four host cities.

"We hope that over a million of Ukrainians will take part in all stages of the competition," he said.

The prize fund of the competition is estimated to be worth over Hr 100,000. The winner of the competition will obtain Hr 10,000 and the possibility to have free meals at some restaurants for a long period. The person that takes second place will receive Hr 5,000, and the person in third place Hr 3,000. The participants whose recipes are in the top ten will receive Hr 1,000.

Lissitsa added that a serious informing campaign to announce the results of the competition would be held in Ukraine's embassies in the host countries of Euro 2012.

"This project is aimed at popularization of our cuisine and to show the guests of Ukraine how they would be hosted and what they will eat during Euro 2012," Director of the AgriSurvey agency of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club Association Taras Hahaliuk said.

He also said that, according to surveys, Ukraine takes first place among Euro 2012 host countries in terms of potatoe consumption, second place in terms of consumption of sugar and honey, and third place in terms of consumption of milk. What is more, Ukrainians do not consume much lard and pork.

In turn, Head of the Cultural Research Department of the National Research Institute of Ukrainian Studies and World History of the Ministry of Education, Science, Youth and Sports Ph.D. (History) Valentyna Borysenko said that Ukrainian traditional cuisine includes flour products and cereals and many first courses (borsch, various soups). Ukrainians prefer dishes of meat in winter and during hard seasonal work. Roast meat, ham, cold baked pork, and dishes of pork are very popular in Ukraine. According to her, Ukrainians cook meat and sausages well. They also actively consume dairy products, sour milk, and produce cottage cheese.

Senior fellow at the National Research Institute of Ukrainian Studies and World History Valentyna Korotia-Kovalska also said that there more than 30 kinds of borsch in Ukrainian cuisine.

"Some 20 components can be added to them. There is no other dish like borsch in the world," she said.