It’s said that every recipe tells a story. For Alina Teplinsky of Fair Lawn, the recipe is a traditional Ukrainian borscht soup, and the story is of family and friendship.
“This recipe goes from generation to generation — my grandmother, my mother, me. I think it is important to keep the traditions and share the traditions with the people,” Teplinsky said.
Borscht is eaten throughout the year in Ukraine and is nutritious and filling. “It brings families together. It always serves as the dish for family dinners or during lunch,” she said.
Teplinsky is one of many Fair Lawn residents taking part in a multicultural-recipe contest at the Maurice M. Pine Library to mark National Nutrition Month in March.
The Fair Lawn library is focusing on the theme “Celebrate a World of Flavors” and hosting community events as well as the contest.
“Sharing foods and recipes is a great way to introduce knowledge, flavors, cooking techniques, and bring youth and adults together again through their local libraries,” said Marla Klein, partnership coordinator at the Bergen County Department of Health Services, a sponsor for the event.
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The monthlong initiative includes other libraries that are members of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System. Currently 13 libraries are participating: Carlstadt, Ridgewood, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Ridgefield Park, Allendale, Garfield, Lodi, Upper Saddle River, Saddle Brook, Fair Lawn, Englewood and Cliffside Park.
“The libraries will be submitting photos, videos, pictures, recipes. It is up to each library how they utilize the theme,” Klein said. Two libraries chosen as winners will receive a healthy-eating program for patrons and a book on the topic.
“The really big part is just that people participate in National Nutrition Month, because it is really important to eat right,” said David Hanson, executive director of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System.
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But Fair Lawn is taking it a step further. In addition to the recipe contest (with prizes including gift cards for ShopRite and Massage Envy going to a randomly selected participant), the library is hosting in-person events.
On Tuesday, a dietitian from Lodi’s ShopRite demonstrated a quick Asian stir-fry and explained the health benefits.
At the end of the month, Senior Library Assistant Emiliana Tuohey will create a community recipe book featuring all of the recipes that were collected.
“We just want to encourage people … that have healthy recipes and, you know, we all can do this together, cooking and keeping healthy,” said Tuohey, who organized the initiative.
For Teplinsky, her recipe is about more than healthy eating. Although her family is no longer in Ukraine, she has friends who were forced to leave amid the war. Cooking, she said, is great way to learn about other people, and can open the door to talking about larger issues.
Recipes can be submitted through March 30 via the Fair Lawn library website, fairlawnlibrary.org.
Shaylah Brown is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: browns@northjersey.com
Twitter: @shaylah_brown
