Polina Chesnakova with Andrew Janjigian: Chesnok

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• ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.
• Please email us at [email protected] as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. Seats are limited.We will do our best to serve your needs!

A love letter to the food of her childhood, acclaimed writer Polina Chesnakova shares 100 vibrant regional recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.Born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from Georgia, Polina Chesnakova grew up cooking and eating at the hip of her mother and aunts. Chesnok paints a warm portrait of the Soviet diaspora through food, with dishes that will be nostalgic and familiar for those within the diaspora and enticing to anyone looking to expand their palate and pantry.From Georgian Tkemali (sour plum sauce), Uzbek and Azeri Plovs, and Armenian Gata (butter pastry) to Ukrainian Varenyky (dumplings), Russian Olivier Salad, and Medovik (honey cake), Chesnok is your invitation to learn the rich history of a people through their most cherished recipes and traditions. Essays, stories, and profiles of the amazing cooks in Polina's life are peppered amongst recipes as diverse as the communities from which they blossomed and the immigrant experience they were subsequently passed down in.

Polina Chesnakova is a cookbook author and culinary instructor whose work has been published in Saveur, Epicurious, The Washington Post, and Food 52. She has has written two cookbooks—Hot Cheese and Everyday Cake—and forthcoming book, Chesnok: Cooking from My Corner of the Diaspora: Recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, will be out September 2025 with Hardie Grant NA. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Lee, and son, Anton.

Andrew Janjigian is a writer, recipe developer, and baking instructor from Cambridge, MA. After a 10-year stint as an editor and recipe developer for Cook’s Illustrated magazine, he now writes and creates recipes for places like Serious Eats, Epicurious, Chef Steps, King Arthur Baking Company, and his own breaducational newsletter, Wordloaf. He’s currently working on his first cookbook, Breaducation, for Ten Speed Press (Fall 2026). Say hello at newsletter.wordloaf.org or @wordloaf on social media.

Brookline Booksmith, thriving in the heart of Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts, since 1961, is one of New England’s premier independent bookstores. We offer a vast selection of books, ranging from current bestsellers to the most eclectic titles. We are also known for our beautiful and inspired gifts. Customers buy and sell gently used books in our treasured Used Book Cellar and enjoy our bountiful bargain book selection. We host award-winning events series (including our groundbreaking Transnational Literature Series), offering more than 300 author talks, community conversations, and book clubs annually. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, United States