These Beet Varenyky with Sweet Cheese and Raisins are a tribute to my Baltimore childhood. I woke up recently thinking about Mama’s varenyky, filled Ukrainian dumplings and was flooded with wistful memories. As a little girl, I developed a penchant for varenyky. Those soft half-moons of dough were filled with either savory meat, potatoes and […]
Beet Varenyky with Sweet Cheese and Raisins Read More »
This Moussaka has been a favorite fall meal since I discovered this recipe in adolescence. It is a dish that comforts the soul when summer is waning, markets are brimming with shiny, multi-colored eggplants and the scent of fall is in the air. As a child, I only knew Ukrainian food. During my first decade
My inspiration for blog topics often comes from unusual origins. The idea for preparing this Turkish flatbread —pide (pronounced “pea-day” in Turkish) — was born in an airport business lounge. Over the years, I’ve traveled to Istanbul dozens of times and enjoyed pide throughout Turkey in various forms, but I never considered baking pide until
Turkish pide — Variations on a Theme Read More »
With the holiday season fast approaching, I am determined to ease the stress of entertaining family and friends. As I was preparing for my annual holiday cookie baking, it occurred to me that I should experiment with savory rye crackers, which can be baked ahead like cookies and which can be a base for hors-d’oeuvres
Savory Rye Crackers – Plain and Smørrebrød Read More »
I was inspired to bake this Greek Rag Pie after I saw Nigella Lawson prepare a similar pie on a late-night rerun of the BBC‘s show Simply Nigella. She named it Old Rag Pie and said it was the Greek bakers’ way of using leftover phyllo scraps. I don’t know why Nigella named the recipe
Greek Rag Pie – Patsavouropita Read More »
Labneh (also known as labne, labni, lebni), a strained yogurt, has a softly tart taste like Greek yogurt, but a cream-cheesy mouth feel. It can be soft and spreadable, firm and moldable, or hard and salted for longer storage. I savored labneh throughout the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean at various times of day without
Labneh – Savory and Sweet Versatility Read More »
I recently discovered an early recipe for Baked Cheese Babka, a Ukrainian Easter dessert, in an out-of-print 19th century cookbook published in western Ukraine. What intrigued me most was the fact that this Baked Cheese Babka is flourless. After researching other baked cheese babka recipes, I realized the uniqueness of this recipe. Other baked cheese babkas
Baked Cheese Babka Read More »
Tiny multi-lingual Switzerland is a country of culinary contrasts. In her Cooking in Switzerland, Marianne Kaltenbach writes, “Switzerland’s cuisine is as varied as its landscape.” Ingredients vary from canton to canton depending on whether in a mountainous area, the shores of a lake, or a fertile valley. In cantons where cows and sheep graze on alpine
Swiss Dried Pear Bread — Bündner Birnbrot Read More »