Eat your way around the world
From early springtime all the way into the deep heart of fall, Slovakia's mountains and hills burst with nature's bounty. For those who search, a perpetual harvest reveals herself. Here, trees swoon with the weight of delightfully sour cherries, juicy, grapes, apricots, and apples. There, bushes bloom with blueberries, woodsy and sweet. This land, surely, is magic. When there is more fruit than can be gathered in an apron, Slovakia makes Bublanina, a.k.a. Bubbly Cake. Just one … [Read more...]
This week is a culinary jackpot: a frugal collection of recipes, good for using up bread, beans, and bacon fat. While I had no idea Slovakia would be this enticing, Keith said "just looking at the ingredients on the counter, I knew I'd be happy." And speaking of happy, I thought I'd share a great Slovakian quote about happiness... "He's so pleased, he keeps getting younger."* I love it.. although I have to admit, I'm not entirely sure what it means... All recipes and posts will be shared … [Read more...]
Just when I thought I'd seen the most beautiful castles in the world, Slovakia slides into my vision. Her mighty mountains, sparkling lakes, and deep forests are as lovely as any other in Eastern Europe, but the castles are simply unreal. It is not the architecture that speaks most strongly to me, but the way these stopping posts for the weary hearted reach out of nature with almost alarming boldness. One look can lead a dreamer to distraction. I can't help but wonder...What lives once … [Read more...]
Oh, goodness. Where to start? As you may already know, tremendous, life-changing things are in the works with National Geographic. I don't have all the details yet, but what I do know I shared our Facebook page, so go take a peek. Friends, this is pure insanity. All I can say, is that it's amazing where a little imagination - a little stovetop travel - can take us. Rest assured, when I know more, I'll be writing it up here on the blog. Until then, we'll have to settle ourselves with … [Read more...]
Although the air still hangs crisp with winter, seed sowing season is nearly upon us - that time of year when the window sills of the industrious are stocked with small, peat lined plastic containers. With careful gifts of water and radiant window light, small seeds will crack open and send vivid green shoots through the black, crumbling soil, into the glow. In a few months time, these brave seedlings will make their way outdoors, into the deep, hot sunshine, where they will mature into edible … [Read more...]
Every once in a while we need chow down on good, ol' fashioned home cooking. The kind that reminds us of mom, checkered aprons, and creaky kitchen chairs. We all need this edible comfort, especially when the wind chill drops down into the single digits. Keith informed me that, against all odds, I happened upon one such recipe when I selected Potato Musaka for our Serbian Global Table. "This is kind of like my mom's 'Hobo dinner,'" Mr Picky said, after his first taste. "Hobo what?" I … [Read more...]
If there was a giant table strewn with every cake, brownie, custard, and pie, ever, I'd be the first in line. But I wouldn't be there to eat them. Not initially. I'd be there to soak in their beauty, to enjoy the geometry. Circles, rectangles, towers of truffles. Cubes, even. I'd languish to revel in the colors - chocolate browns, raspberry reds, vanilla-cream whites, mint-leaf greens, passion fruit golds. I'd eat with my eyes until ever bit of my spirit was nourished. Then I'd … [Read more...]
This week I'm on the hunt to create a little balance in this, our freshly pressed New Year. I found exactly what I was looking for in Serbia. Our menu is equal parts comfort and nutrition, capped off with a ridiculously indulgent dessert. (Do I need to defend that choice?) In other news, I have huge, exciting, mega things going on that will affect our family (and potentially yours). I leaked a bit about it on our Facebook Page. More details as they come. For now, thank you for believing in … [Read more...]
