You know those times when you come back from a vacation? I can’t help but dream about the days in a very warm, very sunny, very extra relaxing vacation we just had in Florida with my niece and sister-in-law last week. On top of soaking up the sun, we had a blast dipping our toes in [Continue Reading…]
Bolete Mushroom Foraging and Zhulien
Fall is synonymous with apple picking, but have you tried mushroom foraging? Back home, mushroom hunting and preserving is a national pastime. Here in Ontario, come autumn, summer’s mountain-bike riders and bushwalkers are replaced by Eastern European families, who arrive with barbecues, baskets and an eye for fungi. Their motivation is not only a chance to [Continue Reading…]
Fluffy Squash Pancakes
Nothing warms my soul like fluffy, golden brown, cozy and delicious squash pancakes on a cold autumn morning. And the fact that there is a fluffy squash pancake batter waiting for me in the fridge at the very moment that I type this is just completely tempting and distracting. Write. Focus, focus, focus. Also, there’s [Continue Reading…]
Russian Kefir Crepes
This post is sponsored by our generous friend Katya and her fisherman dad who treated us with the freshest caviar out there 🙂 Thank you, thank you! You know life is great when you’re eating this. Classic Russian Kefir Crepes, or as we call them bliny, served with caviar. These thin Russian Kefir Crepes are my favorite weekend [Continue Reading…]
Rosti with Smoked Salmon
Being Ukrainian, my love for potatoes goes deep, and I have never come across a potato dish that I haven’t loved. Mashed potatoes, fried, gratin, chips, potato skins, salads, soups, ROSTI – you name it, I love it! Ooh la la! Is that not the prettiest stack of little rosti? ? Rosti are basically the Swiss version of [Continue Reading…]
Cultured Compound Herbs Butter
Let’s talk about butter my friends. Butter is very important in our kitchen. We all know what it is and we all have tried it. But can you say you’ve tried a sophisticated, deeply-flavored, healthy and packed with healthy enzymes butter? I am talking about cultured butter and if you’ve never tried cultured butter then this post is [Continue Reading…]
Crêpes with Mushrooms and Cheese
Crêpes were a staple in my household when I was growing up. We knew them as blinchiki and had them as a simple dessert on weekends smothered in homemade jam or cottage cheese and fresh berries. We also love crêpes with different savoury fillings like these tasty crêpes with mushrooms and cheese, stuffed and rolled into little wraps which [Continue Reading…]
Mediterranean Dip – Baba Ghanoush
We are entering the true heart of summer, sidewalk cafes, front porch gatherings and backyard patio parties are blossoming. A return to outdoor entertaining is what we have all been long waiting for and that time has come! If you are gathering a gang on your backyard or packing a picnic for this weekend’s celebration, I [Continue Reading…]
Pork Fritters
Hmmm… it’s dinner time and there’s a tiny grumble in your tummy that says the simple salad you had for lunch might not take you all the way through the day. Instead of reaching for that dubious bag of chips in your kitchen pantry (is it really the same bag of chips you saw there [Continue Reading…]