Category Archives: Holidays & Parties

Vatrushka with Tvorog (Quark) and Raisins

Vatrushka with tvorog (quark) is a popular in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia (Slavic) made from round soft sweet pastry buns that are open on top and filled typically filled with trovge in the middle, along with raisins or dried fruit. Tvorog (quark) is a type of fresh dairy product, dictionaries usually translate it as curd cheese, cottage cheese or...
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Uzbek Plov

Plov is a central Asian dish made mostly from rice is cooked in a seasoned broth, called zirvak (Uzbek). Depending on the region it may also contain meat, fish, vegetables, pasta, and even dried fruits. In the east, plov is almost a daily staple but at the same time is served for special events like a wedding, funeral, child birth etc. Since...
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Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Garlic

A similar dish is very popular from my hometown of Odessa, Ukraine called 'eggplant caviar'. I changed the recipe a bit, usually eggplant is baked over an open fire, I instead baked eggplant in the oven with tomatoes and garlic and added the walnuts to the recipe. Perfect appetizer for dishes with meat or fish, or you can serve simply with a toast....
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Blueberry Peach Tart

Deliciously sweet and slightly sour tart topped with a bounty of fresh peaches and blueberries, it's a true taste of the season and easy to prepare. Even on the next day it stays tasty, so you can eat it cold or slightly warmed up in the microwave. Serve with tea or milk for breakfast, or as a dessert with cream...
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Salted Salmon with Avocado

Light and fresh appetizer, the perfect combination of soft creamy avocado with salted fish and lime. For this recipe I like to use steelhead trout. You can also use fresh salmon, but only if you are confident in the quality of the fish. If you have red caviar, try to add it to the salad....
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Tomato Cheese Salad

Easy and really tasty salad-appetizer for picnic or party. You can use any flavor chips you like, we prefer the cheese or onion flavor. Decorate with the chips just before serving or they will be soggy....
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