Category Archives: Holidays & Parties

Pavlova

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January 26 is the official national day in Australia called appropriately - Australia Day. So I decided to cook a delicious meringue-based dessert with berries that's especially popular in New Zealand and Australia. This cake was actually created in honor of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. There are several versions of how and why this cake was created...
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Vatrushka with Tvorog (Quark) and Raisins

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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

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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

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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

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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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