Friday January 27, 2012
In the States, Jan. 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day. But, really, does anyone actually need a made-up holiday to eat cake? And chocolate cake, to boot? Not me.
Hungarian Esterhazy Torte
© Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.
Chocolate cakes and torte recipes exist in abundance in Eastern European kitchens. Here are some of my
Favorite Chocolate Recipes. I'm off to the kitchen to whip up a new chocolate treat. Good practice for Valentine's Day, don't you think? Recipe coming soon!
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Wednesday January 25, 2012
Nothing chases the chills away better than a thick, hearty stew. Often out of necessity, Eastern Europeans get creative with tougher cuts of meat, turning them into succulent, fall-off-the-bone meals. Braising and stewing are the techniques used to achieve this.
Hungarian Tomato-Pepper Stew
© Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.
Here are
Top Eastern European Stew Recipes guaranteed to warm the body and the soul. Enjoy!
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Wednesday January 25, 2012
The recent Fancy Food Show in San Francisco turned up some great new products. Among them is
Crummblers from the florida-based Sinful Virtues Baked Goods company. At first blush, Crummblers look like biscotti but, oh, ye of little faith. They are actually far richer and sweeter, and softer on the inside than traditional biscotti. The bonus is the sugar-cinnamon topping.
Crummblers Valentine's Day Gift Box
© Sinful Virtues, used with permission.
Pam Rufrano, the co-owner with Rick Martino of Sinful Virtues, says Crummblers originate from the small Belarus village of Pinsk but, of course, they weren't called Crummblers there.
"I was told that my great-grandmother, Marina, was always known in town for her special holiday desserts; one in particular was wildly popular. It was in the form of a hand-shaped loaf. The outside was crunchy and crumbly, kind of like a biscotti. But the inside was more cake-like. Whether she came up with the recipe herself nobody knew. She did keep it a secret, though, and only passed it on to my grandma, Anna, who brought it with her to America. Anna kept the secret, teaching it only to her youngest daughter, Dora, my mom," Rufrano says.
Well, the rest is history. Rufrano and her daughters, Rikki and Melanie, came up with the name Crummblers for these delightful treats. They use the same high-quality ingredients as in the original and the dough is mixed and shaped by hand. Crummblers come in cranberry, blueberry, chocolate-peanut butter, white chocolate and chocolate chip varieties.
There are gift baskets and boxes galore on their site. I especially like the
Valentine's Day gift box pictured here and avalable on their site.
While there is no brick-and-mortar store for Sinful Virtues, Rufrano and her family often sell their wares at community markets like the
Ybor City Saturday Market in the Tampa Bay Area. They will next be there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25, and March 3. If you live in the area, pay them a visit. Otherwise, visit them online. You'll be glad you did.
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Tuesday January 24, 2012
American football and the Super Bowl or European soccer and the World Cup bring out the same "need to feed" among rabid sports fans. One-pot dishes that can bubble away in a slow cooker unattended, or what I like to call casserolia, are perfect for noshing during the big game.
Polish Hunter's Stew
© Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.
Polish Hunter's Stew (
bigos) -- a meat-eater's dream come true -- and
Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut can be prepared in advance and then slowly reheated when ready to serve. If you've got a crowd coming, the recipes can be easily doubled or tripled. Score!
Homemade Potato Chips
© Molly Watson licensed to About.com, Inc.
Molly Watson, About.com's Guide to Local Foods, says Super Bowl parties don't need to be laden with processed food. Try her recipes for fresh, delicious
Super Bowl snacks like
homemade potato chips, spicy peanuts, and succulent
beer-basted spicy glazed ribs."
Dutch Cheese Straws
© Karin Engelbrecht licensed to About.com, Inc.
Karin Engelbrecht, About.com's Guide to Dutch Food, says, "When the Dutch watch sports on TV, their favorite snacks include
kroketten, those sumptuous shrimp or veal ragout-filled crispy
croquettes,
frikadellen, typically Dutch skinless meat sausages,
and
kaasstengels, rich Gouda cheese straws, recipes for which can be found on this list of
Dutch Party Appetizers."
Seven-Layer Dip
© Stephanie Gallagher licensed to About.com, Inc.
Stephanie Gallagher, About.com's Guide to Cooking for Kids, says, "The fun thing about throwing a Super Bowl party is that the menu can really be anything you like, from delivery pizza and potluck appetizers to chili and cornbread to homemade snacks and desserts. These
Super Bowl menu ideas give you three great options. Feel free to mix and match the recipes to suit your own tastes."
Chocolate Nut Bars
© Carroll Pelligrinelli licensed to About.com, Inc.
Carroll Pelligrinelli, About.com's Guide to Baking, says, "Make it easier on yourself (or the hostess) by creating desserts and other sweet treats that don't require a fork to eat them.
Chocolate Nut Bars are just one of the many treats found on this page of
Fork-Free Desserts."
Appley Kielbasa
© Linda Larsen licensed to About.com, Inc.
Linda Larsen, About.com's Guide to Busy Cooks, says, "Whether or not you're interested in football, you can throw a party on
Super Bowl Sunday. These recipes for
Super
Bowl Snacks and Anti-Super Bowl Party Foods are all delicious, quick to make, and fun to eat. Hope your team wins!"
Chicken Wings
© Kevin D. Weeks licensed to About.com, Inc.
Kevin D. Weeks, About.com's Guide to Cooking for Two, says, "This fall, I've been working on recipes for traditional Super Bowl foods like
Buffalo Wings,
Crab Dip, and
Barbecued Ribs. You can find them and many more here --
Super Bowl 46 - Game Time Eats."
New York Cocktail
© Colleen Graham licensed to About.com, Inc.
Colleen Graham, About.com's Guide to Cocktails, says, "The road to the biggest football game of the year is always exciting. Beginning with the conference championships then onto Super Bowl XLVI, here are this year's
Super Bowl cocktail menus. Also, for all of your game-day party-planning needs, check out these ideas for
Throwing a Successful Super Bowl Party."
Pancetta-Stuffed Mushrooms
© Lisa and Tony Sierra licensed to About.com, Inc.
Lisa and Tony Sierra, About.com Guides to Spanish Food, say, "The Spanish aren't counting the days to the Super Bowl, but it is a big day for appetizers in the U.S. So, the party atmosphere and desire to graze are perfect for a
Spanish tapas buffet. You can't miss with easy-to-make recipes like
Spanish pizza with chorizo sausage,
pancetta-stuffed mushrooms, or
pinchos morunos (spicy pork kebabs)."
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