*spring* soup season The calendar date may say that it’s spring, but it sure doesn’t feel like it in my neck of the woods. I’m making the best of the cruddy weather by squeezing in as many winter/spring crossover recipes as possible before I’m feeling more springy. And that definitely includes some nourishing soups like …
honey, honey This Ukrainian honey cake, or medivnyk, is one of my grandmother’s recipes, and is one of my all-time favorites. Augmented with cozy spices like cinnamon and cloves, as well as walnuts for a little crunch, this is a great little sweet to serve around the holidays (or just because). Enjoy it in the …
A leek dilemma, resolved Do you ever find yourself cooking with leeks but feeling super guilty about using only about half of the vegetable? Most recipes call for just the onion-y part of the stalk and to discard the dark green leaves. It makes sense, considering the light parts of the leek are full of …
handmade is better I don’t know if it’s even possible to be Ukrainian without loving pierogies. And it’s not even just the fact that they’re made up of fluffy, savory potato or cabbage filling swaddled in a tender blanket of dough, but it’s also the feeling of nostalgia and familiarity that comes with eating and …
A little lentil goes a long way Lentils are a highly underrated food, in my opinion. They’re not only super good for you–high in protein and fiber among other things–they’re also very filling and relatively cheap. A big back of lentils won’t set you back but will go a long way in keeping you satiated. …
giving pork chops a good name I used to absolutely dread having pork chops for dinner when I was younger. There was nothing fun about eating them–they were tough and tasteless, and it took way too long to finish chewing a single bite. That’s still pretty much the case when I make a regular old …
all you need is love and olive oil One ingredient that I don’t really use in moderation is olive oil. I seriously go through so much of the stuff, I should probably get my own personal olive tap…if only I had room in my tiny kitchen. All jokes aside, as useful as olive oil is …
i dare you to dumpling Once in awhile (actually, pretty often) I’m just in the mood for some Ukrainian comfort food. These finger dumplings are essentially the Ukrainian version of Italian gnocchi which you may have heard of. These dumplings probably have a more official name in Ukrainian cuisine, but we would just call them …
dreaming of japan I recently went on a trip to Japan, and when I returned, one of the first things people asked me was “Was the food amazing?!” The short answer is yes it was, but the long answer involved how surprised I was at the diversity of different foods in Japan. Before the trip, …
fo-fo-fo-focaccia Focaccia would have to be one of my favorite “fancy” breads. It’s so delicious and super easy to make. If you’re an aspiring bread baker but are intimidated by the process, this recipe is for you. There’s no kneading involved, no special ingredients, and you can dress it up with different herbs, spices, and …