Potato Pancakes | Mushroom stuffed Draniki. BELARUS, EUROPE
Pan-fried until crispy and hot, mushroom stuffed draniki taste like pumped up hash browns. Really great comfort food. Belorussians eat these with sour cream, although Americans will like them with ketchup.
Spaetzle with cheese and caramelized onion | KasNocken. AUSTRIA, EUROPE
This is an Austrian’s answer to Mac and Cheese. Totally wonderful and, as a bonus, vegetarian! One taste and you’ll want to move to Austria.
Green Beans with Speck | Schinkenspeck. AUSTRIA, EUROPE
Speck, technically called Schinkenspeck, is a dry aged prosciutto product. Bacon or ham can be substituted if your grocer does not carry this Austrian favorite. Enjoy Green Beans with Speck with chicken, fish, or pork.
Trinxat. ANDORRA, EUROPE
Trinxat is an Andorran specialty. Potatoes, cabbage, and bacon get fried together in a hash “pancake.” Garnish with minced parsley.
Shopska Salad | Shopska Salata. BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA, EUROPE
This cheese is just like regular feta with a tad stronger – and a “hair” funkier – flavor. In fact, Barrel-Aged Feta is a great “first” funky cheese for those of you trying to convince a family member to “go funky.”
Warm Spinach and Mushroom Salad. ANDORRA, EUROPE
Wild mushrooms give this spinach salad Andorran appeal. The crunch of slivered almonds and the sweet of the golden raisins add another dimension.
Albanian Vegetables | Turli Perimesh. ALBANIA, EUROPE
Turli Perimesh is a light and refreshing accompaniment to meat. The influence of Italian cusine on Albania is apparent both in the use of squashes and fresh parsley.
Leek Pie | Byrek ose Lakror. ALBANIA, EUROPE
Byrek ose Lakror emerges from the oven with a beautiful, shining crust. Cut into the pie too soon, however, and your dreams will shatter. You must wait a full hour for the pie's juices to redistribute.
Cream and Current Scones. EUROPE, UNITED KINGDOM
The giving texture of the scone is worth further mention. Much of the lightness stems from the fact that real scones are made with good quality European butter. European butter is richer (averaging 85% fat instead of just 81%), so there’s less water, which means a more delicate crumb.
Grenadine Compared. MIXERS, GARNISHES AND PREMIXED.
Grenadine is probably the second home bar syrup you’ll get, right after you make some simple syrup Wikipedia says Grenadine is “a commonly used bar syrup, characterized by a flavor that is both tart and sweet, and a deep red color…..Grenadine was originally prepared from pomegranate juice, sugar, and water.”
Cocktail Cherries Compared. MIXERS, GARNISHES AND PREMIXED.
A group tasted 7 different types of cocktail cherries and compared them in price, flavor, and cocktail usefulness.
