food -

Lebanese cuisine

Gosia — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:42:10 +0000

Lebanese cuisine was one of the main reasons why I went to Lebanon. Lebanon has always been a culturally diverse country, and influences from Arab, French and Mediterranean cuisines are evident in everyday dishes.The secret of Lebanese cuisine is its simplicity, flavor and variety. I had the opportunity to try many Lebanese dishes in Poland, but nowhere did they taste as good as in Lebanon. The basis of the meal are mezze, various appetizers like: pita bread, hummus, grilled eggplant dips or olive oil with herbs. They can also be served for breakfast. Speaking of breakfast, it’s the meal that I remember best from Lebanon. And when I think about those prepared in the wonderful Mresty Guest House, it brings tears to my eyes. The secret to a great Lebanese breakfast at Mresty Guest House were local ingredients. It now seems unbelievable that all the products in the photo below were prepared on site. Homemade cheese, tomatoes, olives and bread had a unique taste and aroma, which can’t be find in supermarket food. Pita i Manaquish Pita is the staple of the Lebanese diet. It often goes in pair with dips such as baba ganoush, hummus or za’atar or as a sandwich with shawarma or falafel. It’s baked at a high temperature reaching almost 450-475°F (232-246 ° C). The water contained in the dough evaporates, which causes the cake to swell. As a result, even after cooling, the top layer and the bottom remain separate. Manaqish, on the other hand, is nothing more than pita with various additional ingredients, such as: za’atar, tomatoes, meat or cheese. Makodus Makodus is a very interesting item in the Lebanese menu. It’s an eggplant cured in olive oil, stuffed with walnuts, paprika, chilli and garlic. It has a characteristic taste that is sour and spicy at the same time. For its preparation, young, small eggplants are used, which appear in the Middle East around June. Larger eggplants are not suitable for Makodus as too many seeds give it a bitter taste. Eggplants marinated in olive oil can be stored in a jar for up to a year. Makodus is most often eaten as part of a mezze with pita bread. It is also a popular side dish to breakfast. Below in the photo, homemade Makodus, prepared at Mresty Guest House. Za’atar Za’atar is the thing that will probably remind me of Lebanon the most. It’s a mix of spices with roasted sesame, sumac with the addition of olive oil. This delicious aromatic dip is served with pita bread. Hummus Hummus is an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine. It is a dip prepared with boiled chickpeas, tahini sesame paste, garlic and lemon juice. It can be eaten for breakfast, as a mezze or as a side dish for dinner. Baba Ganoush This is another type of dip. It consists of baked eggplant, mixed with tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and various spices. It can be served as a mezze with pita or as a side dish. A spicier version of Baba Ganoush is Moutabal, served with pomegranate. Makanek Makanek is a type of small sausages made of beef or mutton, with various spices. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves or ginger give them a characteristic, unique taste. What’s more, they can be cooked in wine and then served with pomegranates and pine nuts. Tablieh Tablieh is another interesting Lebanese dish. It’s grilled minced meat baked in bread. You can try it at the Tabliyit Massaad restaurant in Beirut. It’s served with pickled cucumbers and Labneh – cheese in the form of a creamy dip. Kafta Kafta is a dish known from many Balkan and Middle Eastern countries. It is grilled minced meat in the form of meatballs with onion and oriental spices. Tabbouleh Tabbouleh is almost a symbol of Lebanese cuisine. It’s a simple salad that consists of parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, bulgur and mint, with olive oil and lemon juice. It owes its unique flavor to mint, which is also a popular ingredient in other Lebanese salads. Fattoush Fattoush is the next item on the list, although in my opinion it could take the podium. It’s also called country/peasant salad. Allegedly, fattoush originated in northern Lebanon. Local farmers fried leftover pita bread and mixed it with seasonal vegetables. Currently, apart from pita, a popular salad ingredients are tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, onions, lettuce and mint leaves. However, the secret of this salad is sumac, which gives it a characteristic, sour aftertaste. Hindbeh It is an interesting, simple and very tasty dish prepared from dandelion leaves, with lemon, garlic and caramelized onion. Warak Enab Warak Enab in translation from Arabic means grape leaves. The more popular name for this dish, which exists in Turkey, Armenia or Greece, is dolma. Warak Enab is made of grape leaves and stuffing which consists of rice and minced meat. Kibbeh Kibbeh is the national dish of Lebanon. It consists of minced meat (beef or mutton), onions, pine nuts and durum wheat shaped into a rugby/football ball and deep fried. The name kibbeh comes from the Arabic word kubbah meaning ball. Kaeb el ghazal Kaeb el ghazal in translation means gazelle horns, it is a traditional crescent-shaped shortbread cookie. I’ve never had a dinner dish with the addition of any cookies before, so when I saw the item with the same name in the Baytna restaurant in Tripoli, I decided to take a chance. Unfortunately, I am not able to accurately determine its composition, because the waiter did not speak any language I know. However, based on my own observation and taste, I can say that apart from cookies, it consisted of kofte in sauce with the addition of tahini paste, pine nuts and pistachios and sprinkled with cinnamon. The whole thing may look a bit unusual, but I assure you that it was a very tasty experiment. Baklava Middle Eastern cuisine is mainly associated with baklava, a cake which consists of thin layers of shortcrust pastry with the addition of honey and nuts. In Lebanon, you can try different types of baklava, in various shapes (pictured on the left). Crunchy and sweet baklava is something that I still remember from my trip to Lebanon. Namoura This is a popular cookie that can be recognized by its characteristic rectangular shape with an almond in the middle. It tastes like a sponge cake. Haytaliyeh It is a milky solid pudding that is said to have originated in Tripoli, Lebanon. It is served cold with orange blossom water and rose water. Maamoul Maamoul are shortbread butter cookies stuffed with date paste, figs or nuts. Traditionally, they have the shape of balls, but they can also be found in the form of rectangles. What I presented in this post is only a small part of what Lebanese cuisine has to offer. So I will definitely have to go back there.

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Armenian cuisine – lavash, apricots and the best breakfast ever!

Gosia — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:10:30 +0000

Armenian cuisine due to Armenia’s location combines the influence of neighbouring countries. Turkish and Iranian flavours dominate the west side, while the cuisine in the east of the country combines Georgian and Russian influences. Armenia is not a popular tourist destination, so in most places ordering food can be quite challenging. Besides Yerevan, English is practically not used, and the only option to determine what will land on our plate is Russian, unless someone speaks Armenian ? In fact, to be honest, when I think about Armenian cuisine I get back to a certain morning in the village of Tatev, in the south of Armenia, near the ′′ border ′′ with Nagorno Karabakh. It was the best breakfast in my life, prepared by the family we stayed at. All products starting with butter, cheese and ending with scones were made by the owners. Each product had an amazing, intense, natural taste and smell, unknown to me so far. It is only at such moments, that you can realize how much artificial and processed food we eat on a daily basis. Armenian food generally, is much more natural than this available in western Europe. You just need to take a walk to the local market to see the difference right away. Also, traditional bread is completely different. In fact, Armenian lavash has been listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014. Lavashes are baked in special clay ovens – tonirs, placed deep in the floor. Bread is baked by sticking dough to the walls of the oven. The lavash baked in this way can be stored for up to six months. Borek, especially known from Turkey, is also a popular snack. It’s filo cake, stuffed with cheese, spinach or minced beef. Lunch specials The north-eastern part of Armenia, or more specifically, the Shirak region is famous for its dish called Kash. It’s stew made of mildly speaking not so popular pieces of meat that I personally did not like. On Armenian tables you can often find, chinkali – famous meat dumplings in the shape of purses with delicious broth inside, known especially from Georgia. The best chinkali can be tried at Lavash Restaurant (21 Tumanyan St) in Yerevan. In addition to chinkali, it’s also worth ordering kupati in blackberry sauce, for example pork sausage with spices, also popular in Georgia. Ishli Kufta, which resembles Lebanese kibbeh, is an interesting item in the Lavash Restaurant menu. These are meatballs made of minced beef tenderloin with walnuts and spices with bulgur groats. A very popular dish in Armenia, also well known in Turkey is dolma – grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice. Armenian cuisine is also largely based on barbecue dishes called khorovats. Different types of meat: lamb, chicken or beef, seasoned with local spices are used. Grilled meat is often wrapped in lavash and then called Gharso khorovats. Although Armenian cuisine is mainly based on meat dishes, they are often accompanied by various types of salads. A popular vegetarian dish is Armenian vegetable stew – tourlou, which usually consists of: eggplant, onion, tomatoes and zucchini with added spices. Desserts The most popular fruit in Armenia is apricot, even the Armenian flag refers to the colour of it. Especially in Armenian markets you can see a lot of apricot products. There are numerous jams, wines, juices and special compositions made of dried fruit. Liquors The most popular alcohol in Armenia is cognac – Ararat. Apparently it was one of Winston Churchill’s favourite liquor, and Stalin regularly provided him with boxes of this alcohol. Armenia is also famous for its interesting types of vodka e.g. vodka from mulberry – tutti oghi, or apricot vodka-tsirani oghi. On the other hand, the best Armenian wines include Malishka, Noravank, Bagratuni and Karas. Among the beers, you can distinguish Gyumri, Dilijan and Ararat. Like this post? Check out the other ones! 🙂

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Podlasie – fabulous Eastern Poland, Day 2 – Girl on a Trail

Gosia — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 16:56:31 +0000

Heading from Bialowieza to northern Podlasie, it is worth visiting the ruins of the church of St. Anthony in the village of Jalowka. Arc vaults, high columns and huge windows, give the idea of the former glow of this place. The temple was ruined at the end of the war in 1944. At that time, the German army, for fear that this place was an excellent observation point, blew it up. In front of the ruins there’s a special altar where mass is celebrated every year on St. Anthony’s Day. Just 12 kilometers from the ruins of the church there’s a closed border crossing with Belarus, Zubki Bialystok – Brestowica. It’s close to the gravel road leading through villages located along the border with Belarus, and in some places such as the Mostowlany village, Belarus is literally at hand. Zubki Bialystok-Brestowica border is actually a closed railway crossing, hidden among the fields and hills. Although the passage no longer works, watch out for the green booth, which is located exactly in the place of the border. It is equipped with a laser sensor informing the Belarusian border guards about the illegal crossing of the border. Personally, I admit that I stayed away because my last trip to Belarus almost ended in deportation, but I’ll write about it another time 😉 However, if someone looks for excitement, violating this space may be an interesting experience 😉 Following further northward, it’s worth vsiting Tatars’ village – Kruszyniany. In the 17th century, this village was given the Tatars’ community as a gift from Jan III Sobieski – Polish king. Currently, you can see here the oldest green wooden mosque in Poland and a Muslim cemetery where all gravestones according to tradition are turned towards Mecca. My culmination point in Kruszyniany was a visit to the Tatarska Yurta restaurant, which specializes in Tatar cuisine. You can try here kryszonka – beef with stewed vegetables and potatoes, and cheburek – baked dumpling, stuffed with cabbage, plums and honey, it’s a real discovery! It’s worth visiting the restaurant at the full hour from 12 to 15, then you can try an excellent pierekaczewnik – multi-layer cake with perfectly seasoned turkey meat with onion. I also recommend homemade sea buckthorn compote, which is a rich source of vitamin C. An interesting place of a religious character is the Skit of Saint Anthony and Theodosius Pieczerski in Ordynki village. This place is unique as it used to be a hermitage. What’s more, is the only Orthodox hermitage in Poland. This is an atmospheric place, far from civilization, in the middle of meadows. During heavy rainfall, when the level of the river Narew rises, this place seems to be an isolated island. Another interesting place related to Orthodox religion is a church in Narwia which has characteristic blue colour. The Church in Narwia is actually a gateway to the so-called Land of Open Shutters. The Land of Open Shutters is a fairytale place located mainly in three tiny villages: Trzescianka, Soce and Puchly. The unique atmosphere of this area is created by an original colorful architecture, which resembels former Russian settlement. The main motive are obviously richly decorated shutters, but the facades of buildings have many more interesting details. Many houses use old wells. There’re also a lot of old shrines and crosses and stork nests. First of the towns – Trzescianka. It owes its characteristic layout, to Polish queen Bona, who decided to bring architectural order here. It is also worth visiting the green church of St. Michael the Archangel. On the other hand, in the next town – Puchly you can see beautiful blue church. Beautiful, decorated houses and well-groomed farms can be seen in Soce. Its architectural layout is quite surprising because this village extends along two parallel streets. Entrance to the village can be recognized by roadside crosses. As a farewell to the Land of Open Shutters and Podlasie it’s worth visiting two additional towns: Wojszki and Plutycze. They are officially not included in the Land of Open Shutters, but the colours and decorations of buildings are as fabulous as in the previous places.

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Russian cuisine – what and where to eat in Moscow?

Gosia — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:45:53 +0000

Russian cuisine consists of many different dishes. A large number of nationalities in the area of both the former Soviet Union and the current Russia have contributed to the culinary tradition of this country. Russian cuisine is influenced by European, Siberian, Caucasian or Asian traditions. Therefore, in the traditional set of recipes we can find simple potato pancakes or Uzbek pilav. Appetizers Appetizers are mainly composed of cold cuts, herrings, salads, caviar and pickled vegetables. Russians are well-known for pickling everything. I suspect that it’s no longer a surprise that they “pickle” even their former dissidents. But can you imagine, for example, a pickled tomato? That’s the idea! Soups Soups play an important role in Russian daily menu. The most popular soups are:– shchi – soup made of either fresh cabbage or sauerkraut, served with cream and rye bread,– borscht – served with vegetables and meat, mostly beef or pork,– solyanka – thick, spicy soup with cabbage, pickles, olives and meat. It’s usually served with sliced lemon,– rassolnik – boiled on water with cucumbers, with meat and vegetables,– kholodnik – cold soup made from beets, served with egg and cream. Meat dishes Russians eat a lot of meat. The most popular are:– beef served for example in Beef Stroganoff, – pork and poultry served mainly in the form of meatballs or chops and game. The best place to taste game meat is Chemodan Siberian Restaurant. Personally, I recommend a yak steak. Chemodan is more expensive restaurant, for the steak and tea I paid about 30€. However, it was a unique experience worth its price. Among restaurants serving very delicious food at affordable prices I can recommend Varenichnaya No 1*. Dishes cost around 200-400 RUB, which is around 2-5€. Furthermore, in canteen called Stolovaya 57 in the GUM shopping centre on the Red Square you can eat budget traditional meals. Prepare for long queues and hearty portions. Flour dishes and desserts Flour dishes are often found on Russian tables and include a wide range of meals. Most popular flour dishes are: pelmeni – dumplings stuffed with meat, blini – pancakes with various filling, and pirozhki – small buns stuffed with meat, cabbage with mushrooms or mushrooms. Desserts are made with fruit in season. Russians bake excellent cheesecakes. I recommend delicious cheesecake in the previously mentioned Varenichnaya No 1*restaurant located in Old Arbat district. Very good confectionery can be tried in the Volkonsky Cafe, I recommend very good croissants with fruit. Popular drinks, besides vodka, include: kvas and delicious tea with various ingredients. In some places, such as the Siberian Restaurant – Chemodan, tea is served in an interesting way, under a traditional cover to maintain a suitable temperature for brewing. However, the best, dense pear tea you can drink in KK12/10 Cafe, located at Krivokolennyy Pereulok 12/10 street. In front of the cafe there’s a shop – Chay-Kofe, where you can buy excellent tea. The choice of tea in the store is impressive no less than its decor. A unique place to try Russian cuisine or just a simple beer is restaurant Petrovich (Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, 24/3). It is worth going here, as it’s a popular spot among local residents. You can watch them dancing to old Russian hits. It’s highly probable that you won’t spot any foreign tourist there. It’s really difficult to find this restaurant, most tourists probably miss it without even realizing it exists.Below the photo of the entrance to the restaurant. The restaurant has an interesting decor, the main room contains various souvenirs from the previous USSR era, while the other two look like cosy living room or kitchen. Traditional Russian cuisine and delicious horseradish vodka are served here. I can give you a tip: ask the bartender for a real local vodka and don’t be surprised when he starts opening a plastic bottle 😉 Don’t have much time to eat? Forget about Mcdonalds! In Moscow you’ll find many Teremok restaurants – the Russian equivalent of the famous American fast food chain. More importantly, instead of hamburger or fries you can try there traditional Russian food like solyanka, Ukrainian borscht, potato pancakes or syrniki – excellent cheese pies and instead of coke, drink kvas! On the streets of Moscow you can also find many food trucks with snacks. Some stands have a typical Russian character. An ideal place to buy local products is Danilovsky market, located a little further from the centre, right next to Tul’skaya metro station. About 20 years ago, it was the main shopping place in Moscow, and even now it’s eagerly visited by residents, due to the large selection of food and its quality. The market itself is a kind of tourist attraction not only because of its authentic, slightly old decor, but also in view of the opportunity to explore Russian cuisine and Muscovites’ everyday life. In addition to vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, fish and seafood, you can purchase here pickled vegetables, honey and excellent bread. There’s also a flower stand and a variety of food trucks, serving local and foreign dishes. Many food fairs are also organised on the streets of Moscow. My visit to the Moscow capital coincided with Easter. Near The Kremlin, opposite the Bolshoi Theatre a big Easter fair, with local food and products, was organised. More demanding customers will surely be satisfied with shopping in the Eliseevsky Gastronomy. The shop attracts crowds of tourists due to its splendid decor. Spacious interior, crystal chandeliers, golden decorations, marble columns and paintings resemble rather a ballroom than a regular “grocery”. Here you can find luxury products, which aren’t available in ordinary stores, although Eliseevsky has a very rich offer of canned products 😉 Are you interested in Moscow? Check out other posts!

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Warsaw’s bazaars – the capital lives here

Gosia — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 19:40:24 +0000

What comes to your mind when thinking about Warsaw? For sure not bazaars… Most people would say that the Palace of Culture and Science, skyscrapers and fancy boutiques in the city centre. There’s no doubt the center of Warsaw is completely different from the rest of the city. As a matter of fact each capital’s district represents its own ” homey ” climate. In Warsaw’s life, for years, bazaars have played a major role. Not only have they been a place of trade but also an important meeting spot. It’s true that I’m a little late with this post, as it lacks the “pearl” of Warsaw markets – the European Market, also called the 10th Anniversary Stadium However, there are still a few places saved from being seized by developers, where you can feel the local vibe. In addition to visiting old places, you can also visit new interesting spots, located in the old trade halls or even on the platform of the former railway station. Wolumen Bazaar The bazaar on Wolumen street was built in the 60’s. Then mainly bric-a-brac goods were sold there. In the late 70’s and 80’s, the Persian fair was moved here from the Old Town. However, sellers from the Old Town changed their place of sale to the Kolo bazaar, while the Wolumen Bazaar specialized in electronics. In the 90’s, the bazaar was infamous for selling pirate records and “hot” goods such as car radios and mobile phones. Despite the enormous competition from the famous Europa fair, Wolumen has always been an important shopping centre and even a social gathering spot. Besides, it’s still a place close to the heart of many residents. Wolumen is not only a bazaar, but also a meeting place. Personally, I remember when I was in elementary school, I used to play truant from school and go for famous hamburgers with crispy onion, served at the local bar. At the time, the bazaar consisted of two parts, which were divided by Kasprowicza street. Nowadays local vegetable and fruit suppliers sell their goods on Tuesdays and Fridays, while an electronic fair with flea market is organised on weekends. Kolo Bazaar The bazaar, also called Collectors’ Exchange, has become almost an institution on the map of Warsaw. It is a unique place that moves into the times of old Warsaw. You don’t have to be an expert in antiques to fall in love with Kolo at first sight. In the bazaar you can find literally everything, like: porcelain, sculptures, clothes, military objects, to furniture, books or toys. The ability to “dive” into the boxes is necessary in order to fish out gems such as militia helmets, badges, uniforms or Lenin’s bust. There are many interesting items in the form of sculptures and paintings. Koło Bazaar is a unique place. You can feel here a specific atmosphere of old Warsaw markets. Both sellers and customers are people who shares the same passion and who have known this place for years. Koło Bazaar is a piece of history of Warsaw, hidden in the offered goods and the memory of people who have been connected with it for a long time The Bazaar is open on weekends from 6 to 15, located on Obozowa street (corner of Ciołka street). In the 90’s, the popularity of Kolo Bazaaar was so high that at times the traffic on nearby streets was really heavy. For this reason, it was decided to open an additional bazaar at nearby Olimpia stadium. Early morning on Sundays, the silence of Moczydlo Park, is disrupted by the noise of dragged suitcases. The suitcases are filled with various goods for sale. Here everyone can sell everything. Professional sellers have stalls, while rookies present their assortment on fence or on plastic foils on the ground. Many Warsaw markets have a wide choice of goods, however, on Olympia there’s literally everything. You can find old cassette tapes, old newspapers, tableware, bikes, household appliances, tools, food products, not to mention countless clothes. Folksy atmosphere is also on the right side of the Vistula at the Namysłowska bazaar. The range of goods is similar here as in the western part of Warsaw. It’s the perfect place for hunters of the unique, old things. To find something interesting, you must have a lot of patience to dig through a pile of clothes, shoes or cartons full of different things. However, for buyers, this hunting is an inseparable and important part of the entire buying process. Two halls on Jana Pawla street Two halls on Jana Pawla st. is a place where history meets modernity. They’re more than 100 years old and still an important trading point. The halls were built to improve hygiene conditions for the food sold in Warsaw bazaars. It was the first venture of this kind in Warsaw. The first hall, called Mirowska used to be the barracks for the army which were replaced at the beginning of the 19th and 20th century. Then typical red brick buildings were built. The second hall – Hala Gwardii is named after the sports club. It was the popular venue of boxing fights. The two halls are essentially different, and that’s the whole charm of the place. The first hall is decorated accordingly to socialistic design, with the famous old supermarket in the centre. The memory of childhood also brings back a toy helicopter, with distinctive information in the background. I can bet that it haven’t been replaced since 90’s 😉 Right at the entrance to the hall there’s an atmospheric Market Bar. Both halls are separated by a bazar. In addition to local vegetables, fruit and regional goods, exotic products can also be purchased here. The goods are beautifully arranged here, even eggs look like the best chocolates in Belgian stores 😀 The Gwardia Hall has a modern interior where you can taste international specialities. Numerous events are also organized here, and regional products can be found on stands. Koszyki Hall Koszyki Hall was founded shortly after the construction of the previous two halls, in the years 1906-1909. In translation Koszyki menas baskets in Polish. Its name as if it could indicate, isn’t derived from baskets sales. According to historians, it was named after the special trenches which were built on this site in 1770. The trenches were intended to protect Warsaw from cholera epidemic, although the real reason was money that was sent to the city’s vault as a result of strengthened control over the movement of people to Warsaw. These trenches were reinforced by the wicker basktes, hence the name of the hall and the street attached to it. There are numerous shops and restaurants in the modern interior which resembles the old design. Metal construction, ceramic tiles in corridors, characteristic green color and old store signs create a unique atmosphere. You can purchase here regional products such as jam, homemade pastries or local sausages and cheeses. Those who are bored with Polish cuisine can try Mexican, Italian or Indian disihes. Excellent craft beer is served in the bar at the centre point of the hall. On cold days, it’s best to warm yourself with dense hot chocolate in Karmello. Night market Speaking of hipster places, Night market is another important point on the map of Warsaw. It’s located on the old Main Railway Station near Zawisza roundabout. The market is located in a place which is not eagerly frequented by most tourists. A trip to a place deep down a dark street along old railway warehouses decorated with graffiti does not seem to be a good idea for many visitors. Meanwhile appearances can be deceptive. Night Market is the culinary capital of the world. Those who have enough dumplings or granny’s meatballs, come here to taste unique international cuisine. Latecomers, prefer this spot after the party. Chinese, Thai, Korean, French, Italian, American, Thai, Mexican cuisine, to name but a few, the choice of dishes is mindboggling. Food is more expensive than in ordinary food trucks, but it is worth to pay a liitle more to feel the unique atmosphere of the place. The night market is located at Kolejowa 3 st. and is open from spring to autumn on Fridays and Saturdays from 17.00 to 01.00 and on Sundays from 16.00 to 23.00. Not only dinner, but also breakfast! Breakfast Market is an excellent option not only for those who party a little longer. Every weekend, those who have engough scrambled eggs for breakfast or healthy food lovers meet here. There’s no shortage of delicious international food. In a moment you can find yourself in Asia, Africa, America – best way to start the day. In addition to breakfast, you can purchase healthy food including regional products. Additionally, there are also numerous events and culinary workshops. This outdoor food market has won the hearts of many Warsaw residents.

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Israel, Eilat – escape from winter, a perfect plan for the weekend! Part II

Gosia — Sat, 28 Dec 2019 07:12:34 +0000

As I wrote in the previous post, tickets to Eilat are currently at very bargain prices. However, Israel is a rather expensive country, the cost of food and accommodation, are much higher than in Poland. So what can you visit here for free? Where to eat and how much does a weekend trip actually cost? The Red Canyon Who said that the most interesting attractions must be expensive? If you want to see something amazing and completely for free, be sure to go to the Red Canyon. It is about a 20-minute drive by car from Eilat (road no 12). The road leads right at the very border with Egypt, along a huge wire fence. However, the biggest attraction of this route are the picturesque landscapes. You can also access the Red Canyon by public transport. There is a bus no 392, heading towards Be’er Sheva. There’s no bus stop in the Red Canyon area, so tickets should be bought to Har Uziya junction and when approaching the canyon, signal the driver desire to leave. You can find the current schedule and price list here. From the main road you should walk around 1,5 km to the trail leading to the canyon. The canyon is actually the dry bed of the Nahal Shani river. It looks like the famous Antelope Canyon in the United States. The resemblance is not coincidental, because both were created in the same way. Vulnerable rocks built from sandstone, are carved by water which flows through the canyon during the so-called flash floods. The Red Canyon can be visited in two ways: a big and a small loop. A large loop leads along blue trail and is supposedly a bit harder, due to the steep approaches. A small loop, also known as the family trail, is relatively simple and it’s about 5 km long. It’s marked by green trail which goes along the bottom of the canyon. The path to the gorge becomes more and more narrow with every meter, and the walls of the canyon are higher and more interestingly shaped. This place delights with the amount of amazing, intensive colours. In the end, the width of the road allows, at most, to put one foot. Further part leads through various types of ladders, buckles without which the passage of the main section of the canyon would be impossible. After crossing the bottom of the canyon, the route continues along the black trail. This trail leads on the top of the canyon, which allows you to capture this place from a completely different perspective. The black trail is later connected with the green trail, leading to the parking lot. When going to the canyon, it is worth to wear mountain shoes. Unfortunately I had only sandals, because my hand luggage had limited size. Sunrise – the early bird… I’ll admit that the perspective of getting up at 5 am on Sunday to see the sunrise over Eilat, didn’t sound good at all. However, with only a weekend at our disposal, we wanted to make the most of this time. The selection of a spot for observations fell on Yoash Mountain, located on route 12 leading to the Red Canyon. The sun was slowly raising behind the mountains on the Jordanian side, giving the unbelievably intensive colour of the sky and the Gulf of Aqaba. An additional attraction was an ibex family, who decided to make breakfast right next to our car. Accommodation in Eilat Israel is not a cheap country, that’s why it’s hard to find budget accommodation there. The situation in Eilat is even more complicated as it is one of the main holiday resorts in Israel. From the available accommodation options, I recommend Hotel Club in Eilat located near Eilat Coral Reef Nature Reserve. The advantage of this hotel are large apartments with terraces equipped with a kitchen where you can prepare meals. As a welcome gift, guests receive a box of chocolates, a pizza with a drink and 2 cards of 2 GB of internet. There’s a large swimming pool, tennis courts, pitch, game room and a shop offering products at competitive prices in relation to ones in the city. The hotel offers a varied excellent breakfast, and during the day you can have dinner at a reasonable price in the bar located in the front of the pool. If you are looking for a more comfortable accommodation than hostel, I suggest you check the accommodation on Airbnb. To lower the costs you can use special discount for the first reservation. Using this link you can save up to 30€, while I will receive 20€ as a bonus for your reservation, which will also be a form of gratitude for my contribution to write this post. How much does it cost? Costs of departure from 5 to 8th of December: • Flight Warsaw Modlin – Eilat – Warsaw Modlin – 78 PLN (Ryanair with hand luggage) – around 20€• Accommodation in Club in Eilat 880 shekels so around 220 € for 3 nights for double room (3-room apartment, breakfast included)• Car rental for 3 days – 70€ / 2 people + fuel 30€ pln /2 people• Entrance ticket to Timna Park – 49 shekels so around 13€• 1 Falafel with fries 23 shekels – 6€• Dinner at the hotel 30 shekels – 8€ Total cost per person : 207 € Do you want to go to Eilat? Check the first post:

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Jordanian cuisine

Gosia — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 19:04:09 +0000

Jordanian cuisine belongs to Levantine cuisine which is characteristic to countries like: Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. In addition, Turkish influences can be seen in the traditional way of preparing Jordanian dishes. In a word Jordan is an interesting place on the culinary map of the world! Traditional breakfast is very nutritious and consists mainly of hummus (chickpea paste with lemon and garlic), excellent white cheese of cream consistency, called labaneh, ful madames – paste made from fava bean with cumin, chili and lemon, as well as eggs and excellent halva. What’s more interesting, no matter what time of day is on the table there’re always pickled vegetables, usually olives and carrots, but you can also find cucumbers, radish or cauliflower. It’s without doubt that this snack is a culinary hit in this country. Jordan is one of the largest olive producers in the world. Great olives can be purchased on many stands, however personally I do not recommend the vinegar version. The main meal begins with an appetizer, here called mezze. Of course, there’s excellent hummus among the appetizers. In addition, various types of cheeses, paste and salads are also served. Jordanian cuisine offers a wide variety of dishes among which you can list:– kofte – perfectly seasoned meatballs, which may be served in tomato or sesame sauce, – kebabs,– zarb – so-called Bedouin BBQ,– dolma – vine leaves stuffed with meat and rice,– baked meat in dough,– falafels. Being in Aqaba it’s also worth to try local fresh fish and seafood. I recommend sayadiya – grilled fish served with rice, the best you can eat in Syrian Palace Restaurant. The main course goes with variety of salads. Olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and eggplants are common ingredients. One of the most interesting dishes in the Lebanese menu is known as Lebanese salad – tabbouleh, which includes tomatoes, bulgur or couscous, parsley, mint, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. The basis of every meal in Jordan is bread, most commonly known as pita. An interesting type of bread is Bedouin abud – it’s covered with ash after baking in fireplace. Another is taboon – thin bread made in a traditional oven For dessert, baklava and halva are served. Very popular delicacy is kunafa – honey-soaked cake with a filling of cheese similar to mozzarella. Personally, I didn’t like the connection of these ingredients. A tasty souvenir from the trip can be butter sesame cookies with honey and pistachios, called Barazek. The main beverage in Jordan is tea, usually served black with mint (na’na) or sage (meramiyyeh), which is actually black tea with added sage. Although I am not an admirer of herbal teas, I honestly admit that the taste of this tea was so distinctive and tasty that I will always associate it with Jordan. Very popular is coffee. In addition to famous coffee in Turkish, you can taste Bedouin coffee with added cardamom. Although Jordan is a Muslim country, there’s no prohibition. Alcohol is available, but only in a few stores and costs quite a lot, so the best solution is to buy it in duty – free. Want to know more? Check out the other posts: -Jordan how to organise a trip– Jordan – seven worders

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Belarusian cuisine – homely food!

Gosia — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 14:55:28 +0000

Belarusian cuisine is based mainly on products available in Belarus like: potatoes, cereals, pork, mushrooms and forest fruit. Dishes are prepared with simple ingredients and easy to cook. Due to the long and harsh winters and the nature of the work of the majority of the population, the traditional cuisine in Belarus consists of nutritious meals. However, the most characteristic is the preparation process. Dishes are mainly roasted, cooked and stewed and very rarely fried. Belarusian cuisine uses a small amount of spices while the mandatory element of almost every dish is cream. Restaurants in Belarus have a distinctive, homey look and offer numerous traditional dishes. There is no problem to find places where you can try local specialties, which often happens in Western European countries. On Belarusian Embassy site you can read: The implementation of the dishes of the Belarusian national cuisine is one of the requirements for catering facilities (except facilities, specializing in the preparation of national cuisine of other countries). That’s why Belarusian cuisine is on the menu of all restaurants and cafes. Breakfast For breakfast you can eat scrambled eggs or omelette served with bread and vegetables . The meat option includes bacon and homemade sausage with fried potatoes. In a sweet option, there are most often pancakes with cheese, cream and jam. You cannot miss fluffy cheese pancakes called syrniki served usually with cream, homemade jam, honey or apple mousse. Syrniki are very delicate inside, while from outside they are very crispy. While being in Belarus, don’t forget to try them! However, if anyone wants to bring back memories from childhood, he can always order ordinary porridge 😉 Dinner The perfect proposal for winter is aromatic soup, usually served with cream. In restaurants you can try slightly sour soup called soljanka? It is a traditional soup with addition of water from sour cucumbers, sausages, spices and cream 😉 Modern version can contain olives or capers. The perfect proposal for summer is chlodnik- soup with beetroots and cream served with cucumber, egg and dill. Among the meat dominates pork, although in Belarus you can eat also: veal, beef or poultry. Dishes are served with mushrooms or vegetables: mostly carrots, cabbage and beets. The staple are potatoes, which are also called “second bread”. Due to the large potato consumption Belarusians are called “potato people”. Personally I’m not a fan of potatoes due to their popularity in Poland. However, in Belarus, potatoes are rarely consumed simply boiled as it takes place in Poland. Potatoes are subjected to various processes like: grating, mashing, roasting or frying. It seems that the basic potato dish is draniki, known to us as potato pies, served with cream. Draniki is an universal dish, you can serve them with pork fat, mushrooms or meat. The popular potato dishes are also: potato casserole with bacon and onions, bliny – potato pancakes, potato sausage and kliocki (noodles) – potato cake served pork fat or bacon and fried onions. Flour dishes are also very popular. In Belarus, you can try kolduny – small dumplings served alone or as an addition to soup and pelmeni – dumplings stuffed with raw meat. Dumplings can be served from water or oven. You can also try sweet pierogi stuffed with various forest fruit. Belarus is also famous for excellent drinks and not necessarily just alcoholic. Popular are homemade compote, kvas, or tea with honey and spices. My number one was tea with orange, cranberries, sea buckthorn and rosemary. In Belarus there’s a wide selection of alcoholic beverages. In addition to vodka, very popular is also Krupnik and Zubrowka. I can recommend also : cranberry, horseradish and horseradish with honey vodka. Especially the last one is worth a try. However, in the middle of winter, after all-day sightseeing, I was most fond of mulled wine. Desserts Belarus also produces excellent chocolate and marshmallows called zefir. They resemble big meringues. In cafes you can try a variety of desserts and cakes. Try dates with mascarpone cheese served in restaurant La Kave in Brest Restaurants and prices: Recommended places to eat:– Vasilki and Kukhmistr in Minsk,– Karchma in Grodno,– La Kave in Brest,– coffee and cakes in Centralny Univiersam Snack Bar in Minsk. Food in Belarus is relatively cheap even in very good restaurants .For soup you have to pay around 2-3€ The cost of dishes – dumplings, pancakes or cheese cakes is also about 5-7 rubles. The cost of the second dish is about 6€. Coke costs about less than 1€. In elegant restaurants in the centre of Minsk prices are higher. For the second dish in the restaurant I paid 10€, while for dessert 6€.

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Athens – weekend break in Greece

Gosia — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:47:48 +0000

It was a long weekend, and I had no plans. I started browsing the web in the hope that I could find a cheap flight, which would be as near as miracle during the “high season”. To my surprise, the cheapest flight was to Athens. As it turned out, my journey didn’t end in the capital of Greece. The airport in Athens is connected convinently with many Greek Islands. My choice was Corfu, find out more about this green island here. Even though the trip to Athens wasn’t planned, I’d been thinking about it for a long time before. I wanted to confront the negative views of the Acropolis with reality, visit the famous Agora admire views of the city from the peaks of the surrounding hills. What is it worth seeing in Athens? The High City Athens are famous mainly of Acropolis, the main tourist attraction. Acropolis is located on a 150- meter hill and its name derives from the words ” Acro “, which means high and ” polis” meaning the city. Acropolis is a sacred hill, the place of worship of ancient Greek Gods. The most important point of the Acropolis is the famous Parthenon – an ancient temple dedicated to the patron of Athens – goddess Athena. In fact, in the pictures, this building seems much bigger than it’s in reality, while its simplicity and symmetry makes an amazing impression. It’s made of white marble and surrounded by 46 columns. In ancient times, inside was 12-meter statue of the Athena Polias (Athena of the City), fully made of gold, one of the Ancient Wonders of the world. In 426 it was taken to Constantinople where it disappeared. Besides that, Parthenon had a pretty rough history. It served as barracks, ammunition depot, church, and it was even converted into mosque in the times of the Ottoman rule. It would seem that a tour to the Acropolis is limited to Parthenon. However, on site there’re other ancient monuments like: ancient theatre – Erechtheion, the Theatre of Dionysus and the Temple of Athena Nike. Every year, the Acropolis is visited by millions of tourists. In order to avoid the crowds, it’s better to visit it early in the morning and wear anti-skidding footwear, as the rocks are polished by the crowds. Normal ticket costs 20€ (reduced ticket – 10 €). In offer is also a 5-day combined ticket which costs30 € and includes the most important archaeological sites and museums. More information you can find here. An interesting view of the Acropolis you can admire from the Areopagus Hill from which you can also see the famous Agora. On the ancient Agora Agora used to be a marketplace and the center of political and social life of ancient Athens. This is where Socrates developed his philosophy. Saint Paul came here to convert the Athenians to Christianity. Here you can see the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus, the market hall, Agora Museum and the Church of the Holy Apostles. Admission to Agora is free with Acropilis Pass or costs 4 € . Old Athens The atmosphere of old Athens can be felt in the district Plaka located under the Acropolis. There are many climatic taverns and cafés. Wolves Hill The most beautiful view of Athens is from the highest hill in Athens – Likavitos Hill – in translation Wolves’ Hill. At a height of more than 200 m, you can see the Acropolis, the characteristic Panathenaic Stadium, and even the coast with the port of Piraeus. In addition to enjoying great views, you can visit Agios Georgios Chapel and cool off at the nearby restaurant. Getting to the top is easy, jump on the funicular (return ticket costs 7€). At the flea market The famous flea market is located in the Monastiraki area and you can see there also numerous works of street-art in the surrounding streets. You can also visit Central Market, where you can buy local products, vegetables, fruit and excellent olives. There is a secret tavern – Diporto in the back of the bazaar, a favorite place of local residents. You can recognise it by inconspicuous door on the corner of the building and a steep staircase to the basement. Inside you’ll find huge barrels of homemade, delicious wine. The menu is limited to just a few dishes, which are the specialty of the tavern, like: revythia – chickpeas soup, grilled sardines, Greek salad and home made bread. Marble Stadium An amazing impression is made by Panathenaic stadium which was built for the Olympics in 1896. It’s a reconstruction of an ancient stadium made entirely of the white marble. Guard change The centre of Athens is located on the Syntagma Square near the Greek Parliament. At the front of the Parliament’s building, there’s a Tomb of an Unknown Soldier. Every day at a full hour, you can see an interesting “spectacle” – a guard change. The tomb of an Unknown Soldier is guarded by soldiers of an elite – Evzones, dressed in a traditional outfit, typical of mountain warriors in the war of independence.

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