Bulgaria, a Southeastern European country bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south and the Black Sea to the east, is our next stop as we “tour” the world. Bulgaria is one of 7 countries whose borders lie completely within the region known as the Balkan Peninsula.

The Bulgars, a central Asian Turkic tribe and the local Slavic inhabitants merged to form the first Bulgarian state in the 7th century. Bulgaria has been a historical crossroads situated between Europe and Asia. Many civilizations have flowed through the region which was marked by fierce fighting as well as rich cultural history due to the many people who came and went.

In the 7th century Bulgaria emerged as a state to only have to struggle against the Byzantine Empire and then by the 14th century succumb to the rule of the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria was free from Ottoman rule in 1878 with the remainder of the country gaining its independence in 1908. Unfortunately, after World War II, Bulgaria became a part of the Soviet Union. Upon the fall of communism and the dissipation of the People’s Republic, Bulgaria began moving towards a democratic government and free market economy.

With a population of 7.37 million people, Bulgaria is the 14th largest European country. Most of the population resides in an urban setting and the most commerce and cultural activities are based in or surrounding Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Most Bulgarians are ethnically Bulgarian (84%). The other ethnicities present are Turk and Roma as well as a small percent of others from the Balkan region. The official language is Bulgarian.

Any society that is born in a crossroads is bound to be culturally rich. Bulgaria is just that, culturally rich because of the Thracians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Slavs and Bulgars (to name a few) who have left behind a bit of their cultures that is now woven into the tapestry of Bulgarian culture. Bulgaria is rich in the art, music and literature. Bulgaria is rich in ancient artifacts such as: The Borovo Treasure, discovered while a field was plowed, dates back to the reign of Odrysian King Cotys I (383-359 BCE). There is the Rogozen Treasure dating back to the 5th and 4th century and consisting of over 150 items that are silver or gold plated. And, there is the Vratsa Treasure which is a collection of artifacts from the grave of a Thracian noblewoman. (Check out this site: Vratsa Regional History Museum)

Bulgaria, rich in culture, has, of course, a diverse cuisine. Bulgaria also has a climate that is hospitable for farming and because of its geography a varied of produce can be grown. Bulgarians eat salads regularly as well as hot and cold soups. Most Bulgarian dishes are oven baked, steamed, or in the form of stew. Lyutenitsa is a popular mixture of tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, pepper, parsley and hot peppers. Lyutenista is a dish that will vary from each Balkan country to the next, but can; nonetheless, a variation can be found. Banitsa is a pastry eaten hot or cold for breakfast and it is served with yogurt. Yogurt is another food that is not only commonly eaten in Bulgaria, but high quality yogurt is produced in Bulgaria. Yogurt is not only a staple food in Bulgaria, but throughout the Balkan region.

Yogurt is extremely beneficial to our health and it is the yogurt that is made in the fashion of Bulgarian or that of the Balkan region that is even better than those highly sugary flavored varieties. We, at myFudo, make this healthier form of yogurt a part of our daily breakfast. Eaten with seasonal fruits, honey and/or granola, yogurt is a very healthy way to start off the day.

These healthier, richer yogurts can be a bit expensive at the market and if you eat it every day you might want to try making your own. You do not need special equipment and we found this amazing tutorial that illustrates how easy it is to make your own yogurt:

How to Make Yogurt: A Step by Step Tutorial by Michael W. Reeps

Yogurt

(This recipe was given to us from a friend who got it from a friend. We are unsure of its origin.)
Ingredients

• 2 ¼ pints of whole milk (organic)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of already made plain yogurt or home-made yogurt from a previous batch, at room temperature. (Mix the yogurt with a little milk for easier incorporation)

Directions

1. Bring the 2 ¼ pints of milk to just under boiling point and then pour the milk into a glass bowl (Don’t use metal).
2. Let the milk cool to about 104°F. Pour the already made yogurt into the milk carefully without disturbing the skin that may have formed on the surface of the milk.
3. Cover with a cloth, place in a warm location for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
4. When the yogurt has thickened after 8-12 hours drain the extra liquid and store in the refrigerator.

I can say I am organized when it comes to my home and things. But… and I mean I do have my limitations, next time, we need to hire someone to do some major physical work around the house. It’s not worth bending over for hours on hours in a given week (or day) to get things spic and span for the summer months to come, and have blood rushing to my head to the point of feeling like I got stuck upside down on a roller coaster. Nor is it worth the pressure of fluid running into my ears and neck, plus the tension that hurts so bad from bending over for hours on hours.

I learned my lesson, I scrubbed the balcony (which is huge) not to mention the exterior walls, too! I toiled as well by cleaning and scrubbing both of my fur babies. I practically scoured the bathrooms until I could eat off the floor. All of which had me bending over and upside down for hours. Need I elaborate on what those hours meant to my poor ravaged hands and body, and back!

Well, we recently sold our dream home, yep, that’s right! I hate to say it out loud, I’m angry, but at who? Mother Nature? I would have never have fathomed a Tsunami happening of the magnitude in which we experienced… BUT, being so close to the ocean was enough to put me on edge, the logical practicality of that happening was not paranoia, but I couldn’t see living in a home where I had to constantly live in fear. Constantly jumping at every jolt or tremor. ( We spent a few years planning and building process all started before the devastating Tsunami happened here in Japan).

After coming back to our home in Japan, after what I would call a very, long vacation of emotional cleansing, our tenants in our Tower Condo’s lease was up. It was time to downsize, and remodel (but it’s only four years old) and start the search all over again, buy land, make plans, or move into a larger Condo? We lost a lot of our time, but it’s worth it for peace of mind. We didn’t lose much money, thank god!!! So I may bore you with the details every now and then with re-building our dream home, yet, AGAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yes! Spring Cleaning, In conclusion, I gave the mister a very generous option…“the next time spring cleaning comes up, it’s either we hire a company to do it or YOU do it yourself!” It’s a pretty simple choice if you ask me.

Smoked Salmon Crostini

• 1 Loaf of French Bread (We grab something from our favorite bakery shop, in Japan, there is a Bakery on every corner, (not every corner, but if you live in town, or on the outskirts, you’ll find a gem in your neighborhood which reminds me of home in NYC!) We normally pick up something made of spelt flour or (Genmai: Brown Rice)
• 1 package of Smoked Salmon
• 1/2 package of cream cheese (I use no more than a tablespoon which is approximately 60 calories)
• 1 container of ricotta cheese (optional)
• 1 small container of sour cream (full fat)

Note: We mix three cheeses, and top it off with a sprig of rosemary, but basil tastes quite lovely as well. This is quick, it’s a nice powerhouse snack that will fill you up with the right amount of carbs and protein.

Photography Data:
Dušan Zidar
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D300
ExposureTime: 1/160
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 200
MaxApertureValue: 10/10
MeteringMode: 5
LightSource: 0
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 500/10

The notion of spring cleaning is pretty simple, it’s more like packing up all the winter things into boxes and preparing for spring! There are some people who are so organized they can practically reorganize their home and their wardrobe for a change in season on a whim. I, of course, count myself as one of those people. Okay, don’t get me wrong, I am not so OCD that every guest who enters my home has to be totally disinfected.

I can say I am organized when it comes to my home and things. But… and I mean I do have my limitations, next time, we need to hire someone to do some major physical work around the house. It’s not worth bending over for hours on hours in a given week (or day) to get things spic and span for the summer months to come, and have blood rushing to my head to the point of feeling like I got stuck upside down on a roller coaster. Nor is it worth the pressure of fluid running into my ears and neck, plus the tension that hurts so bad from bending over for hours on hours.

I learned my lesson, I scrubbed the balcony (which is huge) not to mention the exterior walls, too! I toiled as well by cleaning and scrubbing both of my fur babies. I practically scoured the bathrooms until I could eat off the floor. All of which had me bending over and upside down for hours. Need I elaborate on what those hours meant to my poor ravaged hands and body, and back!

Well, we recently sold our dream home, yep, that’s right! I hate to say it out loud, I’m angry, but at who? Mother Nature? I would have never have fathomed a Tsunami happening of the magnitude in which we experienced… BUT, being so close to the ocean was enough to put me on edge, the logical practicality of that happening was not paranoia, but I couldn’t see living in a home where I had to constantly live in fear. Constantly jumping at every jolt or tremor. ( We spent a few years planning and building process all started before the devastating Tsunami happened here in Japan).

After coming back to our home in Japan, after what I would call a very, long vacation of emotional cleansing, our tenants in our Tower Condo’s lease was up. It was time to downsize, and remodel (but it’s only four years old) and start the search all over again, buy land, make plans, or move into a larger Condo? We lost a lot of our time, but it’s worth it for peace of mind. We didn’t lose much money, thank god!!! So I may bore you with the details every now and then with re-building our dream home, yet, AGAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yes! Spring Cleaning, In conclusion, I gave the mister a very generous option…“the next time spring cleaning comes up, it’s either we hire a company to do it or YOU do it yourself!” It’s a pretty simple choice if you ask me.

Smoked Salmon Crostini

1 Loaf of French Bread (We grab something from our favorite bakery shop, in Japan, there is a Bakery on every corner, (not every corner, but if you live in town, or on the outskirts, you’ll find a gem in your neighborhood which reminds me of home in NYC!) We normally pick up something made of spelt flour or (Genmai: Brown Rice)
1 package of Smoked Salmon
1/2 package of cream cheese (I use no more than a tablespoon which is approximately 60 calories)
1 container of ricotta cheese (optional)
1 small container of sour cream (full fat)

Note: We mix three cheeses, and top it off with a sprig of rosemary, but basil tastes quite lovely as well. This is quick, it’s a nice powerhouse snack that will fill you up with the right amount of carbs and protein.

Photography Data:
Dušan Zidar
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D300
ExposureTime: 1/160
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 200
MaxApertureValue: 10/10
MeteringMode: 5
LightSource: 0
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 500/10

We continue our dedication to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. We have chosen to focus on the survivors of the tragedy, particularly women, as very few men survived. The survival demographics of the passengers (this does not include the staff and crew), in brief, looks something like this: Female/ Total: 416 Survived: 304 Died: 112 Children/Total: 112 Survived: 56 Died: 56 Male/Total: 768 Survived: 130 Died: 638

Male passengers (no matter what class passenger) had the lowest survival rate. Male staff and crew members even fared a bit better, with 195 surviving of the 896 who served aboard the Titanic. Female staff members had the highest survival rate with 20 out of 22 surviving.

When all numbers are tallied there were 2214 people aboard the Titanic and only 705 survived, women whether passenger or staff member had the highest survival rate.

One of the lucky ones, Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a first class passenger, survived the Titanic because of a pig. Having watched Edith in an interview (British Pathe) it was clear she was good company for our focus on Margaret Brown.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum had quite a bit of pluck, which is quite evident in the interview, which we highly recommend watching by clicking here. (The footage also includes an interview with a gentleman who survived despite being in the steerage class. Ironically, his name isn’t given in the interview. )

Like Margaret Brown, Edith Louise Rosenbaum lived an unconventional life for her time. She was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 12, 1879 and at an early age demonstrated a love for fashion and journalism. She was a fashion writer, consultant, importer, buyer and stylist, but began her career in 1908 as a saleswoman for Maison Cheruit in Paris.

She became the chief foreign correspondent to “Women’s Wear Daily” (A trade magazine that still exists today). In 1912 Edith Rosenbaum was running a buying and consulting service based in Paris while also designing her own line of clothing for Lord and Taylor.

Tragedy struck Rosenbaum’s life a year before she boarded the Titanic. In 1911 she survived a serious car accident in France. Unfortunately, her fiancé did not. German gun manufacturer, Ludwig Loewe was killed in the accident.

In the spring of 1912 Rosenbaum made the fateful decision to change her travel plans, landing her on the Titanic:

“Returning to Paris, I booked on the George Washington, which was to have left on April 7th, but when I found that this wonderful new boat, the Titanic, leaving on the 10th, would give me the opportunity of reporting (as I was the correspondent of “Women’s Wear”) the Easter fashions at the Races, and arrive at New York the same time, I naturally cancelled my passage and decided to sail on the largest, most wonderful unsinkable boat!!!”

Rosenbaum was able to book passage. She stayed in cabin A-11 on the Promenade Deck and also paid for cabin E-63 for all 19 of her wardrobe trunks. In the interview video (mentioned above) she states that before going to the deck she locked all 19 trunks and took all 19 keys with her.

Rosenbaum also made sure that she took her Maxixe (named for a dance) the pig. Her pig music box was the right size to be mistaken for a baby and that fact saved Rosenbaum’s life. She refused to get into a lifeboat until other women and children were first put into the boats. Someone noticed her refusal, but in the confusion thought that Maxixe is a baby and grabbed the pig, putting it into a lifeboat. At that point Rosenbaum had no choice, but to join her prized possession and she jumped into the boat.

Once in lifeboat #11 Maxixe was able to be of use as Rosenbaum would wind the piggy’s tail, entertaining the children in the lifeboat while they awaited rescue on that freezing night. Maxixe became a hero.

Her life was lived to the fullest before and after the Titanic tragedy. Rosenbaum never married. She became one of the first female war correspondents during WWl, using the pen name Edith Russell as she felt “Rosenbaum” sounded too German. She became friends with the actor Peter Lawford who was married to Patricia Kennedy. Rosenbaum became godmother to their children. She was a technical advisor on the set of “A Night to Remember”, a movie about the sinking of the Titanic. And, she bred dogs for the famous French performer Maurice Chevalier.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum passed away on April 4, 1975 at the age of 98. Survivor of the Titanic, Fashion and War journalist, socialite and celebrity, Rosenbaum, like Margaret Brown was a woman who paved the way for the “modern” woman and both Rosenbaum and Brown were able to do so because of old fashioned chivalry; women and children first. The irony is not lost on us!

Let us proceed with the first course of the last dinner on the Titanic. The menu simply says “Hors D’Oeuvres: Oysters” so we will serve, oysters, simply. They are elegant, and I imagine because they were easy to serve one reason why they were chosen for the beginning of a 10 course meal.

How to Serve Oysters

Ingredients

Fresh oysters (as many as you’d like to serve)

Directions

1. Scrub oysters with a brush, under cold water.

2. Using an oyster knife (do not use a common knife) and with a very thick kitchen towel in your hand place the cleaned oyster into the towel, palming the oyster as it rests in the towel. The towel will keep the oyster from slipping while protecting your hand to an extent, but don’t rely on it to be foolproof. Be very careful!

3. Pry open the hinges of the oyster shell with the oyster knife. The shell will open wider by twisting the knife once it has pried open the shell a bit.

4. Loosen the meat from the shell by sliding the knife under it. Let the meat remain in the shell once it is loose.

5. Place oysters on a chilled platter and serve immediately with lemon.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Maxim
ApertureFNumber: f/3.5
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 35/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 200/1

We continue our dedication to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. We have chosen to focus on the survivors of the tragedy, particularly women, as very few men survived. The survival demographics of the passengers (this does not include the staff and crew), in brief, looks something like this: Female/ Total: 416 Survived: 304 Died: 112 Children/Total: 112 Survived: 56 Died: 56 Male/Total: 768 Survived: 130 Died: 638

Male passengers (no matter what class passenger) had the lowest survival rate. Male staff and crew members even fared a bit better, with 195 surviving of the 896 who served aboard the Titanic. Female staff members had the highest survival rate with 20 out of 22 surviving.

When all numbers are tallied there were 2214 people aboard the Titanic and only 705 survived, women whether passenger or staff member had the highest survival rate.

One of the lucky ones, Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a first class passenger, survived the Titanic because of a pig. Having watched Edith in an interview (British Pathe) it was clear she was good company for our focus on Margaret Brown.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum had quite a bit of pluck, which is quite evident in the interview, which we highly recommend watching by clicking here. (The footage also includes an interview with a gentleman who survived despite being in the steerage class. Ironically, his name isn’t given in the interview. )

Like Margaret Brown, Edith Louise Rosenbaum lived an unconventional life for her time. She was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 12, 1879 and at an early age demonstrated a love for fashion and journalism. She was a fashion writer, consultant, importer, buyer and stylist, but began her career in 1908 as a saleswoman for Maison Cheruit in Paris.

She became the chief foreign correspondent to “Women’s Wear Daily” (A trade magazine that still exists today). In 1912 Edith Rosenbaum was running a buying and consulting service based in Paris while also designing her own line of clothing for Lord and Taylor.

Tragedy struck Rosenbaum’s life a year before she boarded the Titanic. In 1911 she survived a serious car accident in France. Unfortunately, her fiancé did not. German gun manufacturer, Ludwig Loewe was killed in the accident.

In the spring of 1912 Rosenbaum made the fateful decision to change her travel plans, landing her on the Titanic:

“Returning to Paris, I booked on the George Washington, which was to have left on April 7th, but when I found that this wonderful new boat, the Titanic, leaving on the 10th, would give me the opportunity of reporting (as I was the correspondent of “Women’s Wear”) the Easter fashions at the Races, and arrive at New York the same time, I naturally cancelled my passage and decided to sail on the largest, most wonderful unsinkable boat!!!”

Rosenbaum was able to book passage. She stayed in cabin A-11 on the Promenade Deck and also paid for cabin E-63 for all 19 of her wardrobe trunks. In the interview video (mentioned above) she states that before going to the deck she locked all 19 trunks and took all 19 keys with her.

Rosenbaum also made sure that she took her Maxixe (named for a dance) the pig. Her pig music box was the right size to be mistaken for a baby and that fact saved Rosenbaum’s life. She refused to get into a lifeboat until other women and children were first put into the boats. Someone noticed her refusal, but in the confusion thought that Maxixe is a baby and grabbed the pig, putting it into a lifeboat. At that point Rosenbaum had no choice, but to join her prized possession and she jumped into the boat.

Once in lifeboat #11 Maxixe was able to be of use as Rosenbaum would wind the piggy’s tail, entertaining the children in the lifeboat while they awaited rescue on that freezing night. Maxixe became a hero.

Her life was lived to the fullest before and after the Titanic tragedy. Rosenbaum never married. She became one of the first female war correspondents during WWl, using the pen name Edith Russell as she felt “Rosenbaum” sounded too German. She became friends with the actor Peter Lawford who was married to Patricia Kennedy. Rosenbaum became godmother to their children. She was a technical advisor on the set of “A Night to Remember”, a movie about the sinking of the Titanic. And, she bred dogs for the famous French performer Maurice Chevalier.

Edith Louise Rosenbaum passed away on April 4, 1975 at the age of 98. Survivor of the Titanic, Fashion and War journalist, socialite and celebrity, Rosenbaum, like Margaret Brown was a woman who paved the way for the “modern” woman and both Rosenbaum and Brown were able to do so because of old fashioned chivalry; women and children first. The irony is not lost on us!

Let us proceed with the first course of the last dinner on the Titanic. The menu simply says “Hors D’Oeuvres: Oysters” so we will serve, oysters, simply. They are elegant, and I imagine because they were easy to serve one reason why they were chosen for the beginning of a 10 course meal.

How to Serve Oysters

Ingredients

Fresh oysters (as many as you’d like to serve)

Directions

1. Scrub oysters with a brush, under cold water.

2. Using an oyster knife (do not use a common knife) and with a very thick kitchen towel in your hand place the cleaned oyster into the towel, palming the oyster as it rests in the towel. The towel will keep the oyster from slipping while protecting your hand to an extent, but don’t rely on it to be foolproof. Be very careful!

3. Pry open the hinges of the oyster shell with the oyster knife. The shell will open wider by twisting the knife once it has pried open the shell a bit.

4. Loosen the meat from the shell by sliding the knife under it. Let the meat remain in the shell once it is loose.

5. Place oysters on a chilled platter and serve immediately with lemon.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Maxim
ApertureFNumber: f/3.5
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D
ExposureTime: 1/125
FNumber: 35/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 200/1

I hosted a gathering and a friend brought these delectable little appetizers that flew off platter. I had to know what they were and how to make them. She told me what they were called and gave me the recipe, which she knew off the top of her head. With only 6 ingredients it is easy to remember and once you’ve made them you will see that they are equally as easy to make.

For years we massacred the name of this tasty, savory treat. We came as close to a phonetic spelling as possible. We called them “suh-garrah bo-reh-gah”. I did a little research and discovered that this is a widely enjoyed meal in countries such as Turkey, Greece, Armenia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Albania just to name a few.

The actual spelling is Börek (Turkey) as well as Burek(Bosnia and Serbia) and Boereg (Armenia). No matter how it is pronounced it is basically the same thing: a filled pastry made with phyllo dough. They are often filled with feta, minced meat, potatoes or other vegetables. The common denominator for these Borek, Boereg, etc. is the phyllo dough.

Sigara böreği or”cigar börek,” named so because of its shape (cigar-like) is filled, in the Turkish version, with feta cheese, potato, parsley and sometimes with minced meat or sausage. And, what I have been making is a variation of this version with one major difference. My friend’s recipe called for use of egg roll wrappers or won ton wrappers instead of phyllo. The version we make is vegetarian as well.
I asked my friend why she didn’t use the phyllo and as with many recipes it was a matter of using what was in her refrigerator. She had the wrappers and not the phyllo. Necessity, as the saying goes, is the mother of invention.

When using won ton these make great little appetizers by themselves. When made in the egg roll wrappers and served with black olives, hot peppers and cold, plain yogurt they make a delicious meal. Serving them as a meal in my home doesn’t quite work out. We never do get to sit down and eat them with the olives accoutrements.

When I make these my family doesn’t wait for me to finish cooking. They are so delicious that they are often eaten as soon as they have cooled from melt-the roof- of-your-mouth hot to only singe-the-roof-of- your-mouth hot. My family generally ignores the warning that they just came out of the frying pan.

Sigara böreği

Ingredients

1 ½ cup plain feta cheese, crumbled
2 ½ cup shredded mozzarella
1 medium sweet onion, diced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 ½ tbs paprika
2 egg yolk
Vegetable oil for frying
1 package egg roll wrappers

Directions

1. Place the feta, mozzarella, onion, parsley and paprika in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and break mix with a fork.

3. Place your wraps on a clean surface so that the points are up and down and left and right (should appear as a diamond, not a square). Brush egg yolk over the two top edges (The triangular edges that form the top of the diamond shape.)

4. Place the filling, about 2 tablespoons, onto the rolls, towards the center, but closer to the bottom point.

5. Take the bottom point of your wrap and fold it over top of the filling. Fold the sides in towards the middle and roll the filling towards the top point of the wrapper. The egg will act as glue, sealing the wrapper when frying.

6. Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a medium deep fry pan. Place rolls in the hot oil. Rotate the rolls so that they are evenly browned. Do not overcook.

I hosted a gathering and a friend brought these delectable little appetizers that flew off platter. I had to know what they were and how to make them. She told me what they were called and gave me the recipe, which she knew off the top of her head. With only 6 ingredients it is easy to remember and once you’ve made them you will see that they are equally as easy to make.

For years we massacred the name of this tasty, savory treat. We came as close to a phonetic spelling as possible. We called them “suh-garrah bo-reh-gah”. I did a little research and discovered that this is a widely enjoyed meal in countries such as Turkey, Greece, Armenia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Albania just to name a few.

The actual spelling is Börek (Turkey) as well as Burek(Bosnia and Serbia) and Boereg (Armenia). No matter how it is pronounced it is basically the same thing: a filled pastry made with phyllo dough. They are often filled with feta, minced meat, potatoes or other vegetables. The common denominator for these Borek, Boereg, etc. is the phyllo dough.

Sigara böreği or”cigar börek,” named so because of its shape (cigar-like) is filled, in the Turkish version, with feta cheese, potato, parsley and sometimes with minced meat or sausage. And, what I have been making is a variation of this version with one major difference. My friend’s recipe called for use of egg roll wrappers or won ton wrappers instead of phyllo. The version we make is vegetarian as well.
I asked my friend why she didn’t use the phyllo and as with many recipes it was a matter of using what was in her refrigerator. She had the wrappers and not the phyllo. Necessity, as the saying goes, is the mother of invention.

When using won ton these make great little appetizers by themselves. When made in the egg roll wrappers and served with black olives, hot peppers and cold, plain yogurt they make a delicious meal. Serving them as a meal in my home doesn’t quite work out. We never do get to sit down and eat them with the olives accoutrements.

When I make these my family doesn’t wait for me to finish cooking. They are so delicious that they are often eaten as soon as they have cooled from melt-the roof- of-your-mouth hot to only singe-the-roof-of- your-mouth hot. My family generally ignores the warning that they just came out of the frying pan.

Sigara böreği

Ingredients

1 ½ cup plain feta cheese, crumbled
2 ½ cup shredded mozzarella
1 medium sweet onion, diced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 ½ tbs paprika
2 egg yolk
Vegetable oil for frying
1 package egg roll wrappers

Directions

1. Place the feta, mozzarella, onion, parsley and paprika in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and break mix with a fork.

3. Place your wraps on a clean surface so that the points are up and down and left and right (should appear as a diamond, not a square). Brush egg yolk over the two top edges (The triangular edges that form the top of the diamond shape.)

4. Place the filling, about 2 tablespoons, onto the rolls, towards the center, but closer to the bottom point.

5. Take the bottom point of your wrap and fold it over top of the filling. Fold the sides in towards the middle and roll the filling towards the top point of the wrapper. The egg will act as glue, sealing the wrapper when frying.

6. Heat about 1-2 inches of oil in a medium deep fry pan. Place rolls in the hot oil. Rotate the rolls so that they are evenly browned. Do not overcook.

There was a time when I could give my children a wholesome snack in the afternoon. Gone are the days when they will be satisfied with apples dipped in peanut butter, homemade granola bars or honey cornbread and milk. My two sweet boys have grown into teenage eating machines. They don’t eat snacks anymore. They eat entire meals in between their meals. I can’t really blame them. They don’t have an ounce of fat on their frame. They are tall and athletic so I guess if I could eat like they do, I probably would.

I miss the snacks of childhood. Sometimes I grab an apple and the peanut butter and have myself a snack. Once in a while I make honey cornbread because it tastes so good with a nice cold glass of milk. Of course, cornbread isn’t just a snack. It is a delicious to many meals. And what makes cornbread even more appealing is that it can be sweet or it can be spicy. You can flavor it in many tasty ways.

Here is a little trivial information about the etymology of the word “corn”. Corn is an inherently American food. The word “corn” comes from old English “kurnam” “small seed”. The general meaning of the old English word was “grain with the seed still in” (e.g. barleycorn) rather than a particular plant.

According to etymology sources corn was “locally understood to denote the leading crop of a district. Restricted to corn on the cob in America (c.1600, originally Indian corn, but the adjective was dropped), usually wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland, while korn means “rye” in parts of Germany.” Maize was the Taino word for this plant in the West Indies. The word “maize” is the source of the Spanish, Italian and French word for corn.

If you have only used box mixes for corn bread or muffins you probably experience a dry cornbread. Put the boxes back on the shelf and make your own corn bread. It is quick, easy and won’t crumble if you look at it the wrong way. Both the following recipes are moist and delicious. One is sweet and one is spicy.

Honey Cornbread

Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
4 eggs
½ cup orange blossom honey
1 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 ½ Tablespoon baking powder
½ cup corn meal
1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix sugar and butter until fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, honey and milk and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl gently whisk the flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt.
5. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while continuously mixing.
6. Pour batter in greased 11×14-inch baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeño peppers

Directions

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don’t over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

There was a time when I could give my children a wholesome snack in the afternoon. Gone are the days when they will be satisfied with apples dipped in peanut butter, homemade granola bars or honey cornbread and milk. My two sweet boys have grown into teenage eating machines. They don’t eat snacks anymore. They eat entire meals in between their meals. I can’t really blame them. They don’t have an ounce of fat on their frame. They are tall and athletic so I guess if I could eat like they do, I probably would.

I miss the snacks of childhood. Sometimes I grab an apple and the peanut butter and have myself a snack. Once in a while I make honey cornbread because it tastes so good with a nice cold glass of milk. Of course, cornbread isn’t just a snack. It is a delicious to many meals. And what makes cornbread even more appealing is that it can be sweet or it can be spicy. You can flavor it in many tasty ways.

Here is a little trivial information about the etymology of the word “corn”. Corn is an inherently American food. The word “corn” comes from old English “kurnam” “small seed”. The general meaning of the old English word was “grain with the seed still in” (e.g. barleycorn) rather than a particular plant.

According to etymology sources corn was “locally understood to denote the leading crop of a district. Restricted to corn on the cob in America (c.1600, originally Indian corn, but the adjective was dropped), usually wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland, while korn means “rye” in parts of Germany.” Maize was the Taino word for this plant in the West Indies. The word “maize” is the source of the Spanish, Italian and French word for corn.

If you have only used box mixes for corn bread or muffins you probably experience a dry cornbread. Put the boxes back on the shelf and make your own corn bread. It is quick, easy and won’t crumble if you look at it the wrong way. Both the following recipes are moist and delicious. One is sweet and one is spicy.

Honey Cornbread

Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
4 eggs
½ cup orange blossom honey
1 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cups flour
1 ½ Tablespoon baking powder
½ cup corn meal
1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix sugar and butter until fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, honey and milk and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl gently whisk the flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt.
5. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while continuously mixing.
6. Pour batter in greased 11×14-inch baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread (Ina Garten)

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeño peppers

Directions

1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don’t over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is the time of year where football fans are either disheartened and disgusted or elated. Unfortunately, I fall into the disheartened and disgusted category, which I should be used to by now. You see, I come from a long line of New York Jets fans. Having admitted that let me add humiliated to disheartened and disgusted. The last time the NY Jets won a super bowl was the year I was born. Humiliated, disheartened, disgusted and not getting any younger, I often wonder if they might win a super bowl during my lifetime.

The other set of football fans are those that are elated. They fall into two categories: (a) confident and elated (Green Bay Packer fans) or (b) finger nail biting elated (New York Giants fans). I have a friend who is a Packer’s fan and while he doesn’t brag for that would be bad luck, the air of confidence is there. I have a husband who is going to be praying and screaming the next time the Giants play, hoping they can pull off a win that keeps propelling them closer to the super bowl so that he can scream at the TV and pray again the next week.

For those of us in the category of disillusioned fan the only thing for us to cheer about now is the fun food we get to eat during playoffs and then the super bowl. There is plenty of this food available as the true fans of the teams playing are usually too tense to eat, leaving more for the rest of us. There is a method to our madness. Our teams are out of the running so we can eat without the threat of heartburn.

I love, love, love, football season food. There are hot wings, sliders, chips, dips, cheesy, gooey, yummy comfort foods in miniature, bite sized portions. What’s not to love! This past week I tried out a recipe as an alternative to jalapeno poppers. I made Paula Deen’s “Sizzlin’ Jalapeno Sausage Balls” (which happen to be 4 words that my husband feels should not be said in the same breath). Despite the name the recipe was well received which was good because it produced a lot of jalapeno sausage balls (about 60). If you have extra they do freeze well and reheat in the oven nicely.

Sizzlin’ Jalapeno Sausage Balls

Ingredients

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cups Bisquick
2 ½ cups grated sharp Cheddar
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small bits
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

Dip:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray or line with parchment.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. If the mixture feels too crumbly add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed to bring the mixture together. Form mixture into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.

3. Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

4. To make the dip, combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Serve with sausage balls.