Next stop Argentina!

Following a successful tour of Russia it was time once again to pack our bags and get ready to take off to another location.

Before I could go I needed to add a location to the list and with the help of my nephews we settled on Argentina.

Adding it to the list of the five unsuccessful countries from the previous week:

1.    Morocco

2.    Egypt

3.    Argentina

4.    India

5.    Cuba

6.    France

the dice was rolled and to the excitement of my nephews Argentina emerged victorious!!!

So once again I begin my preparation for the next adventure. 

As always if you come across a traditional main meal or dessert please feel free to share it.

Even if you just feel like putting up a fact about Argentina the more travel buddies the better J

As they say in Argentina - ciao ciao

We came, we cooked and we definitely will be back!

Having never been to Russia let alone dined on Russian cuisine I really didn't know what to expect tonight. I had my doubts over how well I could make the dough for the Pelmini and I was very unsure about how the raw mince would cook in the boiling water. I didn't know if the Sharlotka would be more of stewed apple mess or a flat sponge cake, but all in all i have to say it was truly a great experience and the dishes I chose cooked up great.

Beginning with the Pelmeni the dough worked out fine and the filling cooked just as the recipe it said it would in the four to five minutes in the boiling water. With a little BBQ sauce to give it that small touch of Australia they were spot on. Not sure if i would say they were a main meal, but i think they would definitely work as a starter to a dinner party or as something to nibble on during the football.

For those looking for a light dessert to make on a cold night I would clearly recommend having a go at the Sharloka. It doesn't take long. You don't need loads of ingredients and it is grand. As the recipe said it was light and fluffy and served straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla icecream on the side i think it now will become one of our family favourites. The mix of apple and cinnamon with the bi-carb and vinegar inspired sponge cake mixture melted in your mouth. It is a dessert that completes the meal, but doesn't leave you feeling over indulged. Not too sweet for me it was just right and going by the 5 empty bowls it hit the spot.

Whilst I would rate my trip to Russia as a top place to food visit, the best highlight came from the journey to get there. Many of the Russian recipes I found whilst looking for something to cook spoke of how they were traditionally prepared by the family at dinner time. So with the help of my nephews we took out travel plans to my mum and dad's place to truly capture the family feel. A great idea. Everyone was involved. Be it reading out the recipe, finding the Russian national anthem on Youtube to play in the background to get us in the mood or just making sure I wasn't making a mess everyone played a part and wanted to be in the kitchen.

But enough of the feel good stuff it is time to get down to the business end. As with all cooking adventures i suppose i should use some sort of scale or measure to rate the trip to help you decide whether or not to take the plunge and visit for yourself.

So here what I’ll be using to help share my experience.

Preparation time: (how long does it really take?)

Pelmeni - Allow 30 minutes to prepare. The more hands on deck the quicker. The time killer is preparing the dough and the rolling. Making the filling and then constructing the Pelmini is quick and simple. Kids i think will love the opportunity to get involved and make these.

Sharlotka - 15 minutes to put together tops and 20 minutes to cook. Again a great kid freindly dish and a fantastic way to use up the apples you have lying around.

Ease to cook: (what does it involve?)

Pelmeni - Boil water, drop in and wait 5 minutes. Simple! No mess no fuss.

Sharlotka - Easier than the Pelmeni. Heat the oven, cook for 20 minutes then serve.

Overall: (i'll use a scale of empty bowls - 5 empty bowls is the best - 1 empty bowl not the best J)

Pelmeni – 3 ½ empty bowls - for me it just needed something. Maybe it was my dough, but i just felt needed a bit more of a kick to it. Maybe a few more spices in the filling.

Sharlotka - 5 empty bowls. A great dessert that on a cold night will warm anyone’s tummy. One to add to my cook book.

Enjoy the photos from my adventure J

PS - Russia was fantastic, but the journey must continue -  new destination coming soon!

The menu is...

After much research, and considering my abilities and opportunity to secure the necessary ingredients, I have selected the meals for my Russian menu.

For the main I’ll be embarking on Pelmeni – a sort of dumpling consisting of a beef/pork filling wrapped in thin dough and boiled in salt water.  Here’s the recipe I’ll be using.

For dessert I’m going with a Sharlotka (Apple Charlotte). It’s a take on an apple sponge cake. Looking forward to tackling this one – sounds delicious. Once again, here’s the recipe.

All in all I not only think the meals will be delicious, but I think I can tackle both with reasonable success. The fun part will come in making the dough for the Pelmeni – haven’t made dough in a long while, but hey what is cooking without a little mess, and if worse comes to worse I should be able to make damper with it LOL J

So this weekend I’ll head to the supermarket to stock on the supplies needed. Then next weekend, when my nephews are over, we’ll all pitch in and ‘travel’ to Russia together.

As always feel free to try these out for yourselves and share your experience. Perhaps you might tackle another Traditional Russian dish. I found quite a few out there that made the mouth water.

Until next time - Пребывание хорошо (stay well).

Russia - Did you knows

Well my food adventure is coming along. I have begun researching traditional Russian dishes and along they way i am also learning more about the country. So i thought i would share what i have found. Feel free to share what you know.

Also if you have any Russian recipes please post them. The more i can get my hands on the better :-)

наслаждайтесь (enjoy)

Climatic facts about Russia

Because of its size, Russia presents a drastically different atmosphere depending on your location. Most of the country has a continental climate with distinct periods of warm and cold weather that increases as you travel east. Temperatures for Moscow and St. Petersburg range from highs of 32 C in the summer to lows of -25 C in the winter.

Demographic facts about Russia

Russia has a population of 145.5 million people, 80% of whom reside in Western Russia and two-thirds of whom live in cities. Moscow alone claims eleven million citizens, standing as the largest city in Europe. St. Petersburg boasts less than half that, with a mere five million residents. 1 in 4 Russians is retired, with the average age being 30 years old and growing every year. The normal Russian family consists of three people.

Economic facts about Russia

Given its vast supply of natural resources, Russia depends heavily on mining. It is the world’s leading producer of energy and military technologies. Some of the fastest growing sectors in the Russian economy include telecommunications, finance, construction, and energy production. The economy is still transitioning from a command to a market structure, and although most enterprises have been privatized, domestic prices on energy are not established by market forces.

Living standards

Russian living standards plunged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 2007 standards climbed to the level of 90 and continue to improve as Russia closes the gap with developed countries. Many attribute this spectacular recovery to petrodollars.

Language facts about Russia

The official language in Russia is (shockingly) Russian. This language uses the Cyrillic alphabet instead of Latin and is one of the five most spoken languages in the world.

Cultural facts about Russia

Most Russian cities have social lives comparable to New York City’s vibrant scene. In regard to the arts, Russia has always occupied a prominent spot on the world scene. The Bolshoi Theater and Pushkin Art Gallery in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theater and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg – these are considered to be some of the best art institutions in the world. In St. Petersburg alone there are 2,000 libraries, 221 museums, 80 theaters, 100 concert halls, 45 art galleries, 62 movie theaters, and 80 nightclubs, and over 100 concerts, shows and festivals each year. If that isn’t enough to occupy your time, Russians place great importance on friends and family, resulting in anniversary and birthday celebrations that will blow you away.

Ethnic diversity

Russia is home to more than 100 ethnic groups and indigenous people. Slavs account for about 75% of the total population. The densest areas of Russia are near the Ural Mountains and in southwestern Siberia.

Religious facts about Russia

Russian Orthodox is the official religion in Russia. 20% of Russians practice Islam while Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism are not wide spread but have small roles in Russian culture. Many of Russia's most famous sites are former or present churches, signifying the important role that religion has played in the past. The Russian Orthodox Church, diminished during the Soviet period, has in recent years begun to recover in popularity and strength.

I'm off to Russia!

Well the dice has spoken.

My first cooking adventure is from Russia.

I sat down last night and pulled the following countries from my atlas:

1. Morocco
2. Egypt
3. Russia
4. India
5. Cuba
6. France

and with a roll of the dice number 3 came up.

So now the fun begins :-)

I am giving myself a week (and with your help) to track down traditional Russian recipes for a main and dessert.

Then i'll have a week to gather all the ingredients before serving up my Russin feast to my frist victims, oops i mean guests -my nephews who will be down for their school holidays.

So please feel free to post any recipes you come accross. This time next week i'll announce what will be on the menu :-)

Even if you can't find a recipe, but find some interesting facts about Russia put them up so we can all learn a little something as we travel.

For example:

Did you know Russia is the largest country in the world and constitutes one-seventh of the world’s landmass and spans eight time zones? This expansive area allows it to neighbor more countries than anywhere else on earth, as well as touch twenty-two bodies of water and hold twelve seas within its borders.

Имейте большую неделю каждый!  (Have a great week everyone!)

Who’s up for a challenge?

I have always wanted to travel around the world experiencing unique cultures and seeing, in real life, all those images I grew up seeing at school. So far I have managed to get to five, but there are so many more that need to be ticked off the list.

However, unfortunately due to budgetary constraints, at this point in my life I am unable to do this, but why let a small thing like money stop me? So, using my imagination and the collective knowledge of you, my friends, and anyone else who wants to read this, I have decided I am going to travel around the world via a food journey.

Basically I plan to explore the world through food - well at least try to  J.

I know this is in no way the complete experience, but I figure what better way enhance one’s culinary skills then by tackling dishes from every country on the planet. That is right, I did say every country.

My plan is every couple of weeks tackle two ‘traditional’ dishes (a main and dessert) from a country around the world. Have some friends round, serve them up (hopefully not poisoning anyone) and share the experience and theirs on here.

How will you choose the country you visit every fortnight? I hear you say… well using my trusty atlas I will select six countries giving them a number 1-6. Then by rolling a dice whatever number comes up will be the country I visit. So if Thailand is a 1 and I roll a 1 then we are going to Thailand!

Now it wouldn’t be an adventure without travel buddies. Every trip needs them and that is where I’m hoping you will help me out along they way. You see I don’t have that many recipe books, let alone books containing recipes from around the globe and whilst yes i do have the internet, som eof those special family recipes just can't be tracked down through Google. So, what I am hoping for from my travel buddies is some help in tracking down recipes that I can cook and that my local butcher, supermarket, fruit and veg markets etc... can help out with ingredients wise. J

So get ready dust off those cook books and hit up the relatives for those good old family recipes passed down through the years… lets travel the world together!!

Oh, and by all means feel free to travel from your kitchen as well. I think it would be great to see others pick up the idea and run with it. Just imagine people everywhere ‘travelling’ via their kitchen.

So when will i start?
The hope is soon - few things to sort out first e.g., ensuring i have cooking utensils LOL, but rest assured the jet is almost ready to take flight to our first destination!

Stay tuned J