food blog

Vegan panna cotta with coconut milk and cardamom

Vegan panna cotta with coconut milk and cardamom
| Eva

I have written multiple times that I am a big fan of panna cotta, a dessert that actually originates from the very region in Italy I’m from, Piedmont. Classic panna cotta is made with dairy cream and gelatin sheets, two elements that make it quite non-suitable for vegans. While I am not a vegan, I love being able to treat all my guests and I felt like I needed to be able to make one type of panna cotta that could cater to dairy-free and animal gelatin-free friends. The combination of agar agar and coconut milk yield this wonderful vegan panna cotta. It is flavoured with cardamom for some extra flavour. Even non-vegans will love it (I do!). Continue reading →

Holy chunky guacamole!

chunky guacamole
| Eva

Guacamole is one of my all-time favourites. I could eat it with anything. My love is not just for the avocado alone, but for that wonderful combination of avocado, lime and cilantro. These three ingredients together – well, add a pinch of salt to that, too – are all I need for a quick dip for my nacho chips. But things can get much better from there. Add a bunch of other delicious flavours in tiny bits and you will get this wonderful chunky guacamole that will take your tacos to the next level. Continue reading →

Quiche with zucchini, feta and mint

| Eva

Dear readers of this blog, let me present to you a lovely quiche made with zucchini, feta and mint leaves. It is basically a concentrate of various goodnesses that came up rummaging through my fridge. Zucchini, because I always have zucchini. Feta, I always have feta because it has a long shelf life and you never know when you may need it. Mozzarella, because I’m Italian and I must have mozzarella in my fridge. Mint leaves, because I had bought some for mojito and had leftovers. Eggs – well those were not in the fridge but you kinda need eggs in a quiche, so eggs it is. Store-bought pre-made puff pastry. Wait, whaaaat? Continue reading →

Cream cheese and hazelnut stuffed mushrooms

Cream cheese and hazelnut stuffed mushrooms
| Eva

Cream cheese stuffed mushrooms may sound like a very easy and cheap combination, and in fact this is a very “student friendly” meal to make. Hazelnut stuffed mushrooms are a slightly fancier twist to this easy classic. With just one more ingredient – the ground hazelnuts – your stuffed mushrooms will turn into a top-class appetizer. The winning element here is the cream cheese hazelnut combination, of course. And according to me, the size of the mushrooms. Continue reading →

Lemon lavender cake loaf

| Eva

Lemon lavender cake is an excellent treat in anticipation of summer. Think a zesty loaf with a subtle lavender scent. The amount of lavender in a cake can vary, but I believe in not overdoing it. Personally, I like the scent of lavender to stay in the background, just to intensify the overall flavour of the cake. But I don’t enjoy sweets that are made with only lavender. A total lavender cake smells too much like laundry soap to me. This is why I decided to pair lavender with lemon to make this lovely lemon lavender loaf. Continue reading →

Zoodles with peanuts and chili flakes

| Eva

I’m new to the zoodle game. Zucchini spiralizers have been out for a while now and I’ve constantly been procrastinating getting one. But now I can finally call myself a spiralizer owner, so let the zoodle game begin. I know you can pretty much spiralize any veggie that will fit the tool, but zucchini were the first I learned about. And the name zoodles is cool. What do they call spiralized carrots or cucumbers? I said I’m new to the game so I still have to figure that out. By the way, if you are newer than me, zoodles stands for zucchini noodles. Cool, eh? Continue reading →

Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter

Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter
| Eva

In Italy gnocchi is a Thursday business. I don’t really know where that originates from, but there’s a saying that goes “giovedì gnocchi”, which translates as “gnocchi on Thursday”. Like Thursday is the day dedicated to this kind of meal. Not just your regular pasta (a feature for any other day of the week): Thursday is for gnocchi. After experimenting this sweet potato gnocchi recipe (and failing it, I have to admit it), I think I know now why it’s giovedì gnocchi. It’s such a hassle that you need the whole weekend to recover! Just kidding, once I got the hang of it I was pretty happy with the result. Continue reading →

Leek mascarpone pizza bianca

Leek mascarpone pizza bianca
| Eva

Leek mascarpone pizza is the answer to the question “What is your favourite pizza?” lately. Of course my heart will always beat for Quattro Formaggi, especially when I’m in Piemonte. But when I get to make my own pizza at home (and it happens oh so often) leek mascarpone is one of my top choices. I actually like it so much I’ve been making it regularly for months. My life is boring, but it tastes amazing.

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Swedish meatballs with cream sauce

Swedish meatballs in cream sauce
| Eva

Remember the Swedish Chef from Sesame Street? It’s a character I didn’t know as a child, but discovered late enough to fully appreciate it. After all, he is Swedish and he cooks, and I love both qualities. In one of his best gags he discovers that  Swedish meatballs bounce. I wonder how the Swedish people react to this desecration of their national dish (I should ask around), but I can see a sense in this silly gag. Swedish meatballs are very firm, and I have the feeling this could have been what made the creators of the Swedish Chef come up with this scene. Continue reading →

Rose macarons with rose preserve buttercream

Rose macarons with rose preserve buttercream
| Eva

Rose macarons. Made with actual roses, the flowers. This was my highest ambition when back in the summer last year I made a rose petal preserve. My mom suggested mixing it with strawberry jam and using that as a pie or brioche filling. She draws her inspiration from the Polish tradition of using rose petals in baked goods. As we experimented with the fragrant flowers, my mind was racing in the opposite direction, conjuring up the thought of rose macarons.

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