Village Kebabs

Here is a twist on the kebabs recipe that is inseparable from my favorite summer past time of picnicking in the countryside. The preparation is quick and requires only a few easy to find ingredients. Even though the recipe could not be simpler, the end result is juicy and full of flavor. I usually make a big batch the night before the picnic and let it sit in the fridge to marinate. With a side of fresh farmers market veggies and a glass of red, your friends and family will sure enjoy this sunny weather feast.

Village Kebabs:

Ingredients:

·      Pork shoulder

·      Mayo

·      Mustard

·      Yellow onions

·      Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut the pork into medium-sized square pieces and set aside. Cut the onions into chunky rings and combine in a bowl with pork. Mix a cup of mayo with a half-cup of mustard and pour over the pork. Mix everything together for even coverage and season with salt and pepper. The kebabs now are ready to be marinated over night in the fridge. I usually prefer to let them sit for at least a 12-hour period. The next day when the mangal grill is ready and the coals are done burning creating an even heat, put the pieces of pork on the skewers and cook until the meat is ready. Enjoy! 

Mmmm...bakery!

Besides the grand dames of restaurants, Moscow is full of charming bakeries and cafes. That is what I love so much about European towns and miss in the United States. What is better than to catch up with some old friends at a dimly lit cozy corner while sipping on a cup of cappuccino and munching on a buttery almond croissant!?

Coffeemania (2 Trubnaya Square):

Incredible cake made by Coffeemania patissier : )

 Wolkonsky (2/46 Bolshaya Sadovaya Uliza):

The smell of bread and pastries makes your head spin!

Moscow Feast

Long time, no post and there is reasoning behind it. I have been away on an extended vacation running around tasting the impeccable deliciousness of anything and everything Russia’s capital has to offer. And before you jump to conclusions that what you eat in Moscow is “borsch” or “pirogi,” I have to say that most of the restaurants that opened their doors to my second deadly sin, otherwise know as gluttony, deserve a Michelin star for their culinary virtuosity. Moscow has everything NYC, London or Paris do – French, Japanese, Spanish – you name it! But Russian cuisine has to have a pedestal of its own. If you ever looked at the world map you must have noticed that Russian Federation is one big country. Being a big country gives it a lot of ethnic and climate variety spicing Russian cuisine up with so much national flavor that the choices to indulge are infinite. And so are the menus in most of the venues I have been in, leafing through 2-3 pages of desserts alone. Three choices of deserts consisting of chocolate fudge cake, apple pie and crème brulee, anyone?! Not here! At least 10 varieties of cakes from Strawberry Mille Feuille to Honey Cake, a delicious mouth-watering combo of tender biscuit layers of caramelized condensed milk and butter. And I am not even mentioning 15 other desserts not pertaining to the baked goods category! The food itself, another 6 pages or so, goes from multiple varieties of salads, hot and cold, delicious soups, many kinds of fish and meat in types alone as well as preparation. I truly wish I had taken my camera with me every time I dined somewhere…and embarrassingly I admit that I did yet forgot about it the moment a lavish dish was placed in front of me. I promise I will take some pictures the last few days I have left here. But for now, let me introduce you to the restaurants I found noteworthy during my stay in golden-domed Moscow. Since the food was great in all of them, I will give you pointers on what makes them stand out set-up-vise or whether they specialize in some peculiar regional flavor:

Bolshoy (Traditional/Contemporary Russian)

LOVE: for its lavish ambiance and breathtaking live piano music by Sergey Belov

ADDRESS: 7 Staropetrovsky Proezd, Moscow

Beloe Solnze Pustini (Kavkaz Cuisine) 

LOVE: for its mouth-watering cuisine of the Kavkaz Region – chebureki and plov – as well as the decorations and wax figures from the film bearing the same name

ADDRESS: 29 Neglinnaya Uliza, Moscow

Aist (Contemporary Russian) 

LOVE: for its rooftop veranda and cool summer vibe with hookah tableside if requested

ADDRESS: 8/1 Malaya Bronnaya Uliza, Moscow

 Mr. Lee (Chinese Cuisine)

LOVE: for Dim Sum, traditional Chinese fare and cool ambiance with Cherdak nightclub and lounge upstairs if the night gets long

ADDRESS: 7 Uliza Kuznetsky Most, Moscow

Pushkin (Traditional Russian) 

LOVE: for ambiance of the old Russian mansion with books dating back to 1500’s and a collection of clocks (worth 600, 000 Euro) that used to be put on royal horse-drawn carriages

ADDRESS: 26A Tverskoy Bulvar, Moscow

 Vanil (Contemporary Russian)

LOVE: for the breathtaking view of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior which is literally across the street

ADDRESS: 1/9 Ostojenka, Moscow