As part of our Czech pop-up dinner event next week, I made this delicious honey cake for dessert. A throwback to the Soviet era, this very popular treat is available at almost all Czech restaurants and coffee shops during the Christmas season. Although this cake is fairly easy to make, the process does take three days. So plan ahead! On day 1, you'll want to make the caramel cream filling. Because you're boiling a can of condensed milk, it is recommended that you chill the unopened can in the refrigerator overnight. This way, you won't risk burning yourself when you open the can the next day. On day 2, you'll make the cake itself, but you should let it sit overnight in the refrigerator so that the flavors meld together as the wet cream filling moistens the sponge cake layers. It'll be so much better the next day! You can serve the cake on day 3, but be sure to let it sit out for an hour or so before dessert time. Since there is a lot of butter in the cream f...

As part of my Russian cooking class series at Common Ground Food Co-op, I developed this gourmet version of the infamous Moscow Mule cocktail. Traditionally made with vodka and ginger beer, this refreshing drink is my go-to cocktail during the hot summer months. Although there's nothing wrong with the traditional recipe (which doesn't have anything to do with Moscow or Russia), I thought the drink could be cleaner. So I invented my own version. The "gourmet" version replaces ginger beer with real ginger juice. The unique "zing" of ginger is what makes mule drinks special and using the real thing makes all the difference. Without ginger beer, there is also no sweetener to balance out the lime juice. So I use agave nectar instead -- it's so much better for you than the corn syrup usually used to sweeten ginger beer. But what about the bubbles, you say? No problem, let's use seltzer water instead.  Now the big question: what kind of vodka s...

I have to admit that I have a soft spot in my tummy for octopus. Of all the different ways to prepare octopus, the grilled Greek version is my absolutely favorite way to eat this delightful sea creature. Every reputable Greek eatery worth eating at has this dish on their menu, and ever since discovering this dish in Chicago's Greektown restaurants decades ago, I have been religiously ordering it as a starter for every Greek meal. Deceptively simple to prepare, this dish delights all the senses -- from its smokey aroma to its garlicky tongue tickling zing, to the refreshing lemony acid infused dressing to the crispy charred crunch to the irresistible chewy texture -- I could go on. All I can say is that if you've never tasted this dish, you haven't really lived.  In the coming weeks, I'll be making this dish twice: once at our upcoming " Greek Sunset in Santorini " pop-up experience on September 17, and then again at Common Ground's Greek Meze Dinner co...

Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake similar to the Korean pajun. Made with eggs and flour, this giant omelet is similar to a French quiche or an Italian frittata, but it's all made in a pan. In fact, flipping this pancake is the most challenging part of making this dish because of its sheer size.  Like an omelet, you can pretty much put anything you want in an okonomiyaki pancake. Although traditional ingredients might include seafood, ginger, and scallion, the most common choice of vegetable to add to this pancake is shredded cabbage. Surprisingly, Worcestershire sauce is favored as a seasoning instead of the traditional soy. But everyone's favorite condiment for this dish is Japanese Kewpie mayo which is generously squirted on top. Kewpie mayo is the top-selling brand of mayo in Japan and it's a little sweeter than the American version -- and a little thicker because it is made with egg yolks (instead of whole eggs).   Often served as a street food snack in Jap...

Poke bowls are all the rage these days. Based on the Hawaiian dish called Ahi Poke, this marinated raw tuna treat was inspired by the authentic Japanese version called Maguro Zuke Don ( see recipe ). This one of the many Japanese "small plates" that we will serving on July 16, 2023 at the "Bullet Train to Osaka" pop-up dinner.  This easy-to-make dish looks beautiful and tastes wonderful. The marinade is pretty typical Asian soy-ginger-garlic based. Add some lemon juice and a little spiciness and you've got a perfect complement to raw tuna. Throw in some red and green onions for some zing. Garnish with avocado for a Californian twist and you've got a great summertime treat. Where do you get fresh raw tuna in the Midwest? Trust me, you don't want to eat "fresh" raw tuna that's been traveling many days and thousands of miles on boats, planes, and trucks. What you really want is tuna that has been processed and cryogenically frozen on...