Cherry and Almond Pie

Ingredients

Butter 100 g

Sugar 100 g

Vanilla sugar 10 g

Eggs 2

Sour cream 80 g

Almonds 50 g

Baking powder 1 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Flour 175 g

Cherries 150 g

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a rectangular baking pan (mine is 19 x 27 cm) with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, butter, and almonds (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling). Sift the flour and baking powder over the top. Mix well until the mixture resembles thick sour cream. Transfer the mixture to the pan, smooth it out, and arrange the frozen cherries on top, pressing lightly.

In a bowl, combine the almonds, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of softened butter, and 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Rub into crumbs and sprinkle over the pie. Bake until lightly golden.

Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients

Butter 120g

Eggs 2

Sour cream 90g

Sugar 100g

Poppy seeds 50g

Lemon zest 1 tsp

Lemon juice 25ml

Vanilla sugar 10g

Baking powder 1 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Flour 140g

Lemon juice 1 tbsp

Soak the poppy seeds in boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain through a sieve, allowing the water to drain completely. Grease a baking pan with butter and lightly dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Whip the butter with sugar and vanilla sugar until white and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time (add the second egg only when the first is completely beaten with the butter). 

Add salt, lemon zest and juice, sour cream, and poppy seeds. Mix with a spatula (do not use a mixer at this stage). Sift the flour and baking powder mixture on top. Gently stir with a spatula until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, testing for doneness with a wooden toothpick.

Transfer the finished cake to a wire rack, let it cool slightly, then brush with lemon juice mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. You can drizzle the top with icing sugar.

Enjoy!

Almond and Orange Croutons

Ingredients

Flour 2.5 cups

Baking powder 1 tsp

Salt 1/2 tsp

Almonds 1 cup

Eggs 2

Brown sugar 1 cup

Olive oil 110 g

Orange zest 110 g

Vanilla 1 tsp

Roast the almonds in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the ground almonds. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, olive oil, zest, and vanilla with a mixer.

Gradually add the flour mixture and knead the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, and place each portion on parchment paper. With wet hands, shape the dough into 2 loaves. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C (250°F). Once the buns have cooled, use a serrated knife to cut the croutons into thin slices. Return to the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Challah

Ingredients

Dry yeast 1.5 tbsp

Sugar 1/2 cup

Olive oil 1/2 cup

Eggs 5

Salt 1 tbsp

Flour 8 cups

Raisins 1/2 cup

Poppy seeds

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water with 1 tablespoon of sugar. The required amount of water is 1 ¾ cups. Whisk the butter with the yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, and the remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add the flour. When the dough comes together, it is ready to knead. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.

Clean out the bowl, grease it with oil, and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise. It should almost double in size. You can also place the dough in a preheated oven and cool it to 5-10 degrees above room temperature. After the dough has risen, uncover the bowl and let it fall, then return it to a warm place for half an hour.

At this stage, you can stir in the raisins (if using). For the six-braid challah, take half the dough and form it into six balls. Roll each ball into a log about 30 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter. Place all six in a row parallel to each other. Connect the ends of the logs. Place the rightmost log on top of the two logs.

Then take the next log from the left and cross it over all the logs from left to right. Place the leftmost log on top of the two adjacent logs. Throw the second sausage from the right over all the sausages to the left. Start again with the rightmost sausage. Continue until all the sausages are braided. Tuck the ends under the bottom of the resulting bun. Braid the second bun in the same way. Place the buns on greased baking paper (parchment), leaving at least 5 cm between them.

Whisk the remaining egg and brush the buns. Let them sit for another hour to allow the dough to rise again. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Brush the buns again with egg. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.

Bake on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. Cool the buns on a wire rack. Tip: For a richer flavor, you can do the final rising of the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours. Before baking, remove the bun from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

Enjoy!

Peach Chocolate Chip Pie

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

120 g margarine

1/4 cup water

For the filling:

Peach

Lime syrup

Chocolate chips

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the margarine and rub into crumbs. Add 3-4 tablespoons of cold water, and form the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-1.5 hours. Place the dough in a baking pan and fold the edges over; lightly dust with flour.

Add the peaches and sprinkle with chocolate chips until slightly melted. Bake for about 1 hour at 180°C. When the edges are golden brown, turn off the oven, but keep the pie warm.

Enjoy!

Poppy Seed Pie

Ingredients

Poppy seeds 120 g

Milk 250 ml

Butter 225 g

Sugar 220 g

Eggs 3

Flour 300 g

Baking powder 2 tsp

Vanilla 1 pod

Orange zest 1 tbsp

Orange juice 4 tbsp

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease a pie pan with butter and dust with a little flour. Heat the milk and poppy seeds in a saucepan, bringing it almost to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Pour in the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and fold in the butter-sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cooled milk and poppy seeds. Add the orange zest and juice. Knead the dough and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Cool completely and serve.

Enjoy!

Lemon Tart with Figs and Walnuts

Ingredients

For the dough:

Flour 300 g

Walnuts 60 g

Sugar 2 tbsp

Salt pinch

Butter 100 g

Egg 1

Water 50 ml

For the filling:

Natural yogurt 100 ml

Lemon 1

Egg 2

Flour 2 tbsp

Honey 3 tbsp

For decoration:

Figs 3

Honey 1 tbsp

Walnuts 2 tbsp

Combine the flour, walnuts, salt, and sugar in a blender. Add the cold butter and mix until crumbly. Then add the egg and water (add the water gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, to avoid overmixing). Stir until the dough begins to form a ball.

Whisk the yogurt with lemon juice, zest, and honey. Add the eggs, then the flour. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake the crust for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Pour the lemon-honey filling over the crust. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake for about 30 minutes. Then let the tart cool completely.

Slice the figs and arrange them on top of the lemon filling. Sprinkle the tart with ground nuts and drizzle with honey.

Bon appétit!

Kefir Mannik with Caramel and Almonds

Ingredients

300 g Semolina

500 ml Kefir

2 tbsp Mayonnaise

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Flour

1/2 cup Sugar

2 tbsp Margarine

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Caramel

Almonds

Mix the kefir, mayonnaise, and eggs with the pre-mixed (pardon the pun) semolina, flour, and sugar (you can add vanilla). Let the mixture sit for 1-1.5 hours to allow the semolina to swell.

Just before baking, when the semolina has swelled, add melted margarine (butter) mixed with baking soda. Pour the prepared batter into a greased and sprinkled semolina pan and bake for 30-40 minutes at 180°C (350°F).

The mannik turns out so tender and airy precisely because the baking soda is added at the end, before baking, and begins to react with the kefir as it heats up in the oven.

Add almonds on top. Then, for garnish, add caramel and almond flakes. Add more caramel when serving.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Butter 115g

Sugar 3/4 cup

Egg 1

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Flour 1.5 cups

Cocoa powder 1/3 cup

Baking powder 1/2 tsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

For the glaze:

Butter 3 tbsp

Icing sugar 2 tsp

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Milk 2 tbsp

Whisk the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, whisking between each addition. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap to form a ball and refrigerate for an hour.

Preparing the glaze Melt the butter, remove from heat, add vanilla and milk, stir, add powdered sugar, and mix until the icing reaches the desired consistency, adding flour as needed. You can tint the icing with food coloring by dividing it into the desired number of portions. Tint and divide into small bags.

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Pinch off egg-sized pieces of dough and roll them out between two layers of parchment paper. Cut out cookies using cookie cutters and place them on a dry baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be about half a centimeter thick. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool. Decorate with icing.

Enjoy!

Waffles with Berry Syrup

Ingredients

7 g dry yeast

250 ml milk

350 g flour

2 eggs

100 g vegetable oil

35 g sugar

a pinch of salt

For the berry syrup:

50 g berries

65 g sugar

To prepare, first pour warm milk over the yeast (not hot, to prevent the yeast from dying and becoming inactive). Add some of the sugar and flour, mixing thoroughly, but gently, to ensure the yeast dissolves completely. Let it ferment for half an hour.

Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar. Beat the whites until stiff. Sift the flour, add the yeast and all its ingredients, vegetable oil, salt, and yolks, and mix well. Carefully fold in the egg white foam.

Let the batter rest for a bit before baking. The batter is thick and sticky and won't spread easily in the waffle iron, so add 3 tablespoons of batter and close the waffle iron. The batter will spread out on its own.

If the berries are frozen, let them defrost for a while. Place the berries in a saucepan, add sugar, bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Watch the berries carefully; they should release juice and the sugar should completely dissolve.

Cool and pour over the waffles.

Enjoy!

Mini Chocolate Pies

Ingredients

Shortbread dough

8 chocolate candies

200 g sugar

2 tsp cocoa powder

3 tbsp flour

A pinch of salt

3 egg yolks

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp butter

Bake the pie shells. Let cool. Place one candy in each shell.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, flour, salt, milk, and egg yolks. When the mixture begins to thicken, add the butter and vanilla and continue cooking for another minute or two. Pour this mixture over the candy and refrigerate the shells.

 Beat 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue whisking until fluffy.

Pour the cream over the set chocolate and bake the tarts at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius) until the cream begins to brown. Cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Almond Cookies with Grapefruit

Ingredients

210 g almonds

280 g powdered sugar

3 egg whites

1.5 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp grapefruit zest

For the frosting:

1 cup sugar

110 g butter

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp grapefruit juice

2 tbsp grapefruit zest

Combine the powdered sugar with almond flour (ground almonds) and place in a preheated oven (160°C/325°F) to dry. Then sift through a fine sieve. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gradually add the powdered sugar and beat again.

 Using a spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the sugar-almond mixture and mix. Add the cream of tartar and zest. Mix.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe circles no larger than 3 cm in diameter using a pastry bag fitted with an 8 mm flat round tip.

Place the baking sheet in the oven, preheated to 50°C (122°F), and bake the cookies for about 30 minutes until a thick film forms. Then preheat the oven to 140°C (250°F) and bake for 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet to 180°C (350°F) after 6 minutes.

In a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients (except the vanilla, juice, and zest) for the cream and beat well. Add the zest, juice, and vanilla at the very end and mix again. Place a small amount of cream between two baked almond cookies and press down to seal.

Enjoy!

Mini Apple Pies

Ingredients

75g butter

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp powdered sugar

A pinch of salt

100g flour

2 tbsp water

2 apples

2 tbsp sugar

Cinnamon to taste

Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt and powdered sugar. Add the diced butter. Process until crumbly (you can use a food processor). Add the yolk and water. Knead the dough, form it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, grease the baking pans with butter, and dust with flour. Peel and core the apples, cut into small cubes, and mix with sugar and cinnamon.

 Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll them into thin circles, and place them in the molds. Place the apples on top, pressing them lightly. Cover the tops with dough circles. Carefully trim the edges, and make a small slit in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape.

Bake the pies for 40 minutes. If the tops are too browned, you can cover them with foil.

Transfer the finished pies to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Cheese-Filled Buns

Ingredients

Water 1/4 cup

Dry yeast 2.5 tsp

Sugar 2.5 tbsp

Flour 4 cups

Salt 1.5 tsp

Butter 30 g

Milk 1.7 cups

Egg 1

For the filling:

Cream cheese 100 g

Icing sugar 50 g

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water. Let it dissolve. Using a mixer, beat the butter, salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add 1.5 cups of milk, the egg, and the prepared yeast. Mix well and begin adding the flour. Knead the dough.

 Place the dough on a cutting board and knead it with your hands for about 5 minutes until it becomes elastic and soft. Then place the dough in a bowl (greased with vegetable oil), cover with a clean towel, and let it rise for at least an hour.

Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Once the dough has risen, form small balls of dough (1 = 40g of raw dough), slightly larger than a golf ball (you should get 14-16).

Use your fingers to flatten the dough ball, place 1 teaspoon of filling, and carefully close it with the dough. Brush each ball with milk (2 tablespoons). Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Apple Tart with Raisins and Cinnamon

Ingredients

For the crust:

Oatmeal 100g

Rye flour 70g

Egg white 40g

Natural yogurt 100g

Cinnamon 1g

Baking powder 2g

For the filling:

Apple 300g

Raisins 30g

Honey 20g

Egg 140g

Natural yogurt 150g

Fat-free cottage cheese 50g

Place all ingredients for the crust in a bowl and mix well. Transfer the resulting dough to a greased baking pan. Spread it evenly, shape the edges, and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for 15 minutes.

Mix the raisins, honey, eggs, yogurt, and cottage cheese thoroughly in a bowl. Peel and slice the apples.

When the crust is ready and has cooled slightly, pour in the liquid filling. Arrange the apple slices on top in circles. Sprinkle the tart lightly with cinnamon and bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

Pancake flour 140 g

Cocoa powder 2 tbsp

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Kefir 110 ml

Baking soda 1 tsp

9% vinegar 1 tsp

Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp

Red food coloring 1 tbsp

Butter 60 g

Sugar 170 g

Egg 1

Cherry

For the buttercream:

Cream cheese 300 g

Butter 60 g

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Icing sugar 340 g

Preheat oven to 170 C (350 F). Line a muffin tin with paper cups. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. In a bowl, combine the buttermilk or kefir, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring.

Whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg a little at a time. Combine one-third of the flour mixture, half of the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, then the buttermilk and the remaining flour. Divide the mixture among the cupcake tins. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed. Be careful not to overbake them. Cool on a wire rack.

Whisk all the frosting ingredients in a food processor. Refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

To decorate, spread frosting over the cupcakes and garnish with a cherry.

Use paper cupcake liners that fit snugly into the cupcake tins; otherwise, the cupcakes will be too wide and will spread. Use room-temperature eggs and butter for a lighter batter. Rotate the pan every 12 minutes or so if your oven is baking unevenly.

Enjoy!

Valentine Cookies

Ingredients

3 cups flour

125 g starch

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

8 tbsp butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

food coloring

Whisk the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, starch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour half of the dry mixture into the dough (beaten butter, sugar, and egg) and mix. Pour in the milk, then the remaining half of the dry mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Divide the dough into several portions, depending on how many colors of food coloring you're using. Color. Wrap each individual piece of colored dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Remove the dough from the refrigerator, roll it out, and cut out cookies. Bake for 15 minutes. Then wrap the dried cookies in foil and bake for another 10 minutes to preserve the vibrant colors. Cool.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin and Hazelnut Caramel Cupcakes

Ingredients

Flour 100g

Brown Sugar 120g

Egg 1

Butter 50g

Cream 50ml

Pumpkin Puree 65g

Hazelnuts 40g

Cranberries 40g

Raisins 40g

Baking Powder 1 tsp

Ground Ginger 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Caramel: Pour a small amount of water over the cane sugar and simmer for 7-10 minutes over medium heat. Leave on low heat to prevent the caramel from setting. You can decorate the cupcakes with caramelized hazelnuts. To do this, dip the nuts in the hot caramel, let the caramel drip off, and sprinkle with a little salt.

 Sift the flour, add salt, baking powder, and spices, and whisk well to distribute the ingredients evenly. Mix the softened butter with the caramel sauce, beat the egg, and add the cream and pumpkin puree. Gradually add the flour until you have a smooth dough. Add the chopped hazelnuts, raisins, and cranberries and mix well.

Divide the dough among the muffin tins. Press a few caramelized nuts into each muffin. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Enjoy!

Berry Pie

Ingredients

800 g Berries

10 Strawberries

50 g Pine Nuts

3 Eggs

150 g Sugar

500 ml Milk

100 g Butter

150 g Almonds

150 g Flour

1 packet Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Vanilla

3 tsp Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Wash the berries, remove the stems, and cut the strawberries in half. Melt the butter. Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and spices with a mixer. Pour in the milk, add the butter, mix well, then add the almond powder, sifted flour, and baking powder.

 Line a 24cm rectangular pan with parchment paper. Pour in the batter. Top with berries and sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Panda Bread

Ingredients

Egg yolk 1

Milk 200 ml

Flour 300 g

Icing sugar 30 g

Salt 5 g

Dry yeast 7 g

Butter 20 g

Matcha tea 8 g

Water 10 ml

Cocoa powder

Red food coloring

Whisk the yolks with milk and microwave in a heat-resistant bowl for 30 seconds. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the milk-yolk mixture to the flour. Knead the dough. If it's too runny, add more flour. Divide the dough into three parts (total weight approximately 560 g): 60 g chocolate, 185 g white, 25 g red, and the remaining 290 g green tea.

 

Using chocolate and green tea powder, which must first be dissolved in boiling water, color the dough. Use food coloring to create a red layer. Wrap the colored dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 40 minutes.



Lay out the panda bread. Follow the instructions in the picture to lay out the bottom half of the bread. Use white and chocolate dough.



Next, add a red layer of dough, rolled into a \



After finishing laying out the design, wrap the entire bread with the remaining green dough over the entire surface. Place the bread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.



Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes.





Bon appétit!

Maple Cupcakes

Ingredients

Flour 2.5 cups

Baking powder 2 tsp

Baking soda 1 tsp

Salt 1/2 tsp

Ground ginger 3/4 tbsp

Butter 2/3 cups

Brown sugar 1/2 cup

Eggs 2

Maple syrup 1.2 cups

Vanilla extract 2 tsp

Buttermilk 1/2 tsp

Walnuts 1/2 cup

For the frosting:

Butter 1 cup

Cream cheese 100 g

Brown sugar 2/3 cups

Salt 1/4 tsp

Maple syrup 3/4 cup

Vanilla sugar 3/4 tsp

Sugar 1 cup

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ginger. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in eggs, syrup, and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Add nuts. Fill the muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt with a mixer for about 3 minutes. Continue beating and add maple syrup and vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat for another minute. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Frost the cooled muffins with frosting, leaving a well in the center for pouring maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Prune and Walnut Cake

Ingredients

Flour 180 g

Eggs 2

Honey 100 g

Brown sugar 50 g

Vegetable oil 1/2 cup

Prunes 100 g

Walnuts 1 handful

Black tea 1/2 cup

Baking powder 1 tsp

Ground ginger 1/2 tsp

Remove the pits from the prunes, chop the flesh (be careful not to overdo it), and drop it into the hot tea. Set them aside. Chop the walnuts with a knife.

Grease a baking pan with butter and dust with flour. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Add the honey (if it's too thick, warm it slightly in a double boiler) and butter and mix thoroughly until smooth. 

In another bowl, sift the flour, add the baking powder and ginger, and stir gently with a spoon.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the liquid mixture, then add the nuts and mix gently. Add the remaining prune tea, stir until smooth, and then pour into a cake tin. Bake in the oven at 170°C for 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Vol-au-vents with pear and chocolate

Ingredients

Puff pastry 450 g

Pears 2

Sugar 2 tbsp

Butter 2 tbsp

Water 1 tbsp

Pear liqueur

Chocolate

Egg 1

Peel, core, and chop the pears. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sugar and pears. Add water if necessary to prevent the syrup from burning. Stir for a minute, then add the pear liqueur and stir again.

Roll out the puff pastry to a medium thickness (not thin). Cut out circles of dough in pairs, one for the bottom and the other for the sides of the vol-au-vent (cut out the middle to create a "ring").

 You can prick the whole circles with a fork in the middle so that only the edges rise. Brush the edges of the whole circles with beaten egg and attach the "rings" to them. Brush the vol-au-vents again with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200-220 degrees Celsius until done. Then fill them with pears and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

What to do with the dough scraps? They're unlikely to make neat vol-au-vents, so it's better to make puff pastry sticks with herbs. You'll need dried basil or oregano, sea salt, and pepper. Then it's a matter of technique: gather the scraps, sprinkle them with the aforementioned mixture, roll them up however you like, and bake. :)

Enjoy!

Spanish Buns

Ingredients

2 tsp fresh yeast

1/4 cup water

1 tsp sugar

3.5 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

110 g butter

2 eggs

Optional:

60 g butter

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup sugar

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. To activate the yeast, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes. If the mixture has doubled in volume, the yeast is ready to use.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and yeast. Mix thoroughly. Knead the dough on a floured board until it's elastic (add more flour if necessary).

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 3 hours (it should double in size).

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves. Roll each into a "sausage" shape and cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and sugar, and roll it up, starting at one end. Sprinkle the top with more breadcrumbs and sugar.

Place the buns on the prepared greased baking sheet. Let them rise for another 30 minutes, then bake at 140 degrees Celsius (275 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Bon appétit!

Domo-kun Cookies

Ingredients

For the brown dough:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup baking soda

1 tsp salt

10 tbsp butter

For the red dough:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp butter

Red food coloring

For the filling:

60 g 35% cream

200 g white chocolate

For decoration:

White chocolate

Dark chocolate

Bring the cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add the broken white chocolate. After 1 minute, whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth. Let it sit at room temperature for 6 hours to thicken (or refrigerate for a shorter time). 

Brown dough: Mix flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Place cubes of room-temperature butter into a bowl with the flour mixture and knead the dough. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Red dough: Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Place cubes of room-temperature butter into a bowl with the flour mixture. Add food coloring and knead the dough. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Honey Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

360g crispy cookies

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp butter

For the filling:

200g heavy cream

340g dark chocolate

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F). Grease a tart pan. Mix the butter, honey, and cookie crumbs until smooth. The mixture should resemble wet sand. Press the mixture into the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute (or until bubbling). Add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate melts. Add a spoonful of butter and the cocoa powder. Mix everything until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 hours, then pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Enjoy!

Sweet Banana Bread with Glaze

Ingredients

2 bananas

4 tbsp milk

110 g yogurt

350 g flour

40 g sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

60 g butter

1/2 cup walnuts

For the glaze:

30 g butter

30 g milk

60 g brown sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

100 g powdered sugar

Mash the bananas until smooth and pour in the milk and yogurt. Stir. Mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into cubes and mash it into the flour mixture with a fork. Pour the banana-yogurt mixture into a bowl with the flour and butter. Mix until smooth. Add chopped nuts, if desired. Once the dough is mixed, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Transfer the dough to a baking pan. Cut the dough into individual pieces. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Cool, and then go over the cuts again with a knife.

For the glaze, melt the butter and milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and vanilla, then stir in the sugar (if necessary, microwave for another 30 seconds to completely dissolve the sugar). Add the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be thick.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pastries.

Enjoy!

Poppyseed Lemon Muffins

Ingredients

Flour 350 g

Baking powder 1 tsp

Sugar 115 g

Poppy seeds 2 tbsp

Butter 55 g

Egg 1

Milk 225 g

Lemon 1

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. This batter makes 12 muffins. Sift the flour, add the sugar, and baking powder. Heat the frying pan and toast the poppy seeds for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add the poppy seeds to the batter.

In another bowl, cream the butter, then mix with the eggs, milk, lemon juice, and zest. Mix the contents of both bowls thoroughly until a soft, sticky dough forms. If it's too dry, add a little milk.

 We either bake the muffins in special paper muffin liners or grease a special baking sheet and spread everything out on it. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Apple Strudel

Ingredients

Flour 250 g

Water 125 ml

Egg 1

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Apples 5

Raisins 100 g

Rum

Cream 20 g

Lemon juice

Mix the flour, water, one egg, and vegetable oil in a food processor or by hand. Knead the dough thoroughly (the dough should be elastic and non-stick). Don't add too much flour. Knead for about 10 minutes. Brush the dough with vegetable oil and place it in a warm bowl, covering it with another warm bowl.

Peel five apples. Pour rum over a handful of raisins. Cut the apples into small slices. Drizzle with lemon juice. Once the dough has rested for half an hour, it's ready to begin.

 Dust a regular towel with flour and run your hand over it several times to distribute the flour evenly. Place the dough on it and roll it out as thinly as possible. Lift the dough with your hands and stretch it.

It's usually recommended to do this with the back of your hands to avoid tearing the dough with your fingernails. The key is to stretch it as much as you can. The pattern on the towel should be clearly visible through the stretched dough. Trim the dough to the size of the towel with scissors, trimming off the thick edges.

Sprinkle the dough with a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs or ground almonds, add apples and squeezed raisins, and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar. The filling should not extend to the edges by 1-1.5 cm, and leave a small amount of dough free for the last turn.

Lifting the narrow edge of the towel, roll it into a strudel. Transfer it to a greased pan, bending it into a horseshoe shape, and tucking the edges under. Bake for 25 minutes at 190°C. Remove, pour 100 ml of cream over the top, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for another 15 minutes. Let rest for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ukrainian Borscht

Ingredients

2 beets

1 carrot

1 onion

4 potatoes

1/2 head of cabbage

4 tomatoes

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon 3% vinegar

3 cloves garlic

3 pieces lard

Parsley

3000 ml meat broth

Bay leaf

Black peppercorns

Salt

Finely chop or grate the beets and carrots, and chop the onion. Place everything in a small saucepan. Add sugar, butter, a little broth or water, and vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the tomato and simmer for another 20 minutes.

 Place the chopped potatoes and shredded cabbage in a large saucepan with the prepared meat broth and cook until almost done (10 minutes). Then pour in the stewed vegetables, add peppercorns and bay leaf (to taste), and cook for another 10 minutes.

Crush 3 cloves of garlic, mix 3 pieces of finely chopped lard with the garlic, and stir into the borscht along with the parsley.

If you have bell pepper, simmer it with the vegetables. Serve with sour cream and garlic pampushkas.

Authentic Ukrainian borscht tastes best the next day. When reheating, be careful not to overcook the borscht, as this will cause the color to fade and the flavor to deteriorate.

 Bon appetit! 

Mushroom Soup with Rolled Oats

Ingredients

Mushrooms 200 g

Onion 1

Carrot 1

Celery (root) 200 g

Roasted Oats 2 tbsp

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable Oil

If dried mushrooms, soak them in warm water for half an hour. Then drain, finely chop the mushrooms, cover with cold water, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Finely chop the peeled onion, coarsely grate the celery root and carrot. Fry the vegetables in vegetable oil.

Pour the sautéed vegetables into the broth with the mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the oats. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin and Tomato Puree Soup

Ingredients

Pumpkin 500 g

Celery (stalks) 100 g

Onion 100 g

Tomato 150 g

Water 500 ml

Garlic 2 cloves

Olive oil 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper

Cream to taste

Finely chop the celery, onion, and garlic. Peel and seed the pumpkin. Cut into large pieces.

Peel the tomato (to remove the skin properly, dip it in hot water) and remove the seeds. If you don't remove the seeds and skin, the puree will be rough. Then, cut the tomato into squares.

 Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add chopped celery, onion, and garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Then add the pumpkin and continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring.

Add the tomato. You can add a little chili pepper at this point, if desired. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.

After 10 minutes, pour in boiling water. Use approximately 500 ml of water, but this will vary depending on the saucepan. Aim for the water to just cover the vegetables. Simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender (with the lid on). Then drain the broth from the vegetables.

Cool the vegetables slightly and place them in a blender. Strain the broth through cheesecloth to ensure it is clear. Combine the pumpkin puree with the broth.



Add the amount of broth depending on the desired soup consistency. If desired, you can use cream instead of broth, or a 50/50 mixture of cream and broth. Add salt to taste. Heat on the stovetop, but do not boil.



Garnish with freshly ground pepper.

Enjoy!

Cryptosemantics of Cryptozoology

Cryptozoology, the field of study of mysterious and unrecognized species, presents researchers with challenges not only related to the discovery of new creatures but also to the problem of semantics. In this article, the author shares his insights into the difficulties of defining cryptids like Sasquatch and Chupacabra and their impact on public perception. He considers how controversies over the identity of these legendary animals can lead to misunderstandings and misinformation, and how linguistic challenges affect the perception of discoveries in this unusual field of science.

There's one roadblock and sticking point I've encountered in my cryptozoological research: semantics. I'll outline my situation here and hope someone can guide me, help me, or even correct me if I'm wrong. However, since I started working in this field, semantics has always proven to be a glaring weakness, the only aspect requiring clarification.

There are several well-known (I'll refer to "big") cryptids (like Sasquatch) so frequently described and sighted that the entire world will know when one has been found, identified, or discovered. No one will ask the question, "Is it Bigfoot or not?" Everyone knows it exists or it doesn't. Unfortunately, many others don't share this kind of inference (I often invent new words for myself).The infamous chupacabras may be the antithesis of Sasquatch in terms of semantic identity. What are they? This isn't a rhetorical question. What are they? Would we recognize one if we found one? Recent years have seen more itchy foxes and coyotes portrayed as mysterious beasts than memorable animals. Photos of these hideous creatures are invariably accompanied by screaming headlines calling them chupacabras. And weeks later, in much smaller headlines, the animals are sheepishly identified as what they truly are. "It wasn't a chupacabra," the articles read. But how can we tell?

What if a chupacabra turns out to be a sick coyote? It's possible that to the unfamiliar, such animals certainly look strange, shocking—perhaps shocking enough to create a legend. What if these rare (or not-so-rare) sick animals are just pretending to be carnivores and, upon their appearance, started making noises. If this hypothesis is even very possible, then perhaps... just perhaps... by catching a sick dog, they caught a chupacabra. But how did they recognize it? I know, confusing...

The name and personality of the "Loch Ness Monster" are perplexing. Imagine a completely hypothetical situation: a biologist discovers a species of eel in a lake that, under certain conditions, grows to colossal sizes. Could this be the long-awaited discovery of the mysterious Loch Ness Monster? I doubt it. It could be news, reported by the paranormal press, thus sparking some debate and discussion, but I can't imagine any news outlet announcing the discovery and solution of this mystery. No, I'm afraid the creature would be caged by someone for fame.Most people have a preconceived notion about such mysterious animals, believing that the cryptids they occasionally discover will undoubtedly remain undescribed and unacknowledged. I suppose I should expect this attitude from the general public. I just hope that those of us "in our field" (whatever that means) don't blindly fall into the same hole, because we all have something else.

In my personal opinion, and in my area of expertise (if I have such a thing), the biggest semantic trap in cryptozoology is the "Thunderbird." Does this bird have to have a specific head or wing color? Does its wingspan have to be 3 meters? Or maybe 5? Maybe 7? I've asked many people, "What is a Thunderbird?" and the vast majority have referred me to Native American stories. But where did these stories originate? From an occasionally sighted bird of prey with a wingspan of 7 meters?

My research has shown that this enormous Washington eagle really did exist and likely still does. Is it a Thunderbird? I received both answers.

I got into science as a student because I wasn't very good at formulating words. Semantics turned me off. Now, with a degree and a focus on cryptozoology, I find myself still tangled and caught between my two greatest enemies... semantics and words.

Spicy Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

Chickpeas 350 g

Beef broth 2000 ml

Red chili peppers 2

Cumin 1 tsp

Cilantro 1 tsp

Vegetable oil 40 ml

Garlic 3 cloves

Salt 1/2 tsp

Sour cream 150 g

Lime 1

Soak the chickpeas in cold water for 8-12 hours. During this time, they should swell and become softer.

When the chickpeas have swelled, pour in the broth and simmer over low heat for 1-1.5 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the spices: peel the garlic and wash the chili and cilantro.

Cut the chili in half lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Be careful and wear gloves to avoid burning your skin.

In a dry frying pan, toast the spices for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the oil, crushed garlic, and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour some of the chickpea broth into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and add the spices. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Puree the chickpeas with the remaining broth in a blender. Then combine the puree with the spiced broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt.

For the dressing, blend the sour cream with the cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Add the lime juice gradually to avoid making the soup too tart.

Serve the hot soup with the cold dressing, garnished with chili pieces and cilantro leaves.

 Bon appetit!

SEA MONKEY

This is how Steller described this creature in his diary:

It was about 1.5 meters long, with a dog-like head and prominent, pointed ears. Whiskers hung above and below the upper and lower lips on both sides, giving it a Chinese appearance. Its eyes were large, and its body was elongated and thick, tapering towards the tail. Its skin was covered with dense fur, gray on its back and red and white on its belly. In the water, however, the entire animal appeared reddish, like a cow's. The tail was divided into two fins, the upper one twice the size of the lower one, like a shark's. What surprised me most was that I didn't see any forelimbs, as in marine amphibians, nor any fins [on the sides]...

For over two hours, the animal swam around the ship, gazing as if in admiration, first at one of us, then at the other. Sometimes it swam so close to the side that you could touch it with a pole. But if anyone made a move, the animal fled. It hovered above the water at a third of its height, just like a human. Sometimes it held this position for several minutes. It watched us for about half an hour, then darted away like an arrow, hid beneath the ship's bottom, and emerged on the other side. Soon, it dove again and reappeared in its original position. It dove and resurfaced in this manner about thirty times.

Once Steller had had his fill of the animal, he decided to euthanize it for a thorough examination and description. He took out his rifle and fired twice, but missed. The animal, unharmed, swam away, never to be seen again.

Steller's description doesn't match any known aquatic species. Until recently, the animal—like the sea cow—was considered extinct. However, in the 1960s, further accounts of its existence began to emerge. For example, in 1965, Brigadier Miles Smeeton had an encounter with a sea monkey while sailing his fourteen-meter yacht, the Tzu Hang, one afternoon near the central Aleutians. His wife, daughter, and a friend also saw the strange creature. British BBC journalist James Clark also had a similar encounter in 1987.

Carrot and Potato Soup

Ingredients

Potatoes 250 g

Carrots 1

Celery (stalks) 1

Water 600 ml

Onion 1

Garlic 2 cloves

Marjoram 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Bacon to taste

Green onions to taste

Coarsely chop the celery and peeled potatoes and carrots. Cover with water, add salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 15-20 minutes). A couple of minutes before they're done, add the marjoram.

While the vegetables are cooking, dice the onion and fry until lightly golden. Finally, add the chopped garlic and turn off the heat after half a minute.

Add the onion and garlic mixture to the vegetables and puree in a blender. Season with pepper, check for salt, and add more broth if desired. Serve delicious with finely chopped green onions and fried bacon bits.

Enjoy!

Kidney Rassolnik

Ingredients

Beef (kidneys) 400 g

Onion 1

Carrot 1

Potatoes 4

Pickled cucumber 3

Pearl barley 4 tbsp

Celery (root) 50 g

9% vinegar 100 ml

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Bay leaf

Parsley

Celery (greens)

Black peppercorns 6

Trim the fat and membranes from the kidneys. Cut each kidney in half, cover with cold water and vinegar, and soak for 2-3 hours. Then drain the water, cover the kidneys with cold water again, bring to a boil, and discard the broth.

Pour cold water again, bring to a boil, and discard the broth. Wash the kidneys, cut into small slices, place in a saucepan with 2 liters of boiling water, and cook for 30 minutes.

Wash the pearl barley, place it in a metal sieve, place it over the saucepan of boiling water, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 30-35 minutes.

Peel the onion, carrot, and celery. Cut the onion into half rings, and the carrot and celery into thin strips. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Peel and dice the potatoes and pickles. Add the pearl barley and potatoes to the saucepan with the kidneys, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the fried vegetables and cook over low heat until the barley is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cucumbers, peppercorns, and bay leaf, pour in the brine, add salt to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat, cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs when serving.

Enjoy!

Another "Chupacabra Cousin" Found in Spain

The carcass of a mysterious animal, which some are calling a "cousin of the Chupacabra," has been discovered in Spain. Owner Manuel Otazo found the unknown species in his doghouse, sparking concern among local residents. Specialists from the Natural History Museum began examining the carcass, which exhibited unusual anatomical features. Although the animal was not considered a new species, its discovery recalled other unusual cases that have occurred in the region.

One of the Spanish "cousins ​​of the Chupacabra"

Specialists from the Spanish Museum of Natural History subjected a series of tests to the carcass of an animal found in Cerro Cordillera.The incident occurred a few days ago at the home of Manuel Otazo, who discovered the body of a strange animal inside a doghouse belonging to one of his dogs. " We smelled a foul odor and initially thought someone had thrown out fish waste. But then we noticed that our dog was afraid and didn't want to go into his kennel. When we wanted to investigate, we stumbled upon this monster ," said the terrified housewife, Sonia Valdivia.

Manuel Otazo said the animal had a small head and red fur, large fangs, claws, and wing-like paws, unlike any rodent or known domestic animal. The evening before the commotion, we heard noises on the rooftops where chickens and rabbits had recently died at a neighbor's house. We thought it might have been a chupacabra or one of its relatives, injured and then wandering in, dying in our dog's kennel.

After burying the body, the owners contacted the Valparaiso Natural History Museum, which moved the specimen to its premises.

The animal was immersed in a special brine. Fernando Soto, a biology professor, announced that the carcass—in an advanced stage of decomposition—will be exposed to flesh-eating choleopterygians and dismembered to obtain a skeleton. The bones will then be compared with those of known species.

Despite the a priori test performed on the animal, he noted that if it could have been a dog or a cat, he was surprised by the presence of strange features such as the lack of incisors, the length of its limbs, and the color of its fur.

The Natural History Museum said the specimen wasn't unusual enough to be considered a strange animal species found in the area. A few months ago, they received the carcass of a three-eyed pig. The owners, from Cerro Barns, immediately beheaded the animal, thinking it was a devilish creature rather than a genetic aberration.

Meatless Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

12 cabbage leaves

400 g potatoes

300 g mushrooms

1 onion

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

Dill

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil

Boil the potatoes in salted water. Once cooked, drain and mash the potatoes. Grate the carrots, chop the onion and mushrooms. Place everything in a frying pan and fry until golden brown. Add the mushroom mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix thoroughly.

Separate the cabbage leaves. Remove any tough veins. Boil in water until soft. Stuff the leaves with the potato-mushroom mixture and form the cabbage rolls. Fry the cabbage rolls on both sides in a frying pan with vegetable oil.

Place the cabbage rolls in a saucepan. Add tomato paste and a pinch of salt to the cabbage water. Pour the liquid over the cabbage rolls, just enough to cover them. Sprinkle with herbs. Simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kondlo from Zululand

The mysterious Kondlo bird of Zululand sparked controversy in the 1960s when Captain G.T. Court of Durban described it in the journal African Wild Life. As a large, black bird with red limbs and glossy feathers, the Kondlo resembled a turkey hen, but Court firmly rejected these comparisons, based on his own observations during hunting trips.

The mysterious Kondlo bird from Zululand, a large, black bird, demands identification. It sparked a heated debate in the journal African Wild Life in the early 1960s. The main instigator and participant was Captain G. T. Court of Durban, South Africa. In a 1962 letter, he described the Kondlo as a silent bird, resembling a common domestic turkey in size, shape, head plumage, and beak structure. Its irises, beak, limbs, and feet were red, and its feathers were glossy black with a greenish-blue sheen. Its coloration was therefore reminiscent of the European bird Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, or the red-footed chough. Court observed no sexual dimorphism (morphological differences between males and females).

In the ongoing discussion on the identity of this unusual bird in African Wild Life, the southern African hornbill (Bucorous lead-beatrei) and the bald ibis (Ge-ronticus cahus) were mentioned, among others. Captain Court, however, vehemently rejected such speculations. His unshakable conviction in the distinct identity of the kondlo bird was based on direct observation: over many years of hunting, he had become intimately familiar with all the birds of this area of South Africa. He had also hunted and eaten several kondlo specimens. Therefore, he was able to distinguish between the hornbill, the ibis, and the animal he described.Furthermore, citing a scientific Zulu-English dictionary compiled by Father Alfred Bryant during his many years of work in Africa, Court demonstrated that these three birds have distinct names in the native language. The hornbill is called tsingizi, the bald ibis xwage-le. The bird the captain described was called kondlo.

According to Court, the mysterious bird forms flocks of four to eight individuals. It lives on the grassy ridges of Mtonjaneni and Mahlabatini. It flies at low altitudes, similar to wild guinea fowl. Court also noted that the once-common Kondlo is being sighted less and less in these areas. He last saw one around 1956. Therefore, ornithologists should attempt to locate and identify these birds, assuming they are not yet extinct.

Steller's Sea Cow / Steller's Sea Monkey

Steller's sea cow, also known as the sea monkey, is a mysterious creature that has fascinated researchers since the 18th century. Discovered by Wilhelm Georg Steller, these enormous, herbivorous aquatic mammals could reach lengths of up to 10.6 meters. Unfortunately, due to intensive hunting, they became extinct within just 27 years of their description. However, some argue that sea cows may still exist, and sporadic evidence of their presence encourages further research into this intriguing species.

Distant relatives of elephants, manatees and dugongs are herbivorous aquatic mammals belonging to the order Sirenia. They have webbed limbs. Today, the largest sirenian is the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), reaching 4.5 meters in length. However, much larger sirenians, known as sea cows, once existed, discovered by the German zoologist, explorer, and explorer Wilhelm Georg Steller in 1741.These animals reached 10.6 meters in length and weighed several tons. They lived primarily in Kamchatka, as well as around Copper Island and nearby Bering Island. Strangely enough, Steller's ship became stranded somewhere between these islands, and the explorer himself decided to study and describe these animals in detail. The rest of the crew either admired them or killed them for food. At the time, these animals were very numerous, but soon after Steller brought their description back to Europe, they became completely extinct, as they were a highly sought-after source of meat for other travelers venturing into the Kamchatka region. They were exterminated within 27 years. Officially, the species has been considered extinct ever since.

However, sailors traveling in these areas often see "huge animals resembling manatees," and sometimes even their carcasses washed ashore. For example, during an 1879 expedition on the yacht VEGA, Baron Erik Nordenskjold, after reaching Bering Island, heard from the natives that sea cows still lived there, were still slaughtered, and that their skins were used to make boats .

A skeleton of a sea cow at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm

Perhaps sea cows haven't completely died out? Research is still underway in this direction.

Crab Julienne

Ingredients

400 g crab meat

2 cloves garlic

100 ml dry white wine

2 tsp lemon juice

1 package unleavened puff pastry

1 egg

60 g Dutch cheese

Vegetable oil

Salt

Ground white pepper

Tear the crab meat into small pieces, removing all the chitinous plates. Peel the garlic, finely chop it, and fry it in a saucepan with a little oil for 1 minute. Add the crab meat and wine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the wine has completely evaporated.

Heat the cream, but do not bring it to a boil. Pour it into the saucepan with the crabs and cook over low heat for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 2-3 mm. Puff pastry can only be rolled in one direction. Using a glass, cut out 18 circles from the dough. Leave 9 circles as is.

Using a glass 2 cm smaller in diameter, cut out rims from the remaining circles.

Place the rims on the circles, brush with a lightly beaten egg, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes.

Fill the molds with the crab sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, and return to the oven for 4 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lamb Bozbash

Ingredients

Lamb 500g

Peas 1 cup

Potatoes 400g

Apples 2

Onions 2

Tomatoes in their own juice 300g

Carrot 1

Bell pepper 1

Garlic 5 cloves

Herbs to taste

Salt

Pepper

Rinse the lamb and cut into large pieces. Place in a saucepan with enough water to cover the meat. Cook over low heat, skimming off any foam. First, cover the peas with water and let them sit for 2 hours. Cook them in a separate saucepan (3 cups of water) over low heat for 1 hour. Remove the bones from the cooked meat, strain the broth, and add the meat and broth to the peas.

 Fry finely chopped onions and carrots in vegetable oil until lightly golden, then add tomatoes and thinly sliced peppers, and simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. Add the fried onions to the meat and peas.

Cut the potatoes and apples into small cubes, add them to the pan, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally. A few minutes before the potatoes are done, add finely chopped garlic. Add the herbs at the very end, when the bozbash is ready, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Processed Cheese Soup

Ingredients

Processed cheese 2 pcs

Smoked chicken (ham) 1 pc

Carrot 1 pc

Potatoes 3 pcs

Vegetable oil

Salt

Onion 1 pc

Since most of the ingredients are ready-to-eat, we'll start with the potatoes and carrots. Now's a good time to put the curds in the freezer; this will make it easier to chop them later. Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes.

Place them in a saucepan to boil. Meanwhile, grate the carrots. Fry in vegetable oil.

If you're making the soup with onions, fry them along with the carrots. Add to the soup. Separate the meat from the bones and chop into small pieces (you can leave large pieces; some people prefer it that way). Add to the soup. 

Meanwhile, our curds should be frozen sufficiently. Grate them coarsely and add them to the almost-ready soup. Stir the soup thoroughly until the curds dissolve. Serve sprinkled with herbs. You can add croutons if desired.

Enjoy!

Traditional Borscht

Ingredients

Beef 1000 g

Potatoes 6

Cabbage 300 g

Beetroot 1

Carrot 1

Onion 1

Tomato paste 3 tbsp

Vinegar 9% 1 tsp

Garlic 3 cloves

Bay leaf 2

Parsley (root)

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Salt

Pepper

Sour cream

Herbs

Boil the meat in 3 liters of water, then remove, cut into pieces, and return to the broth.

Fry the finely chopped onion and grated carrot in butter, add the tomato paste. Cut the beets into strips and fry separately, drizzle with vinegar.

Add the diced potatoes to the boiling broth and season with salt. Next, add the shredded cabbage. Then add the beets, onions, and carrots. Add the bay leaf, parsley root, and garlic.

Serve with sour cream and herbs.

Enjoy!

Cannelloni with Swiss Chard

Ingredients

Cannelloni pasta 20 pcs

Tomato 500 g

Onion 1 pc

Garlic 1 tsp

Cream 100 g

Breadcrumbs 1 tbsp

Cheese 50 g

Philadelphia cheese 200 g

Egg 1 pc

Ground black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Swiss Swiss Chard 500 g

Chop the Swiss chard stalks and blanch them in salted water for 5 minutes, the leaves for 2 minutes. Drain. For the sauce, scald the tomatoes, peel, seed, and dice the flesh.

Mix with finely chopped onion and garlic, pour in the cream, and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend with a mixer until smooth, season with salt and pepper. For the filling, finely chop the chard leaves and mix them with the breadcrumbs, cream cheese, and egg.

Add the stems. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the tubes with the filling, arrange them in layers in a deep baking dish, and top with tomato sauce. Bake in the oven at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes. Cut the cheese into cubes and sprinkle it over the dish 5 minutes before it's done. Garnish with basil when serving.

Bon appétit!

Carrot and Apple Cutlets

Ingredients

2 carrots

2 apples

2 tsp semolina

1 tsp sugar

Breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil

Wash and peel the carrots and apples. Coarsely grate the carrots, place them in a saucepan, add 0.5 cups of water, and simmer until half-cooked.

Coarsely grate the apples, add them to the carrots, and simmer until the apples are soft. Slowly whisk the semolina into the vegetable puree, add sugar and a pinch of salt, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Cool the mixture. Form the carrot and apple mixture into patties and coat them in breadcrumbs. Fry the carrot patties in vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown. Serve with jam or honey.

Enjoy!