Saint Lucia Buns Swedish Saffron

Saint Lucia Buns Swedish Saffron

Saint Lucia buns are Sweden’s answer to the mid-winter blues. Spiced with saffron and curled into a distinctively feline S-shape, consumption of lussekatter (literally, Lucy’s cats) peaks around 13th December, which is the day of the festival of Saint Lucia and the start of the run-up to Christmas. Countries around the world celebrate Christmas and … Read more

Dutch Cookies Recipe – Spicy Seasonal Speculaas

Speculaas spicy seasonal dutch cookies

This Dutch cookies recipe is a real treat. Known as Speculaas, it has special spices that reminds me of gingerbread. December 6th is Saint Nicholas’ day, in the run up to which kitchens all over the Netherlands will be humming with the smell of baking speculaas cookies. Speculaas – known as speculoos in France and … Read more

Scottish Steak Pie Ale Hogmanay New Years

Scottish Steak Pie Ale

This Scottish steak pie is made with ale (preferably a dark one!) and uses ready made puff pastry – the result is a deliciously filling crumbly pie! For most countries, the apex of the holiday season circles around the mid-December timeframe. With “big hitter” holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah (and even those like shab-e-yalda), much … Read more

Kebab on Grill With Ground Beef and Pork – Cevapi Recipe

Cevapi Recipe - kebab on grill with ground beef and pork

Grilled pieces of meat or cubes of kebab are one of my favorite summertime foods. I love the simplicity, fun and flavor of skewered meats. This recipe is best served with flatbread. What is Cevapi Cevapi (or ćevapčići, if you want to be all diminutive and cute) are the seminal kafana food of the Balkans, cousins of … Read more