Halva Ye Havij: Persian Sweet Carrot Confection

Halva ye havij is a Persian sweet carrot confection flavored with the likes of saffron and rosewater. It makes for a delicious dessert at any party!

Carrot cakes made from scratch – from real carrots – is a recipe that’s hard to find. Fortunately for us, we stumbled on this Persian sweet carrot confection called Halva Ye Havij. It’s a celebratory cake in Persia. We get really excited at Arousing Appetites, whenever we find a recipe that combines fruit and pastry … Read more

Tourtière: Canadian Spiced Minced Meat Pie

Tourtière: Canadian spiced minced meat pie

There’s something magical when a flavor matches a feeling. Tourtière possesses that magic in full abundance. A single bite taken into this spiced meat pie evokes the cheerful, warming spirit of the holidays. It’s no wonder, then, that it’s a key fixture to any true Quebecois celebration of Christmas… and now at our own too. Tourtière, … Read more

Sandkaker: Norwegian Almond Butter Wafers

Sandkaker: Norwegian Almond Butter Wafers

It’s hard to deny the special something and inherently festive spirit that fills the air around the holidays, and not just solely in the US. Around the world – and across a large swathe of different traditions and customs – the holidays season give way to practices unique and special to this time of year. That … Read more

Kaffemik: Greenlandic Coffee and Cake

Kaffemik: Greenlandic Coffee and Cake

Sure, food and drink can be a uniting factor in all climates. It seems, though, that in Greenland this notion of “communal consumption” is taken a step further. Of course, given the extreme conditions of Greenland itself (which isn’t very green at all), it’s pretty easy to quickly understand how vital a tradition like the kaffemik might have been… … Read more

Apple Pie: The All American Dessert

Apple pie - American vegan with lattice top

If you grew up in the US like we did, chances are good that you’ve probably heard this saying at least a few times in your life. As American as apple pie. Never minding that we Americans sometimes use strange proxies to qualify our patriotism (i.e. Budweiser beer, Uncle Sam, PB&Js, etc), we were curious as … Read more

Draniki: Belarusian Sausage Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Draniki: Belarusian Sausage Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Alas, not all culinary tales can be a happy one, as is the case in the trajectory of Belarusian cuisine. For a cuisine seemingly so magnificent until as recently as last century, it can only leave you wondering what could have (and should have) been. Thankfully for dishes like draniki, we have windows into the cuisine’s … Read more