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

Nalysnyky: Ukranian Cheese Crepes

Ukrainian Nalsynksy - Baked crepes filled with a savory, herbed cheese mixture

It’s one thing for a dish to be an indulgent treat. Within moderation, these treats really illustrate the joys of decadent or, you might say, even sinfully good food. To actually feature it, however, in a celebration of “last indulgences” requires a dish that can really live up to hedonistic expectations. Lucky for the Ukrainians, then, that … Read more

Otai: Tongan Coconut Watermelon Drink

Otai: Tongan Coconut Watermelon Drink - Mixture of coconut milk, coconut flakes, honey mango and smashed fresh watermelon

Sometimes, it’s not specific dishes that stand out in a cuisine. No, sometimes it’s the drinks that are the true stars of the show. For the Tongan cuisine, there are two drinks in particular. First, there’s ‘otai, or a delicious coconut watermelon drink, which is the focal point of the recipe for this post. And then … Read more

Dovi: Zimbabwean Peanut Stew

The final plated dish of Zimbabwe Dovi - Peanut Stew

For the both of us, one of the most valuable perks of preparing these posts is the opportunity to learn the lesser known histories of the cultures we cook. To say the least, we had limited insight into the history of Zimbabwe and how a dish like Dovi came to be. Little did we know that, even … Read more

Anticuchos: Peruvian Beef Kabobs

Peruvian Anticuchos Kabobs with Aji Amarillo Sauce

Thanks to some of our previous deep culinary explorations here on Arousing Appetites, we’ve encountered some prevailing trends in the world’s history. Introducing the Spanish conquistadors into the picture, for example, generally spelled bad news for the land’s indigenous populations. We’ve seen it certainly be the case both in Jamaica and in Haiti. Sometimes, amid all the historical … Read more

Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup) – A Recipe from Lithuania

Saltibarsciai traditional Lithuanian Cold Beet Soup

What is Šaltibarščiai? Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup) is a Lithuanian recipe that typically of cold roasted beets, cucumbers, and kefir. It is served cold with a sliced boiled eggs on top, and optional dill and chives for garnishing! If the sound of these ingredients are appealing to you, you might want to check out other … Read more