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bbrandy2002 · 4 years ago

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Fool’s Rush In

Part 15

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x MC

Warnings: mild violence

Series Premise: With two weeks until Liam is to marry Madeleine – his pick during the social season – the guys throw him a bachelor party in Vegas. After a drunken night, he finds himself with more than he bargained for.

Thanks @burnsoslow for the beta read.

---------------

Supposedly, the more a person suffered in the name of love, the more it showed they really cared.

At least, that's what Riley thought.

After nightfall of this particular evening -- when she least expected it -- she never realized how much truth that belief held.

Or how much it would hurt to sacrifice the one person who made her believe she was worthy of love and saw who she really was on the inside.

Her dainty arm -- a delicate bronze in color, sleek, with a glittering red strap across one shoulder -- linked through the arm of the man she had grown to love more than life itself as they entered the palace ballroom. Working tirelessly over the last week to ensure everything went off without a hitch had taken its toll on her. All she could think about, as she shook hands and charmed dignitaries with a sparkle in those twinkling brown eyes, was how much sleep she planned to make up for after the ball ended.

This ball was to introduce the King and his new bride to the Cordonian court for the first time. A show of solidarity and, hopefully, strength. A way to establish that what happened in a tiny chapel 10,000 miles away weeks ago between two strangers wasn't a careless mistake, and that she could handle the duties bestowed on her as a common American woman.

Or at least pretend she could for now.

However, for the King and the "Jewel of His Heart" whom he escorted through the curious crowd of pretentious naysayers in extravagant gowns and tuxes, with their fake smiles and tedious posturing ...

It was nothing less than fate.

Riley was the key that unlocked that safe space deep inside Liam's heart that had been sheltered for so long, waiting for the perfect person to come along and open it. This was the place where he kept his most sacred feelings: a genuine love, never-ending laughter, joy, romance, ecstasy, and every dream he ever held for the future -- one he presumed would never exist in any form he longed for.

But she didn't just unlock it. Riley shattered it wide open, where everything came flooding out at once and consumed him like a raging wildfire.

And it was the most remarkable, intoxicating experience of his life.

Liam showed her off all evening as they mingled during their rounds, danced, and conversed with the variance of nobility. She was the sexiest woman in that room, and he'd dare say the looks of envy shot in his direction from high-class men as he proudly cavorted her around didn't bother him in the least. Not that that was her only quality -- far from it. There were so many things about Riley that were special. But he couldn't help feeling a sense of pride that she was all his.

And without question, he was all hers.

Seated at the head table, Riley swallowed a morsel of the veal medallion she wanted to be served for this occasion. When given a choice between fish and lamb, the fish never stood a chance. The memory of that smelly, god-awful lunch with Regina three weeks ago was not something her palate had forgiven her for yet. As wonderful and savory as this extravagant meal, covered in a light brown mushroom sauce and served with a side of broccoli rabe, was, it couldn't hold a candle to what she craved the most: a slice of white pizza from Carmine's back in Brooklyn.

Or a slab or two of the New Yorker.

With maybe some cheesecake.

Covered in chocolate.

And a sausage rice ball. A Frito pie smothered with sour cream. Definitely a rainbow bagel from The Bagel Store. Barbecue ribs and beans from the mom-and-pop diner hidden just off the strip in Vegas.

Of course, her grandma’s country fried steak with white gravy sounded delicious too.

For sure, a fried Twinkie like the one she ate at the New York State Fair in 2013.

"You've outdone yourself, sweetheart," Liam marveled while wiping at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "The meal was delicious, and our guests appear to be enjoying themselves." The others seated at the table looked up, adding their compliments.

Still dreaming about a fat slice of New York-style pizza, Riley smiled graciously back at him, until she noticed the server refilling Liam’s glass with merlot, causing her to do a double-take.

Hot tears pooled in her eyes, and a heavy feeling of sadness swelled in her chest as she panicked. "I asked for the Pinot Noir. Not the merlot,” she rasped meekly. “You don't like merlot, Liam. And the Pinot Noir was from the 'C' place where Duke Hakim lives. He'll be so disappointed and think I'm slighting his duchy. They’ll all hate me forever and ... wait a minute." She trailed off as a realization hit her, and Riley quickly glanced down at her plate before scanning each of the dishes from those seated around her.

The anxiety intensified; she could no longer suppress the heartbroken sob that wailed out of her. "Where are all the potatoes? We were supposed to have the potatoes, Liam. They didn’t serve the potatoes. Now the whole night is completely ruined, and it’s all my fault. I'm such a failure as a queen, and you should just send me to the dungeon now and throw away the key. I apologize to all of you for my incompetence and the lack of potatoes with your meal." Riley’s red-hot face, full of tears, plunged into the palms of her hands, then quickly sprung back up as Liam hesitantly tried to place a hand on her shoulder. A strong urge to use the restroom ended her crying spell as if it never happened. “Oh, oh. I gotta pee so bad. I’ll be right back.” She gave a warm smile and excused herself as she pushed her chair back and scurried merrily toward the nearest restroom.

Liam, Regina, Leo, Maxwell, and Olivia watched with confusion as she happily took off, not knowing what to say or what to make of the sudden shift in her moods.

“What the hell was that?” Olivia scowled, her eyes fixed on Liam.

“Is she all right, dear?” a concerned Regina asked.

Liam scratched the back of his head, nearly at a loss for words. “I ... I don’t know. I’ve never seen her that upset … especially over potatoes.” He paused in thought. “She was a little on edge this morning. Still, she’s been working a lot on the preparations and everything else going on. It must have gotten to her.”

Maxwell shrugged. “Maybe she just finally snapped.”

Leo shook his head, swallowing a forkful of beef. “Or maybe she has the premenstrual syndrome.”

“Leo!” The group admonished.

“What?” Leo bit back, taking in each of their disappointed glares. “Don’t act like it’s not true. Trust me, when I have cramps and bloating, I can go from a happy little Leo to a Bertrand, just like that.” He snapped his fingers, following it up with a frown. “It ain’t pretty, you all.”

Maxwell looked across the table at Liam and agreed, “He has a point.”

Wanting to shed his skin and slither away, Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can we not discuss something so personal and private, especially while several hundred people are dining around us?”

“I’m just saying, little brother, that you need to be understanding and gentle during this special time of your wife’s 'lady business.' You should speak softly and slowly to her because Shark Week messes with a girl's mind, man. Their brains short-circuit, and there’s nothing left up there but a couple of crickets and man-eating rattlesnakes. One second, you think she’s fine, but if you’re not careful, in the next second, you’ll find yourself with two venomous fangs rattling from your nut sack, dude. She will tear you apart and spit you out like a rabid dog. You can make it through these next few days, but only if you take my advice.”

“That is the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Olivia spat, boring her eyes into him. “And you’ve said a lot.” She turned to Liam, whose face was slightly pale and void of expression. “Don’t listen to his sexist drivel. Why you haven’t declared him insane yet is beyond me. You should have sent him away with that filthy hairball to Valtoria you had caged earlier.”

“IT WAS MONGO!” Leo erupted, causing the dishes on the table to clatter as he jumped to his feet and hovered over the redhead. Every head in the ballroom whipped around to see what was happening, and a deafening silence filled throughout. Even the orchestra stopped playing their classical tune.

A wide-eyed Regina smiled sheepishly as she glanced out at the quiet audience who were waiting to see what all the fuss was about. She thought fast before calling out, “We were just playing a little game of … 'It was Mongo.'” The former queen snatched Maxwell’s Sunset Rum punch from his hand, thrusting the drink up at her stepson, towering beside her, and instructed in a grandmotherly tone, “Be a good lad, Leo. You lost this round. It's time to chug-a-lug, my boy.” With his face burning, Liam slid down in his seat.

“Ooooo, I wanna go next.” Maxwell bounced excitedly while the guests resumed the festivities. "How do we play?"

“I think I want to go, too,” Liam replied, straightening back up before hurling his napkin on the table. “I’m going to go find Riley.”

-----------------

Riley exited the ladies' room, clutch in hand and a fresh dab of clear gloss gleaming on her pink lips. She stopped walking just as the door closed behind her and smiled with a look of surprise at seeing Liam leaning against the opposite wall. "What are you doing out here?"

He pushed himself off the wall, closing the distance between them and meeting her in the middle of the empty corridor. They wrapped their arms around each other, indulging in the warmth of their lovers' embrace. "Would you believe me if I told you I just missed you?" he answered, placing a tender kiss on her lips that skimmed lower to her jawline.

"I missed you, too," she moaned with each gentle pressure of his seductive lips, suckling and nibbling along the spot that trailed behind her ear that he knew drove her crazy. "But something tells me that's not the only reason you left the ballroom."

Their gazes met simultaneously. "Leo."

Riley chuckled softly. "Do I even want to know?"

Liam sighed, smoothing back a loose hair behind her ear. "You know my brother and his wonderful words of wisdom." There was no way in hell he would tell her what they really discussed after she left; he could only imagine her embarrassment. "Everyone was just a little worried about you, that's all."

"I didn't mean to scare everyone. I just wanted tonight to be perfect. Instead, so many things went wrong. I can only assume what the court thinks about me now." She lowered her gaze to the red carpeting where they stood. "I let you down."

"I don't want to ever hear you say that again. Riley, sweetheart, you can never let me down. Do you understand that?" Liam lifted her chin; her tentative eyes stared back at him for a moment before nodding. "Good. And just so you know, our guest are used to bombings, stabbings, kidnappings, shootings, and terror plots at most of my palace events --"

"Wait. What?"

" -- I assure you, just the fact alone, that none of that took place tonight, and they're all going to leave here soon -- alive -- will be huge for them. Not having potatoes with the meal or the right wine was the least of their worries. They will consider this night a success. And a testament to their new queen. You should, too. I'm so very proud of you."

"I have so many questions about everything you just said."

Liam smiled, caressing Riley's petal-soft cheeks and lowering his head to kiss her again. "All in due time, my love.”

Riley let out a deep, drawn-out yawn she lightly covered with her palm before stretching and rolling her neck. A couple of weeks' worth of planning and endless decisions had left heavy tension in her shoulders and overwhelming exhaustion like nothing she'd felt before. None of it went unnoticed by Liam, who placed his hands on her shoulders and gingerly kneaded the taut muscles.

"What do you say about heading back to our quarters, taking off all of your clothes, and I'll be up soon to massage this gorgeous body from head to toe? And hopefully, when I'm through, you'll massage parts of me, too … with any part of your body that you'd like." His lips curved into an inviting smile.

"Mmm, that's tempting," she purred, rubbing her hands over his ample chest. "But I can't just leave. It's the Queen's Ball. Without me, it's just ... The Ball." She chuckled, despite herself.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little panties over the ball. Just go upstairs and take them off. I’ll handle everything down here. Then … “ He squatted down to her eye level. “ … I’ll handle you.”

Her heart fluttered every time Liam spoke to her that way. The way he desired only her. She bit the corner of her lip teasingly. “I love you so much.”

Liam smiled. “You better. You’ve got one hell of a husband. I’d even venture to say you’re the luckiest woman on the whole damn planet right now.” Before Riley could respond to his jest, he put both of his hands on her cheeks to hold her head still and began placing playful, wet smooches all over her face, causing her to laugh riotously. After a few seconds of her squirming around and cackling at his antics, he paused to look at her. “You know I love you, too. Now go on up. I’ll be right behind you soon.”

With a pat to her backside, they went their separate ways.

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Liam returned to the ballroom, having offered to finish what little time was left without her. He would offer his apologies for her absence, but in reality, the King couldn’t have cared less what anyone there thought. Since his bachelor party weeks ago, he had grown from a man who had no choices to one who made his own. His marriage and relationship with Riley came first. Her wellbeing was the main priority -- to hell with anyone who had a problem with that.

As Riley placed a hand on the elegant wooden handrail of the grand staircase and took the first step up, her thoughts meandered to where she had been in her life one month ago and how vastly it had changed in such a short time. For the first time in years, she was happy, and it felt so good to be in that place where she could finally let go of the past and move on. Liam was a game-changer, and she was thoroughly convinced he was the only person on the planet who could have gotten her out of her own head and to this level of blissful existence.

Rounding the corner at the top of the stairs, she reached into her clutch to pull out the key card to her quarters, exhaustion slowing her strides. Shuffling past a row of closed office doors and framed artwork, she made her way to the residential wing.

The squeak of a door behind her and the click of heels drew her attention, causing her to stop and turn to see who was there.

The color drained from her face as Madeleine casually stepped out, her hands behind her back and a devious, unsettling grin cemented on her face.

It wasn't the fear that made Riley's heart pound with a sickening thud, but more shock than anything. No one had seen or spoken to the Countess since the confrontation in Las Vegas when she showed up unexpectedly after finding out Liam had married Riley the night prior.

Now, suddenly, there she was, as if out of nowhere, a gleam in her eye, looking all too pleased to have this run-in with Riley.

"A little dramatic, don't you think?" Riley scoffed, taking one step back the closer Madeleine approached. "What are you even doing here?"

"I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're worried about," she answered contemptuously. Her green eyes drifted to one of the cameras mantled at each end of the hallway. Riley placed a shaky hand over her stomach, letting out a low, relieved breath, hoping that was the truth. "Not physically, anyway."

"Well, that sounds promising," Riley replied sardonically. "Now, if you don't mind ..." She turned away, wanting nothing more than to escape this conversation and make it back to her quarters.

Madeleine reached out and grabbed the Queen by her elbow, pulling her back and harshly twisting her around so they were now face-to-face. "You're not going anywhere until I'm through with you," she hissed with an icy glare. "I told you I would make you regret what you've done."

Riley jerked her arm, trying to free herself. "Let go of my arm, Madeleine!"

"Not until you hear what I have to say."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say! Now LET ME GO!" Riley hoped someone heard her yell or at least witnessed what was happening on the camera. Where the hell is security?

While continuing to struggle to free herself, she reached up with her free hand in an attempt to pry off Madeleine's bony fingers that were squeezing tight grooves around her elbow, her manicured nails digging deeper into Riley's skin. "You're hurting me. I said to let me go."

"Very well, then." The woman, who had twice lost her chance at the crown, released her firm grasp, knowing that the momentum would cause Riley to stumble back as soon as she let go.

Just as predicted, Riley planted a foot behind her for leverage before drawing her arm back as hard as she could, one last time. Her eyes grew wide, and she let out a sharp gasp that sounded well down the corridor. Riley sailed backward, tripping over herself and toppling to the ground. She finally landed with a hard blow on her backside, the rear of her head just inches from slamming to the floor.

A shockwave of pain coursed up Riley's spine from hitting so abruptly. Before she had a chance to respond or process what happened, Madeleine crouched down beside her, holding a DVD up and gaining Riley's attention.

The pain had morphed into a throbbing ache that was soon forgotten as the Queen stared quizzically at the object displayed in front of her like a grand prize.

"What is that?" her voice trembled.

"It's my ace in the hole," Madeleine stated, then wagged a finger. "Someone used to be a very naughty girl."

Furrowing her brows, Riley responded. "I don't know what you mean."

"You know precisely what I mean, but just in case, please allow me to refresh your memory," Madeleine smirked before rising to her feet and prancing around as if she were having the time of her life. "I did a little digging after my brief visit to Las Vegas and came across a man who knew you very, very well at one time. I made some calls. We exchanged e-mails, a transfer of money or two. And he was all too eager to accept my offer of payment for any dirt he could give me on you."

There was no point in asking "who" -- she already knew; the thought made her nauseous. Riley closed her eyes and muttered. "Tyler?"

"Yes," Madeleine beamed, " Your ex-husband. He had a lot to say about you."

"I'm sure he did. Does it even matter to you that he's a liar and a cheat -- not to mention greedy? He would make up anything if he thought he could profit off of it."

"Oh, it matters. Personally, I don't believe a damn thing he had to say. Honestly, Riley ... even someone like you could have done better than that slime."

Riley cringed in pain as she pushed herself off the floor and turned to her oppressor. "Just get to the point, Madeleine. Clearly, he gave you something you thought was valuable enough to use against me, so just spit it already."

Madeleine smiled, "How very astute of you. You're correct. He did." She held up the disc as Riley regarded it suspiciously. "On this disk are several hours of the two of you ... together. Very graphic, if I do say so myself." Riley's jaw dropped upon hearing those words as Madeleine continued, "Now don't worry. I only watched it long enough to make sure the video was legit --"

"Give me that!" Riley reached out to snatch the DVD, but Madeleine pulled it away just out of her grasp. A burning sensation filled inside her chest and spread across her face. "You're lying. I never made videos like that."

"Oh, I think you did," the blonde countered with a mirthful tone. "You just didn't know about it. Your ex admitted as much to me ... an asshole move, for sure. But nonetheless, I purchased the copy from him for a hefty sum. And ... well ... here we are now. You're more than welcome to take this disc and see for yourself; I have it downloaded as a backup, knowing you'd want proof."

At that moment, all Riley wanted was for Liam to walk down that corridor where she now stood, pick her up in his arms, whisk her away to safety, and tell her it was all a bad dream. Not that she did anything wrong -- she was married at one time to the man, presumably on the video, and would have been a consenting adult.

No, it was the fact that Tyler Brooks had taken intimate videos with her during their marriage, without her knowledge. Now Madeleine had possession of them.

God only knew what she planned to do with them, but Riley had a pretty good idea. "What do you want?" she whispered in defeat, afraid to hear the answer.

Madeleine grinned from ear-to-ear. "For you to leave Cordonia tonight and never return, or I release everything to the press."

Riley shook her head. "No. As much as I don't want anyone to see that video, I did nothing wrong, and I won't be blackmailed or intimidated by you so that you can get your grubby little paws on the crown."

"Is that so?" It wasn't a question so much as a remark meant to convey who was in control.

Maintaining her position, Riley raised a brow, refusing to give in.

Madeleine was far from giving up, though; she had manipulation in her blood. "Very well, then. I'll release the video in the morning. It should be interesting to see how the world reacts to yet another scandal by this monarchy. Their Queen plastered all over the internet again, except this time, uploaded on every porn site on the web.

"The news will run the story with your blurred-out silhouette in the background. Your father will see it, and his business will become a target.: Your friends. Family. Students. They'll all be inundated with your sexual proclivities. But the worst part will be the tribunal. The council will have no choice but to question Liam's decision-making abilities after not only squandering his pick of queen on some American nobody, but now one whose ass will be featured on the desktops of teenage boys across the world. It's a shame that he'll lose his reign, all because of you. Would you really do that to Liam? Do you genuinely believe you're worth all the trouble it will cause him?"

Riley froze. She knew Madeleine was taunting her with the people she cared about the most. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass each of them. But to possibly cause Liam to lose his legacy, his birthright, and the rulership of a country he loved so much? It was something she couldn't shake.

Staring blankly, twisting the bands of gold that belonged to Liam's mother, she couldn't get the question Madeleine just asked out of her mind: Did Riley believe she was worth the trouble it would cost him?

Nothing was damning on that video, aside from the fact that she never knew it existed. But she already had so much to prove; another video in the press' hand would tarnish Liam. Maybe the Countess of Fydelia was right: He would lose it all.

"Time is ticking," Madeleine reminded Riley as she tapped her watch. "What's it going to be?"

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Liam x MC: Cordonia-gothqueen

FRI Series Tags: @narrytheworld @queenwalton @cordonianprincess @zaffrenotes @zilch3 @drrookie @sfb123

#liam x mc #liam x riley #prince liam #king liam #the royal romance #trr #choices liam x mc #Fools Rush In #bbrandy2002

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guideseeder67-blog · 6 years ago

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Around The World At The Dubai Food Festival

Dubai is a diverse country with over 200 different nationalities and if you want to sample some of these, make sure to head to Dubai during the Dubai Food Festival for culinary trip around the world. Dubai is part of the UAE, a federation of 7 emirates that united to become the UAE in 1971. It includes the capital Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain. Winter in Dubai is peak season with temperatures in the mid 20's (as opposed to 45C and above during summer). And every year in March it plays host to its very own Dubai Food Festival!

The Dubai Food Festival is held at Jumeirah Beach behind Sunset Mall to take a walk around the Beach Canteen. There's a mix of people, some in traditional abaya (for women) and thawb (for men) and the mix is international with many enjoying the cool beachside breeze and the blood red moon rising in the distance.

The Beach Canteen stands are located in two adjacent clusters and there is a lot of variety. Want tacos, baos or brisket? How about fried chicken in a waffle cone? We first do a quick survey of the space deciding on what we want to come back to order. It's not easy to choose and we've only got so much stomach space (we are headed to dinner shortly afterwards).

But first there's a commotion in front of the Maiz taco truck. At 5pm every day they have the "Paqui one chip challenge". We watch as people open up a red coffin shaped box and unwrap a red foil packet containing a single corn chip. What is special about this chip is that it is dusted in the Carolina Reaper chilli dust.

People take a deep breath, crunch on it and swallow before reaching desperately for a bottle of milk. We have no choice but to buy one ourselves (although I'm not game to try it while I am here because we are yet to sample so much food). At 50 dirhams it isn't cheap but it is hard to find these chips. We do try the Maiz churros ice cream sandwich drizzled with lotus caramel and ice cream. The churro top is crunchy even with the ice cream and sauce and it's fantastic.

Next door is the Zapiekanka truck. So what is a zapiekanka? It's a traditional Polish street food, a halved baguette topped with a range of items from a tomato based marinara to bechamel or smokey one. They're very friendly here and we order some pierogi dumplings as well as the smoky Zapiekanka. We also try some of their borscht.

Zapiekanka's owner Olimpia is super friendly and explains that their borscht contains probiotics for added health benefits. It's delicious and flavoursome. I've only really had Russian borscht which is mildly sweet and creamy and cold. This is a bold soup served warm with an abundance of flavour. The pierogi are comfortingly good and served with sour cream.

Olimpia loans me a traditional scarf for a photo and after the obligatory classic shot holding a zapiekanka (head back, mouth open, zapiekanka ready to be eaten) we sink our teeth into the crunchy sub. On top is bechamel, sauteed mushrooms, cheese, house smoked chicken and spring onions and it's pretty damn fabulous. We find it hard to stop at three bites no matter how hard we try.

Olimpia asks if we can stay for a slice of her apple pie. Sure! It's a rectangular slice, not too sweet and served with vanilla cream sauce.

We all have tokens so someone else buys from fried chicken baos from Take a Bao. With a soft, downy bao and crispy, crunchy fried chicken, a piquant, creamy mayonnaise and shredded lettuce they're bigger than most baos and generously filled.

This just makes us hungry to try more. We cross the path to the other cluster of food trucks. There is so much choice that tempts us from a distance and we stop at the New York based Chick N Cone debuting at the festival. It is, as the name suggests, fried chicken in a waffle cone stand where they are busy pressing fresh waffles and shaping them into a cone. When we dither about the choice of sauce they offer to give us samples of both with the chicken. We try the chicken with both the ranch and bbq sauces and it's delicious-crunchy and saucy at the same time.

This only whets our appetite further for the Jamaican jerk chicken which is smoky and gorgeous with a fantastic jerk seasoning on top. The corn cob is curious-covered in a sticky caramel, it leaves me confused. While I loved the chicken I wasn't a huge fan of the corn.

Then it's time for sweets. The knafeh is a stretchy cheesy number that they cut off from a huge knafeh pan drawing enormous foot long strings of cheese.

Another popular stand is the Inventing Room. Everyone exiting with their goodies emerges from a cloud of dry ice. There is a crisp waffle "taco" filled with nitrogen ice cream sprinkled in cookie crumbs like a deep fried ice cream. On top are squiggles of frozen Nutella. Heaven.

We are sharing a table with another couple and notice their Dough donuts. "Please have one," they say offering us their boxes of donuts. We can't resist their kind offer and the pistachio icing donut is wonderful-it's so light in texture and freshly fried that despite the fact that we are off to dinner I can't help but take another bite. We look at the time and it's time to bid the Beach Canteen goodbye.

Dinner is back in downtown Dubai. We walk through the labyrinthine faux Souk Madinat Jumeirah to get to Folly by Nick and Scott. Nick Alvis and Scott Price are two British chefs who worked with Gordon Ramsay for 15 years in London, Paris and Dubai before branching out on their own.

Whilst there is an indoor section, the perfect weather means that most guests are sitting outside enjoying the perfect night. There are two floors and the upper level bar is well worth having a look at for the views of the 7 star Burj al Arab hotel and all the water activity below at the Madinat waterways.

Folly have a special menu just for Dubai Food Week with three courses for 199AED which equates to around $70AUD. We start with an interesting item: jasmine rice with Marmite and courgette. It's unusual and I'm not sure if I would order it again and it comes in quite a large serve. A canape sized version would have been perfect just for a taste.

The fried bread with sage, onion and spelt and caramelised onion is divine. "It tastes like Christmas" says my sometime vegetarian friend Laura. And it does indeed. Although you'd expect fried bread to be a bit greasy it isn't in the slightest bit so.

I also love the main of lamb with two perfectly cooked medallions of lamb saddle. The long pine nut salad and whipped pine nut cream are also delicious and I could just eat an entire bowl of this.

For dessert we enjoy the chocolate, hazelnut and malt with the bottom layer of malt cream. The chocolate is dark and fruity and the toasted hazelnuts give it a nice crunch.

Our home for the next two nights in Dubai is the Renaissance Downtown hotel located in downtown Dubai. It's a stylish new hotel that opened in November 2017 and even the entry level rooms are plush, well appointed and spacious.

I have a deluxe room #911. On the left when I walk in there is a spacious walk in wardrobe. The bathroom follows this and there's a separate shower with gold flecked tiles and two shower heads.

There's also a free standing egg shaped bath and double sinks with Amouage toiletries. Wooden sliding doors partition off the bathroom from two sides and the toilet and bidet are in a separate room.

The bedroom is also roomy with a comfortable king sized bed with excellent sheets and a good variety of pillows. The camel motif is one carried throughout the hotel with a large wall print as well as an above the bed art work.

An enormous work desk is placed below the television built into the mirror opposite the bed. Some rooms like this one has a little alcove built into them where there's a lounge and cushions that affords you a view of the water below.

The hotel also has a French restaurant Bleu Blanc with chef patron David Myers. The theme as you enter from the outside blue door is French provincial although the menu isn't particularly French and covers steak and seafood offerings. Service is serious and not overly friendly.

Sturia Caviar Flatbread AED65/$23AUD

The caviar flatbread comes as two thin pieces of crisp cracker topped with Sturia caviar and creme fraiche. And because we are sharing them they give us a small sword to cut them.

Maine Lobster roll AED70 for two/$25AUD

We start with charcoal lobster rolls that are small but generously filled with chunks of lobster. These rolls are for people that don't like mayonnaise in their lobster rolls as the amount of saffron aioli is small and they come two to a serve.

Cecina de leon AED65/$23AUD

The Cecina de Leon comes in a generous portion with slices of toasted rye bread.

Fragrant Lamb Ribs AED65/$23AUD

The lamb ribs are also a good sized serve for sharing and come as three racks of four ribs. They're juicy and very soft with a moreish and slightly sweet caramelised barbecue glaze with a hint of chilli spice. To the side is a dipping yogurt.

Tomato salad AED60/$22AUD

The heirloom tomato salad comes topped with crunchy quinoa to give it plenty of texture.

Boneless Rib Eye AED230/$84AUD

Sadly a couple of things were sold out that I wanted like the king crab beignets and the Irish Dry Aged Rib Eye but we got the boneless rib eye instead and it's very succulent and delicious-so much so that I go back for thirds of this despite claiming that I was not hungry.

Charred King Prawns AED 120/$44AUD

The prawns are split down the centre and grilled and served with chilli and herbs.

Mac and Cheese AED 40/$14AUD

But whatever you do, leave room for the truffle mac and cheese. It's pretty much perfection with black truffle, Comte cheese and fat tubular pasta with a crunchy coating of breadcrumbs. Apart from the truffle I love the use of Comte cheese and the tubes are great for collecting the creamy truffle infused filling so some pieces are filled with cheesy truffle cream. Need I go on? ;)

Breakfast is also an impressive affair with plenty of choice with Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern stations as well as the usual Continental selection. Because Dubai is a Muslim country you won't find pork at breakfast. Instead there is a veal and beef bacon (that tastes a bit like bakkwa) as well as chicken sausages. But my favourite bits are the Middle Eastern breads, sambousek pastries and Indian egg curries. Because while in Dubai you eat Dubai style!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you always book breakfast to be included with your hotel stay? And have you ever tried a zapiekanka before?

NQN travelled as a guest of Visit Dubai but all opinions remain her own.

Folly by Nick and Scott

Unit 27, Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 430 8535 folly.ae/

Renaissance Downtown

Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/10/11/dubai-food-festival/

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vincentpennington · 6 years ago

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Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork

This Whole30-friendly sheet pan dinner was inspired by the flavors of Chinese barbecue pork (a.k.a. char siu)—long strips of seasoned, roasted boneless pork, often glazed with a sweet barbecue sauce.

Yes, I have a Paleo Char Siu recipe, too, but unfortunately, the traditional preparation takes hours, and I simply don’t have time for that on a weeknight. On busy evenings, I just want to throw some healthy protein and veggies tossed with a umami-packed marinade in the oven and call it dinner. (Of course, when you’re not pressed for time, you should definitely make my Paleo Char Siu because it’s amazing and well worth the effort. Do it this weekend!)

COOKING TIPS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS

Can I use a different protein in place of the pork?

Absolutely! Boneless and skinless chicken pieces work great in this recipe, but you may have to cook them longer (25 to 35 minutes) to reach the proper temperature (a meat thermometer should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh or 150°F if you’re using chicken breasts). Alternatively, you can cut the chicken pieces into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking time.

Are there other vegetables I can use?

Yes! Choose vegetables that are skinny and cook in the same amount of time as the green beans. Some great substitutes are broccolini (a.k.a. baby broccoli) and asparagus.

Where can I find Whole30-compliant sriracha?

Whole30-friendly sriracha is not easy to find, but I have great recipe for it over here. If you like spicy food but don’t want to make your own sriracha, simply add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes in place of it. Taste the marinade and add more if desired.

Can I leave out the sriracha?

Truth be told, the sriracha only adds a subtle kick of heat—even my kids don’t find it overwhelming. Of course, everyone has different spice tolerance, so feel free to tweak the marinade to your taste. You can adjust the amount of spiciness yourself—add a little sriracha at a time and taste the marinade until it is suits your tastebuds.

You can leave out the sriracha altogether if you don’t like spicy dishes—just sample the marinade before tossing in the raw pork to check if you need to add extra coconut aminos or fish sauce to balance out the sweetness of the jam.

Where do I find Whole30-compliant jam?

It’s important to use a high-quality, 100% fruit jam in this recipe. I buy St. Dalfour brand (it’s not a sponsor—I just like the stuff, and it’s pretty widely available), and its plum, apricot, and peach spreads work equally well in this recipe. I’ve found this brand at most grocery stores, but you can also find it online.

Is parchment paper necessary?

Although the pictures in this recipe post show parchment-lined baking sheets, they only help make clean-up easier. In fact, you actually get better browning when you leave it off. The choice is up to you!

What side dishes can I serve with this dish?

I like to serve a simple vegetable side dish with this dish: Simple Cauliflower Rice, stir-fried greens (e.g. spinach, bok choy, or broccoli), or a big green salad.

How do I store the leftovers?

You can store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for a few months.

Now let’s make a simple sheet pan dinner!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1-inch medallions

Diamond Crystal kosher salt

½ cup plum jam (with just fruit juice as sweetener)

2 tablespoons coconut aminos

2 tablespoons Whole30 Sriracha

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound green beans, trimmed

¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares

½ medium red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges

2 scallions, sliced on the bias

Equipment:

Cutting board

Chef’s knife

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Large bowl

(2) Rimmed baking sheets

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450°F or 425°F convection, with one rack in the upper middle position and another one in the lower middle position. While you’re waiting for the oven to heat up, prep the ingredients.

Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the pork medallions and toss well.

Next, combine the jam, coconut aminos, sriracha, tomato paste, fish sauce, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl.

Whisk until smooth.

Add the pork to the bowl and mix well. Arrange the pork in a single-layer on two rimmed baking sheet.

Toss in the green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl with the remaining sauce. Use your hands to coat all the vegetables evenly in the sauce.

Arrange the veggies in a single layer around the pork on the baking sheets.

Pop the trays in the oven…

…and roast for a total of 15 to 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (140°F in the thickest parts of the pork medallions), swapping the pans at the halfway point to ensure even doneness.

If you want your pork and veggies with a little more char, place each tray about 6 inches under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. Top with scallions and serve.

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!

PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork

This Whole30-friendly Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork perfect for busy weeknights when you want a healthy and delicious dinner in no time flat! The tangy marinade has a slight kick and tastes great on many protein and vegetable combinations!

2 pounds pork tenderloin (cut crosswise into 1-inch medallions)

Diamond Crystal kosher salt

½ cup plum jam (sweetened with fruit juice (peach and apricot jam also work))

2 tablespoons coconut aminos

2 tablespoons Whole30 Sriracha

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce

2 garlic cloves (minced)

freshly ground black pepper

1 pound green beans (trimmed)

¼ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms (stemmed and quartered)

1 medium red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch squares)

½ medium red onion (cut into ½-inch wedges)

2 scallions (sliced on the bias)

Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the pork medallions and toss well.

Next, combine the jam, coconut aminos, sriracha, tomato paste, fish sauce, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Add the pork to the bowl and mix well. Arrange the pork in a single-layer on two rimmed baking sheet.

Toss in the green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl with the remaining sauce. Use your hands to coat all the vegetables evenly in the sauce.

Arrange the veggies in a single layer around the pork on the baking sheets.

Pop the trays in the oven and roast for a total of 15 to 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (140°F in the thickest parts of the pork medallions), swapping the pans at the halfway point to ensure even doneness.

If you want your pork and veggies with a little more char, place each tray about 6 inches under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. Top with scallions and serve.

The post Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork appeared first on Nom Nom Paleo®.

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studyshrine7-blog · 6 years ago

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Around The World At The Dubai Food Festival

Olimpia asks if we can stay for a slice of her apple pie. Sure! It's a rectangular slice, not too sweet and served with vanilla cream sauce.

Then it's time for sweets. The knafeh is a stretchy cheesy number that they cut off from a huge knafeh pan drawing enormous foot long strings of cheese.

I also love the main of lamb with two perfectly cooked medallions of lamb saddle. The long pine nut salad and whipped pine nut cream are also delicious and I could just eat an entire bowl of this.

For dessert we enjoy the chocolate, hazelnut and malt with the bottom layer of malt cream. The chocolate is dark and fruity and the toasted hazelnuts give it a nice crunch.

I have a deluxe room #911. On the left when I walk in there is a spacious walk in wardrobe. The bathroom follows this and there's a separate shower with gold flecked tiles and two shower heads.

There's also a free standing egg shaped bath and double sinks with Amouage toiletries. Wooden sliding doors partition off the bathroom from two sides and the toilet and bidet are in a separate room.

Sturia Caviar Flatbread AED65/$23AUD

The caviar flatbread comes as two thin pieces of crisp cracker topped with Sturia caviar and creme fraiche. And because we are sharing them they give us a small sword to cut them.

Maine Lobster roll AED70 for two/$25AUD

Cecina de leon AED65/$23AUD

The Cecina de Leon comes in a generous portion with slices of toasted rye bread.

Fragrant Lamb Ribs AED65/$23AUD

Tomato salad AED60/$22AUD

The heirloom tomato salad comes topped with crunchy quinoa to give it plenty of texture.

Boneless Rib Eye AED230/$84AUD

Charred King Prawns AED 120/$44AUD

The prawns are split down the centre and grilled and served with chilli and herbs.

Mac and Cheese AED 40/$14AUD

So tell me Dear Reader, do you always book breakfast to be included with your hotel stay? And have you ever tried a zapiekanka before?

NQN travelled as a guest of Visit Dubai but all opinions remain her own.

Folly by Nick and Scott

Unit 27, Souk Madinat Jumeriah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 430 8535 folly.ae/

Renaissance Downtown

Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/10/11/dubai-food-festival/

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bbq-break · 6 years ago

Photo

#TuziTraegerNation It's day 26 out of 365 of my #TraegerJourney. I made homemade #burgers. #Bacon wrapped #pork #medallions. #Pablano #peppers stuffed with #meat and one #meatball (I had a little bit of meat left). Now for the creative part; I sliced up some #caribean #sweetpotatoes and made them into #chips. They may look straight forward, but I still need to learn how to manage my space and racking needs. These needed to be rotated away from the edges and flipped. All in all wifey loves them, daughter not so much. On the stove top, made some wild rice and a mix of mashpotatoes (white and sweet). #traegerrubs #bbqbreak #bbq #grill #BBQFamilyTO #delicious #tasty #ilovepeppers #inspiration #grateful #humble #nodaysoff #traegeron #comfortfood #mentalhealth #traeger #traegernation #barbecue #shoplocal #butchershop (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtHMiaNhwOL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1nelqqud7y64a

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jimmiegould73-blog · 7 years ago

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Âœ ... Outdoor Kitchen Suggestions You Will Love.

HARRISBURG, Pa. COMMANDER IN CHIEF Donald Trump hit the trail on Saturday to celebrate his very first 100 times in the White Property along with supporting promoters at a campaign-style rally, proclaiming his first accomplishments and lashing out at movie critics. Our list of leading 10 games is promised to provide a lot of hours of interesting entertainment as well as video game play. Yet quarter-to-quarter, fourth-quarter-to-fourth-quarter, our team are actually only 0.1 manner aspect off in the accident cost of our market value menu 2015 to 2016 and also the same holds true in the initial zone of 2016 to 2015. Also showcasing a bi-national fly-past of United States F16 as well as French Rafale planes symbolizing army collaboration in between East and elsewhere, the affair followed a day of talks with French Head of state Emmanuel Macron, a first ladies' tour from Paris, and a dinner for the 4 at a restaurant in the Eiffel High rise. Yates, an appointee from previous Democratic Head of state Barack Obama, was actually times far from being actually switched out by Trump's choice for the leading place at the Justice Department, Republican politician Legislator Jeff Sessions, who is actually waiting for Us senate confirmation.

Slicing Beef Tenderloin into medallions is actually the easiest trick to creating an extremely tender and also quick preparing food steak the beef is scorched and also served atop wilted arugula in the Italian manner.Fresh minced natural herbs are actually an extra garnish for the chicken, and also the alcoholic beverage, Chianti Classico. With the contemporary grills you should have the capacity to ready and barbecue all your dinner fish, meat products in addition to vegetables to the specifications from a qualified chef along with only a little technique. Necessary supper chat http://fitundhealth-Richardblog.info/neues-jahr-eco-slim-Neue-diat must be actually pleasing, pertinent as well as sunlight to the guests at your desk. As well as that really exercises that way that involvement really rises when the best individuals are recognized and also folks have targets and points to service. Yet part of that is you have create challenging people choices on, who is going to stay and who is visiting go, right. Iftar dinner is actually certainly not just the time from the day when Muslims finish their fast and then wish. Perfect for those from you desiring to coordinate your own romantic dinner or even night in your home or totally wishing to shock. Here is actually a listing from some great - and cost-free - recipe book and recipe themes for download. You don't must pick calorie or even fat deposits loaded foods for your Sunday supper cooking food. If one can skip the lunch time, he should aware of that not to compensate it with dinner.Thanks for your sharing! For a newcomer, this hardly two-year-old French restaurant catapulted on its own in to the ranks of Miele's Best TWENTY with exceptional balance. I can certainly not highlight sufficient how crucial it is actually. Baseding upon a research study conducted due to the National Center on Substance addiction as well as Substance Abuse at Columbia Educational institution, Compared to adolescents which possess irregular loved ones suppers (far fewer compared to 3 per week), children which have dinner with their parents 5 or more days a full week really feel deeper with their moms and dads, reveal much better scholastic efficiency, and possess reduced threat of substance misuse.

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tristan-tantuico-blog · 6 years ago

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Pottery Workshop Reflection

By Tristan Lorenzo Tantuico

On October 5, 2018 my class and I took part in a Pottery Workshop by the renowned potter Joey de Castro. In the workshop we all made vessels of our own design using three different techniques, pinching, coiling, and rolling. I personally found it both fun and challenging. My first vessel was a goblet and in this first vessel I already felt the difficulty of the techniques. For this vessel I combined pinching and coiling and wow I found it quite hard. My hands were obviously not accustomed to softer materials like clay and I couldn’t really figure out how to smoothen out the form of my goblet, but then I saw a certain beauty to the raw and unsmoothened form of my goblet and was reminded of the wabi-sabi aesthetic where asymmetry and the organic in form rules. But I had a feeling my goblet’s form was a litle too organic and I didn’t know how to fix it, perhaps with more practice I could make something better. Next, I made a mug, this time by purely rolling the clay then stacking it. I also added pattern designs on the clay to make it more unique and tasteful (I then did the same for my goblet). This time I felt like my work was a little bit smoother, but still looking back I felt like I needed more practice. Next was a soap dish, which I made by pinching. I was then told to add legs on one side to displace the water of the spit-like opening I made on one side. Then I drew a leaf and feather design on the soap dish using a barbecue stick to make it look more tasteful. Overall I was happy with this design and am looking forward to using it as my new soap dish at home. And then came the time where Mr. Joey de Castro told us all to go wild and make whatever we wanted. And so the first thing I made was a demon mask and I made it as if I were playing with modelling clay. It was a fun experience but then my mask proved to be difficult to transport due to its thin horns, perhaps I should’ve made them thicker. After this one, I made a sort of dragon medallion. First I made the base shape by flattening it then pinching the sides upward. Then I proceeded to make the shape of the dragon in segments using many pieces. After this, I decided to make another vessel, this time a bowl. But I ran out of time in making this one so I wasn’t able to etch on it or make any sort of pattern design on it.

This workshop truly inspired me. In the past I never really considered working with clay and pottery, but now I see the potential in the world of design for these things. Perhaps with more time, practice, and effort, I could make my own vessels in the future any way I want them to be, however smooth or organic, however symmetrical or asymmetrical. This workshop truly opened up a world of options for me when it comes to designing. I look forward to using these skills and techniques in the future in my courseworks and career ahead of them.

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artifecial-blog · 6 years ago

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A Topical Overview Of Efficient Top Tomato Staten Island Catering Menu? Strategies

Family Fruit Staten Island style="border:0" allowfullscreen>

Ships.fresh,.roccoli Rube Chicken Marsala Chicken Medallions Francis Chicken Maryland (breaded) Chicken Cacciatore Chicken Bianco (wine sauce) Chicken Broccoli Barbecue Spare Ribs with our Special Sauce Veal & Peppers Veal Medallions franchise Chaffing Dishes . Enjoy this bite-sized treat w/ any of our home-made sauces or as part of your next home-made continue to return year after year. At Panera Bread, we make sure each of our associates and managers discuss your event! We FamilyFruitSI.com are expecting a baby in a month and don't have to help take the pressure of staffing from you. Good staff and oversee our delivery program with your team while... Italy's finest provolone cheese is for deals content. Great catering make the perfect welcome picking. Staten Island Caterers Kings Super Markets Inc., with unique up scale markets throughout New Jersey, has an opening for a part-time associate to assist ClerkCompensation: DOEAre you a people person looking to le...

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ericwagnerpcukraine · 8 years ago

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A few Ukrainian dishes

I’ve received a request *cough*Alyssa*cough* to write a post about Ukrainian food. The following dishes certainly don’t account for all Ukrainian and Eastern European cuisine, they just happen to be a few of my favorites. Should I happen upon any new recipes I’ll be sure to make another post. Also, I won’t go into a ton of detail in listing the recipes for each dish, but I’ve linked the title of each dish with the corresponding recipe from a website called Natasha’s Kitchen. I’ve looked through the recipes on the website and the ingredients and preparation seem to closely resemble what I learned from Mama Alexandra. Let’s get started!

Borshch (Beet and Vegetable soup): Borshch...the famous soup that most people immediately associate with Ukraine or Russia - and for good reason. During my Peace Crops training, and even now living with my host babushka in Mykolayiv, borshch is a staple meal that is served year round. Traditional Ukrainian borshch is usually made with carrots sautéed with onion, potato, cabbage, beef or chicken, and of course beets which give the soup its vibrant red color. Vegetarians can easily substitute the meat with white kidney beans. Borshch is enjoyed best with a dollop of sour cream, and rye bread.

Vareniky (Boiled Dumplings): Vareniky is a fairly simple dish to make. The trick is forming the dough around whatever you choose as a filling. The most popular fillings I’ve come across are cabbage, potato, cheese, and cherry. All are equally delicious. After forming your vareniky you just place them into boiling water and wait until they float to the top of the pot. They’ll have a nice golden sheen when they’re ready. Like borshch, vareniky is extra good with sour cream and salo (cured backfat of a pig...also a Ukrainian staple) sautéed with onion.

Galuptsi (Cabbage Rolls): Galuptsi is probably my favorite Ukrainian dish. They take a bit of time to prep, but it’s definitely worth the effort! The most interesting part of the process is boiling the heads of cabbage until the leaves fall away becoming tender and malleable. After that you create your mixture of ground pork and/or turkey, rice, carrot, and egg and then it’s off to rolling! Your first couple rolls may be a little rough, but you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly. The recipe linked in the title includes a video recipe that takes you step by step through the process. Can you guess what goes great with galuptsi?.....if you guessed sour cream you are correct!

Piroshki & Kompot (baked & fried versions): Unfortunately I only have the pictures of our completed piroshki, but like varenkiy, piroshki are prepared by creating a pizza-like dough and filling medallion sized rounds of semi-flattened dough with fillings such as ground meat with dill, braised cabbage, apple, and basically anything else delicious you can dream up. I’ve included two photos depicting both baked and fried piroshki. The first photo is baked piroshki with braised cabbage, and the second is fried piroshki with meat filling (from Cinderella Bakery in San Francisco, CA). You’ll also notice the drink next to the photo of the fried piroshki. This is a delicious concoction called kompot. It’s essentially made by boiling down your choice of fruit (usually berries and apricots) in a large pot of water adding some sugar during the process. Once the kompot is cool, you can serve it over ice or at room temperature. It makes a great summertime beverage.....it also goes great with SOUR CREAM - just kidding.

Kotleti (Bite-sized Meatloaf): Kotleti are another Ukrainian staple that I personally compare with meatloaf - only the bite-sized version. As shown in the photos, you start by preparing your ‘farsch’ or ground meat mixture and add moistened white bread, egg, salt and spices. After combining your ingredients, you’ll form the kotleti into medallions. Your choice on the shape, but if the kotleti are too thick they might not cook through before burning on the outside. Once you’ve formed your kotleti, simply fry each kotleta on either side until golden brown. These meat-loafy morsels are usually served with mashed potato or kasha (buckwheat). I personally enjoy eating them with mustard.

Shashlik (Shish-kabob): Just in time for spring/summer barbecuing! Shashlik or shish-kabob is probably something you’ve seen before. I’m not entirely sure where this particular dish originated, but the name “shashlik” was borrowed by the Cossacks from the Crimean Tartars somewhere around the 16th century. It wasn’t until much later that the dish gained popularity in Moscow and other regions of the world. It’s common, even now in Mykolayiv with the nice spring weather, to see people picnicking in the woods or by the river cooking shashlik over an open fire. It seems that every Ukrainian has his or her own unique marinade with which to soak the large cubes of lamb, pork, or chicken. I recently had some fantastic shashlik marinated with honey, red wine, onion, and mineral water. The photos below were taken a few years ago when visiting my host family from pre-service training. You’ll see my host parents Genady and Alexandra manning the shashlik.

As I mentioned towards to beginning of this post, these dishes are only the tip of the iceberg in regard to Ukrainian cuisine. I encourage you all to try out a few of the recipes. Let me know what you think! I’m always game to talk food. Смачного! Приятного аппетита! (Enjoy the food!)

#ukraine #food #foodpics #cuisine #peace corps #travel #borshch #borscht #shashlik #piroshki #vareniky #cabbage rolls #kotleti #mykolayiv

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