a journey into the emerging countries of the European Union, a vacation "behind the Iron Curtain" to 20 years to the fall of the Berlin Wall that has brought us from Poland (Warsaw) to Russia (St. Petersburg) through the Baltic Republics ( Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn). We have discovered the fascinating capital, a pleasant resort on the sea \u200b\u200band lakes, beer at bargain prices and traditions such as the sweet banya.
focusing on those aspects related to this food blog, the first mention deserves the covered market in Riga, the largest in Europe, scenically located inside of 5 hangars where the Zeppelins were produced, a stone's throw from the historic center of the Latvian capital. 
the fish sector where few qualities present (salmon, sturgeon, trout, carp, cod) are present in countless variations, mostly preserved (dried, marinated, cooked, smoked) or bizarrely presented (whole trays of heads of salmon, perhaps to prepare the soup, or pull up live carp from the tanks directly on the counter). Photogenic and banks of stored products, where boxes and boxes in their colorful and shiny metallic evening dress make it look more appealing products that contain, certainly not very attractive to those accustomed to the daily fresh Mediterranean products.
short range even on the benches, outdoor department fruits and vegetables: cucumbers (variety and size of a thousand - who would have thought-fresh or preserved), two or three colors of potatoes, onions, tomatoes and cabbages. Fantastic, eye and mouth, the berries an ... satisfaction scofanarsi pound of sweet raspberries for the price of a 125g Italian vaschettina that we make them seem a luxury for important tables. Quite amazing (although I hate wandering around in the butcher because they do not tolerate the smell) the hangar of the meat, especially abundant in poultry and pork in various forms (even whole hams still raw) and strange game (elk, deer, beavers ...) and where I was almost hit by a truck headed pig (grrrrr ....) driven to full speed.
Almost all women with the sale, strong Baltic of all ages and wonderfully flawed imparruccate, few people even among the buyers. And in general in those parts seem to be women to have in hand the everyday life of society, the overwhelming majority for example, to drive public transport.
Among the delicious taste, the Pierogi in Poland, spread in a variety such as "ravioli" (boiled with an outdoor meal more like Eastern Europe that our egg) or type panzerotto (baked with a Outdoor type bread dough). In both cases, the fillings are meat, meat and vegetables or just vegetables, spices ... served variously in Poland (I had already tasted in Krakow) pierogerie in which only serve this dish in many variations. 
For Lithuania, flat land of forests and lakes, to signal the mushrooms and berries as well as a lot of game (wild boar, beaver, various birds ...). One of the more interesting things and are the typical cepelinai (huge potato dumplings, compact size of a fist, filled with minced meat and vegetables - but I have also eaten in small version, without filling and served with a sweet blueberry sauce - definitely insipid) and the national dish is the soup cold beet red (the color pink alien decided ... but all in all good).
Latvia seem famous (but are spread everywhere and remind bliyni Russians) for invented pancakes (flour or potatoes) served at every meal with a thousand sweet and savory combinations (eggs, ham, cheese, salmon, wild berry sauce, cottage cheese and so on and so forth).
Throughout this holiday we have accompanied the many local beers with what the menu in English is offered as snacks with beer "(in Russia the company is also" snack with vodka ", often based on herring ) which consists of sticks of brown bread-sometimes with fennel-fried in butter, I'm afraid! and nibble to accompany the drinks, sometimes dipped in creamy cheese sauce. Absolutely unhealthy but definitely very good, an unusual junk food! In some places you can drink beer with accompanying fish snack (which is no coincidence that they are not sold in supermarkets between chips and nuts, but always and only beer in the hallway): dried squid strips, small fish, salmon sticks ... I did stock up!
... and after the plums, peaches! impossible to resist the fruits of ... season peaches this time are not used to my work (this week over the wave of yellow plums, the fridge is full of tomatoes ....), but were nonetheless the product of the season in most avveo vglia this week end: sweet, juicy and firm .. perfect in combination with mini-nocciolini recently reported from Piedmont ... 
Try bikini, but not too much. First lazy, Saturday lunch, standing in just the first heat of the summer (May ah and Spring, you say? fano 30 degrees outside but ...), hungry, but wanted to light ... The first is 
The spaghetti with clams are a classic dish, so classic that it seems there is nothing to say or to be invented, everyone has a "secret ingredient" (such as white wine, half a tablespoon of flour to mix, none of which put into practice by me ...) or proven technology. 
The rice cake and 'a classic sweet, simple, healthy ... in Tuscany that you like this place today, the whole rice with the ground or in the form of pastry, which is also a slices in bars and bakeries. 
As you can see from the shot which took over a furtive hand intent on stealing a trophic steaming from the pan, the dish is successful! 
Fresca fresh back from business trip in Shanghai, I could not immediately take advantage of the memories imprinted in my mouth for a week of exotic meals. But having little time because the show takes over and a week's absence also means a lot of work accumulated leave a quieter weekend experiments on rice and noodles and fragrant rolls and dumplings ... For now I'm focused on a treat some fusion of my own two feet, based on the problem of how to use the crunchy bits Ginseng toasted honey bought in a delirious visit to a grocery store where I brought home all sorts of things from the attractive packaging and the content often mysterious by the absence of words in Latin characters. 
American Pie, not just a lucky string of zany films, but the very symbol of traditional American pastries, cake that Grandma Duck offers to cool on the windowsill of his farm, so to speak. In short, a myth for those who are not American, at least at the level of iconography. 
PROCEDURE 
for fast post-fast snack. I have read in recent days that Sigrid has been tested and approved version raw in a salad of "his" and I wanted to sprout groped too .... 
March 8, festival ', no party, mimosa,' mimosa no strippers ... I would say no, but intended as a mimosa-flowers-is', even throughout the spring, not only on the 8th March!, because it has a scent that I love her yellow ball and bring joy. Mimosa understood as the cake, usually no, I do not like crabs ... so I thought I'd do it my way. 
Winter is hopefully on its last legs - even though Milan is now a gray, a grigioooo - so I have to hurry to post this recipe for a cake typical winter Chestnut steps before the desire to give way to sweet Easter. 
La Befana, in my part of Lucca (not in the rest of Tuscany), in addition to being the old lady who dispenses gifts and coal to bad and good on the night of the Epiphany is the name of these delicious cookies " to soak, "which is prepared by January 5, pending the arrival of the party. 
