Where I come from...

I grew up on a simple but very tasty Russian food. Chicken, potatoes, soup, liver, meatballs -- these were staples at our dinner table. It was never fancy and the closest my mom's cooking came to French food was when she made my favourite Beef-French Style. I am not sure why it was called that, but that was the name. It was just simple pieces of beef, layered with onions, cheese, mayo and then baked. The crust was the best! Сheesy and gooey. The food was very quick, simple. Pan fried chicken thighs (I never really liked chicken breasts) and boiled buckwheat or pork chops with mashed potatoes or liver with lots of flavourful sauteed onions or... I rarely make this food now... It's too nostalgic, it reminds me too much of my life before I came to Canada, of my childhood...

My grandparents grew a lot of fruits and vegetables at their cottage (not farm). Nothing comes close to tomatoes that they grew at there hot house. Fragrant, sweet, meaty! I've never tasted anything like it since then. There were different types of cucumbers, apples, potatoes, strawberries. Oh, how I miss black, white and red currants, gooseberries, wild strawberries, sour cherries that I had as a child. It's at our cottage that I wanted to cook and I did so with my grandma a few times, nothing special, just some sandwiches, but I was, oh, so proud of myself.

I was never interested in cooking when I was young. And my mom never forced me to be in the kitchen. She always said that I have my whole life to be in a kitchen when I grow up and I should just enjoy my childhood without worrying about cooking or cleaning. I thank my mom for that, for my carefree childhood days, for me not knowing how to do the dishes until I was 12. It is one of the best gifts that she gave me... My memories with no worries or troubles in sight...

And now, so many years later, when I washed and cleaned numerous pots and dishes. Now when my thoughts run around food, baking, ingredients all the time. Now when I cannot imagine my life without my kitchen. Now when I am learning to properly caramelize onions, to make a perfect creamy ice cream, to bake a flourless chocolate torte... Now I am here! I am here to share my love for this amazing, wonderful art - Cooking and Baking.