After a long rest under a thick blanket of snow, the earth awakens with splendid flowers suffused with sunlight and the sap of life - anemones, tulips, daffodils. That is precisely why flowers are an indispensable part of a spring table setting, and they need no pompous vases or bright bows. Spring flowers in clear, pure forms and natural simplicity.
These world-famous, centuries-old festivities were held this year from 26 February to 8 March. Eyewitnesses say everything unfolded just as splendidly and pompously - only the weather conditions were less than ideal: damp and rainy. Photos from this year's carnival.
This month we are fans of Sicily, as it is one of those places on the world map where one would someday love to go. Initially, hearing the word Sicily, one associates it with the mafia, the Corleone surname, the constantly active volcano Etna, sunshine, and the sea. But one wants not only to see Sicily but also to taste it - which is why this is specifically about Sicilian wines. They brought new discoveries and even falling in love with one wine that comes from the very foot of the Etna volcano.
Pizzica is an appealing, highly rhythmic, and "catchy" Italian music and dance. I first heard pizzica in the art film Ne Te Retourne Pas (2009), starring two wonderful actresses Monica Bellucci and Sophie Marceau, when the heroine Jeanne, trying to remember her past and find herself, entered an Italian home where a celebration was taking place. Initially the dance was like a flirtation between an unknown man and woman, later transforming into a dance of rivalry between two women. Looking it up online and reading descriptions of the dance, it turns out this short film fragment captured the essence of the dance very well.
Inspired by the latest wine event dedicated to food and wine pairing, and having received the recipe from Larisa, I made a chocolate cake. It is wonderfully simple with a heavenly dark chocolate flavour, yet at the same time slightly fiddly in the baking process. I made it twice to achieve a smooth brown surface without cracks. What I like is that there's no need for flour.
A traditional walk with a camera in hand through the streets of Old Riga and Riga's city centre on the evening of 31 December. This year I captured the New Year's Eve feeling from white mulled wine and a caramelised apple at Dome Square. I must say, this year Riga was bathed in lights of various colours, with an avenue of 25 fir trees and a huge panoramic wheel at Līvu Square.
Continuing to review the collection and sweet memories - four more drinks from three distant lands. Those already tasted and those still waiting their turn.
If you're planning a trip to distant lands and wondering what to bring back home - something for the heart and soul, to let the family taste the flavour of that place - I'd be happy to share our experience from travels to various countries. So then, let's get to the home bar audit!
Nothing brings the Christmas feeling closer than the aroma of mulled wine and gingerbread. For several years before the holidays we have a tradition of baking homemade gingerbread cookies, first cutting out all kinds of shapes from the dough. This year, of course, the top pick will be large and small rabbit figures (after all, the Year of the White Rabbit is approaching). But this time it's not about that. I offer a dessert made from the already-baked gingerbread cookies - a lovely treat for guests on the third Sunday of Advent.
From the very first moments of the presentation I understood that writing about these wines and this wine region would be much easier, as it is far freer from canons. California wines account for 9/10 of all wines produced across the great United States. The climate is wonderfully obliging - warm and sunny almost all year round. The fundamental principle: simplicity and accessibility for the wine drinker.