I have lived in the UK for 21 years, and until very recently when I was asked where I come from and I replied Bulgaria, people would immediately lose interest.
I tried very hard to be proud of being from Eastern Europe, but it was almost impossible. I knocked on so many editor’s doors asking to write about the food of Georgia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria, only to be told that they didn’t think this was food that was of interest to anybody as it was food for severe cold climates. Everybody thought that Eastern Europeans ate only bread and dumplings. In fact, the word dumpling was perceived as a derogatory term, as though the mere reading of it would make you put on weight!
In the US you have several good food writers writing about the cuisines of eastern Europe. What makes me different is that not only am I an Eastern European native, but I am also very assimilated into the West, and thus am able to present this cuisine so that it does not intimidate or turn off those not familiar with it. I have stayed true to the flavors and tastes of the region while creating dishes that everybody in the UK and USA will feel comfortable with, and I have used flavor combinations and contrasts to add an element of excitement or surprise.
I am particularly thrilled that the book is available in the US, as I am not only a typical Eastern European in my adoration of all things American, but also know how many of you hail from Eastern Europe. I believe that the style of the book as well as the photography makes this book stunning and puts it up there with any other gorgeous cookbook! Previously, all the cookbooks I have seen on Eastern European cooking have been as plain and gray looking as the West’s perception of the food itself. Please do not misunderstand me, many are great books with great recipes, but they sometimes lack a visual presentation. Part of my mission was to make sure that I had the best designer and best possible photographer on the job, so we could make the book as handsome and appealing as the food itself.
Silvena's Beginnings: From Bulgarian Kitchen to Cookbook Author
In your book you mention the great cooks of your past - your grandmother, your mother. You obviously grew up with great love and respect for food. You mention your father often as well. Did he also cook? Is this unusual in the culture of Bulgaria or other Eastern and Central European countries?
My father is half Turkish and never followed a recipe when he cooked, but he would often recall dishes his grandmother made, and then he would recreate them from memory! My father kept things simple, his dishes always smelled wonderful and tasted amazing. My mum was a very good cook, but not as good as my father, who was a natural. I always say that many people can cook well, but only a few have the natural ability to create food with unforgettable taste, taste that you want for the rest of your life. My father did exactly that.
And yes, it was unusual for man to cook back then, but my father was partly Turkish. He was the king of eggplant!
Collecting Recipes - the Foundation of Eastern and Central Europe Cooking
You include traditional recipes as well as contemporary. How did you set about working on this book? Did you travel through the countryside? Visit restaurants? Spend hours in your own kitchen?
I was fortunate that the political situation changed so that a number of Eastern European countries were allowed into the EU, which in turn created an interest in those cuisines.
I traveled. I speak Russian as well. I went to Russia, Georgia, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria. I read everything written about the foods of that region. I have a cookbook library with over 1300 cookbooks. Lately, I only read cookbooks. Sad in one way, but great in another as I have a huge culinary knowledge, one which is constantly growing.
Georgia was amazing. We felt like discoverers — we were received so well, we ate so well. We went to villages where people lived as though it was the 1950’s. Then we traveled on, saw the wealth of Moscow, continued to medieval Poland, then to a still very Ottoman Hungary that is also home to cutting edge western style restaurants. Everywhere we traveled we made sure to visit the villages as well as the cities. I was particularly fascinated by the dishes of Georgia and Hungary, about which I knew the least.
The process of selection was tricky. I wanted to give an overview of the flavors of the region, and point out the similarities and differences. I thought it would be more interesting to arrange the book by flavors than by regions, hence the chapters with their various flavors/main ingredient titles. I also love the writing of Tolstoy, Pushkin, Turgenev, so I tried to place their words among the recipes, like Gogol with his magic. I had to do my own translation in order to avoid any problems with copyright.
The Culture under Central and Eastern Europe Cooking - Holidays, Teas and the Vodka Ceremony
The book is rich in cultural information and many things stood out to us. We were immediately struck by the idea that a guest is so highly esteemed that the host writes a thank you note to the guest. Are there special times for visiting? A special ritual requiring special foods? Is there a tea ceremony, for instance? Or perhaps a vodka ceremony!
One thing that remains very much evident in the countries of Eastern Europe is the human element. Despite their poor lives people always try to eat well. People are very generous with food, which has always been a belief of mine. Generosity when feeding guests is just so important; you should give everything you can to make people feel welcome! We visited homes where people gave us so much food—food that possibly was meant for their entire week—but they did it with no hesitation at all.
The Vodka Ceremony
There is a vodka ceremony, one with constant toasting that goes on throughout the entire night. Vodka is swallowed in one swig—not sipped—then a toast follows, then a vodka chaser, then a nibble—or as we call them zakuski. It is incredible how the Russians never run out of toasts — starting with a toast to the host, then to the company and so on, right down to toasting the cat perhaps, though this at much later stage in the evening.
Tea is special too, although there is little time for tea ceremony nowadays. There are few samovars left in operation today.
Christmas and Easter are very special. I have not mentioned too many foods in the current book, as I have a fabulous new book coming out March 2008. The working title is Borscht &Tears, a comprehensive book which will have special Christmas and Easter chapters. I will keep you posted — my idea was always to introduce the flavors in one book (the current book), and then to go deeper into each cuisine.
What are your personal favorites of the foods of the region? We bet dumplings rank high since they are the perfect comfort food.
I adore dumplings; they are easy, homely and very good for you! I refer to them as Eastern European dim-sum! Every culture seems to have its form of dumpling. They are similar to Indian somosas, Chinese dim-sum, Japanese gyoza, and so on—so give it a go!
I admit to loving meat, so cooking with veal and quince is heaven, I love using sweet and sour combinations in savoury dishes.
We noticed those sweet and sour dishes with eagerness. And the use of that very healthy pomegranate And yogurt, of course. And we noticed that when you aren't toasting with Vodka, you use it in cooking. We thank you for bringing exciting new combinations to us. And now, we think we'll begin cooking - one of those Eastern or Central European dishes, of course. Maybe a dish using those wonderful cherries - Chocolate Cake with Cherry filling?
©
