"Caviar is to dining what a sable coat is to a girl in evening dress." Ludwig Bemelmans

Italian Wedding Soup traces its origins to Italy, where it was called "Minestra Maritata," meaning "married soup." The name refers to the blending of ingredients like meat and leafy greens, a tradition dating back to ancient Roman times when similar soups were made with whatever was on hand.

This green Greek-style salad highlights ingredients that have been staples in Mediterranean kitchens since antiquity. Dill and feta were commonly paired in Greek home cooking long before tomatoes became widespread, making this fresh, herb-forward salad closer to the oldest forms of Greek salads.

Grandma’s yeast fritters (дрожжевые оладьи) come from traditional Russian home cooking and are common throughout Eastern Europe. They were especially popular in village households, where yeast doughs were everyday food and ingredients like flour, milk (or water), and oil were always on hand. These fritters were often made on weekends or for holidays, served warm with sour cream, honey, jam, or sugar.

Life is full of tough decisions, like choosing between a juicy apple and a slice of apple pie – but why not have both and call it balanced fruitrition!