Bloggers Around the World February Round-Up: Russia

Here we are once again at the edge of another month and ... well ... eh ... I myself might be at the edge of madness as well, but ... no worries ... you already knew. Due to the first mentioned edge, it's time to ... take over the world. Sorry, that would be due to the second edge. You must understand, I am a bit edgy lately.

In order to cut things short: The end of February means, we are facing another amazing round-up of Bloggers Around the World. Russia, that is this time ...

Isn't that wonderful? We are about to see. Feel it as it begins to unfold before your eyes and palate ...

It Can't Always Be Caviar ... why not ... Blini with Caviar and with Smoked Salmon

Did you know that you use a lot less than 1 % of the capacity of your brain? Or that the brain processes about 100 million bits of information every second? Or that the brain makes up only 2 % of the body's weight (of course only if you are not excessively over-weighted)? Or that the billions upon billions of nerve cells in your brain make about as many as a quadrillion connections?
For sure you do know, that oh so very often that you are not able to find things in your brain, although you know it has to be there. What about finding things you didn't know they were there?
Before this month is over, I have another post for Bloggers Around the World: Russia ... although the Olympics are over by now. I recently made some blini and topped them with caviar and smoked salmon respectively.

Now I was looking for a title for my blog post ...

Life, Darkness, Randomness, Chocolate ... Apple Shortcake with Chocolate Chip Cream

I made it to the weekend again. Pah ... what's the use of it, nothing is ever going to happen. Fine, yes, fine, you are right ... then you have to make it happen yourself ... and so I did. The evening had already advanced a bit and so I took my bike for a right around town ... village ... hamlet ... whatever. You can imagine that would be quite some fun ... darkness ... winter ... bicycle-tour ... idiot me! First I went down the way past the office and after that unknown territory when it comes to the bicycle. Luckily I had my cap and gloves along. On the minus side I didn't bother to take my glasses along. Not seeing where you are going with the bike can give you some kicks of adrenaline from time to time. Anyway, the route went up and down, the little dog wasn't hit by a bicycle and the fact that I am writing things here right now proves that things didn't go that bad after all.
I reckon, even stupid exercise at night would entitle me for a sweet treat today ...
Ah, I need something anyway ... 

Besides all that I already had planned to join two lovely blog challenges this month ... Random Recipes and We Should Cocoa. In fact they have morphed into one challenge kind of for this very month of February. You will see ...

Lord of the Cupcakes ... Peanut and Bacon Cupcakes

As strangely as you know me, I had an idea for a blog post. It was supposed to go somehow like this ...

Three Cupcakes for the gluten-free under the sky.

Seven for the chocolate-lovers in their halls of stone,

Nine for Mortal Men doomed to eat,

One for the Dark Baker in his dark kitchen

In the Land of Sugar where the Calories lies.

One Cupcake to rule them all,

One Cupcake to find them,

One Cupcake to bring them all,

and in the sweetness bind them

In the Land of Sugar where the Calories lie.

Well, well, well, that was about the idea. Logically there were supposed to be baked goods on it. Here we go ...

Now, the question would have been, totally hypothetical, of course,whether that would be the one cupcake for you ...

Beef and Fennel Tagine without a Tagine

I think I haven't got any more space left in my kitchen to put things. Well, maybe a few small things could fit in somewhere. However, if I wanted to have any possible special cooking gear, I would be in real trouble. After all my raclette grill and my wok are already in the cellar. Ah, my barbie is there as well, of course. Yes, a bamboo steamer basket would be lovely or something that could be used more regularly, a food processor, a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, or a pasta machine or a quiche tin. Wait, I definitely have to work on the last one tomorrow.
But something else, a tagine. That would look lovely and it would be another good experience to cook with. Nevertheless, I haven't got one. Still I wanted to cook a Beef and Fennel Tagine. Let's see whether we can cook a Beef and Fennel Tagine without a Tagine ...

Long Due Vegetarian Borscht with Mushrooms

Sometimes things come together. Sometimes it takes a while until they do. As you know we are visiting Russia for our Bloggers Around the World challenge this month.
Usually what you have to do - that is if you don't have any kind of particular knowledge in that kind of cuisine - is do some research on that cuisine, in this instance, Russian cuisine. Well, as I told you, what comes to my mind in connection with Russian cuisine, is borscht or you may want to call it borshch. Anyway, I even have to do research for that. Still there are variations. Some put meat in it, some add cabbage and ...
... today we are having none of that. Since this going to be vegetarian, of course there will be no meat, but there won't be any cabbage either, although some believe that it is an essential ingredient in borscht.
But have a look ...

What do you say?

Breaking Bad ... ? ... Baking Bread ... BAT sandwich ... ?

Sometimes things can be quite confusing and get mixed up. Because of that, at times I end up writing the second word even before I have started finishing the first word. Therefore baking bread can easily turn into breaking bad. Not that I want to write about any analogies between the crime drama series and the production of baked goods. I wouldn't have any ideas regarding that ... right now.
Anyway, why the confusion? Is it because of limited rain capacity, stress, information overload or any kind of subconscious dealings with hidden problems from the past. No, I don't want to take a psychological approach to bread baking either, although ... as far as I see it,breaking your own bread can be quite relaxing and you have a wonderful smell in the house and ... if you do not mess it up totally... you get a lovely tasting bread and ... for example ... you could do a delicious sandwich with your own bread, like this Open BAT sandwich ...

No, that wasn't a reference to Batman, just Bacon Avocado Tomato Sandwich.
What is your favourite approach ... no, I'm not referring to the psychological thing again ... method and way of baking your own bread?

Dangerous dieting, but soup is good for you - Winter Minestrone

I reckon, life can be quite dangerous as a food blogger ... when you are at least as crazy as I am ... at least. Otherwise, how would you call baking a Sachertorte just for your 2nd Blogiversary? As I don't throw away food, I will inevitably end up with having problems putting my trousers on. Yes, no help arrived in helping me eat that cake. 
Anyway, repeated incidents like this will turn you into being overweight. That can make life quite hard, especially when you want to go swimming at the Sea and at the same time activists of Greenpeace are nearby. For sure they will aid you in getting back into the Sea, where you obviously belong.
Now, you could also choose the way of dieting as some have the custom to do at the beginning of every year or ... no wonder ... close to the beach season. From the latter we are still far off.
In case you have found a diet that is working well for you beware that it isn't working too well. In order to help you with that I have some clues for you when to stop dieting ...

2nd Blogiversary and Cake

A long long time ago ...

... eh ...

... about two years ago I started blogging with Cooking Around the World. Who would have thought I would be still doing it today!? What has happened in those two years? Where have I gotten myself to and where will this be going?
Questions and still more questions. I think what we need right now is not answers, but cake ...

Without a cake we cannot celebrate properly. That is a Sachertorte, originating from a recipe that was created in Austria ... quite some time ago. It's named after Austrian Franz Sacher, who lived in the 1830s. Whatsoever, it's one of the most famous Viennese culinary specialties. In other words, a worthy cake for my 2nd Blogiversary.
I reckon we just need some flowers then ...

Good, now we are ready. So, come along and have a piece of cake ...

Food Olympics ... Bloggers Around the World: Russia

In just a few days the 22nd Winter Olympics will start, on 7th of February to be precise, in Solchi, Russia. Well then, who is a big fan of winter sports? Please hands up?
Oh, whatever the case I am not up so much into winter and sports. He he, you figure it out. However, since the Winter Olympics is in Russia this month, I guess we can take to things from it:

1. We are having our very own ... FOOD Olympics.
2. We are having RUSSIA as the destination for this months Bloggers Around the World ...

Let us get into some details ...