On flying...

A perfect day @ Olga's Kitchen

Olga in her kitchen...


preparing tasteful international dishes with a Mediterranean twist...


mouthwatering steaks with Dijon mustard and some garlic...


Fried marinated beef strip in with leeks...


some mozzarella and asparagus...


Cece's famous pie with pork scratchings...


drink to that and look forward for the next time :-)

Fire pit and grilling gurus, in a thousand word...

:)


A necessary equipment for descent pie...


deployment...


continuing...


...


some amber and flames...


Pepi: The Fire Pit Guru...


and result is... best pie ever!


Emil: preparing meat to grill...


grill time :-)

PS. The most important factor to keep in mind when making a homemade fire pit is... is guest safety :-)

Exploring Macedonia: Chateau Kamnik

Sitting in a wine bare, swirling a glass of a good Austrian red wine and enjoying my last day for this year in Ischgl, reminds me on Macedonian wines...

The Macedonian wines have long history, although never around the top wines. This is changed last couple of years; especially after 2004 and creation of Chateau Kamnik.


Beautify vines fields outside the chateau...


some of the chateau awards...


white wine aging in the tanks...


and most high-quality wines receive aging in a vats, where they go through the fermentation period...


inside the chateau cellar...


It is right time for red wine together with Iki - Ilija Malinkovski, the owner of the winery.


I had wonderful experience of a barrel tasting of Chateau Kamnik different labels from 2008 and 2009.

I just feel a harmony between energy and sensuality; I'm amazed, especially by the red, dubbed "Two Barrels" the wine aged two times in new French oak barrels for almost two years. Extraordinarily silky and sensual... I'm look forward to taste after bottling.

Rambles in Skopje, in a thousand words...

Some of my friends making remarks like I’m more or less focused on Japanese kitchen... that’s absolutely not true ;-)

So, I decided to present you a few Macedonian dishes.

I’ve arrived in Skopje just in time for the weekly after work late lunch at Kamin Camo (Fireplace Camo), a small family restaurant serving traditional Macedonian cuisine. Happens each Thursday and it starts quite relaxed and easy going... but always end ups with a small band coming and playing some traditional urban music...


A part of l'equipe Kamin Camo...


and me with Emil.

There isn’t any a la carte order, so one gets what’s freshly made. This is what we got…


Calf in a sauce with boiled potato @ Kamin Camo


Baked beans; it has a creamy texture and delicate flavor @ Kamin Camo


Polenta (made from cornmeal) with white cheese @ Kamin Camo


Stewed chopped pork with vegetables @ Kamin Camo


Dolmades in large grape leaves and yogurt @ Kamin Camo


Skopski kukurek (lamb intestines and sweet-bread, paprika, garlic and bay @ Kamin Camo


Kitchen utensils @ Kamin Camo

Next day, it is time for a lunch on the terrace of the restaurant Meana B. Their signature dish is a lamb.


Lamb cutlets @ Meana B


Calf filler with potatoes @ Meana B


Lamb kidney and pluck @ Meana B

Of course... next day at Urania...


Catfish cutlet @ Urania


Chopped pork tenderloin, with dried chili paprika and spring onions @ Urania

That's all… now I'll use next couple of weeks for digesting :-)

Restaurant & Enoteca The Hunter's Lodge

Time for a leisure lunch on Monday during Easter holidays… and if you are in Skopje, one of best place is enoteca/restaurant “The Hunter’s Lodge”. It is a part of the Hotel Hunter's Lodge "Kamnik" and it is located at the entrance to Skopje.

This is a restaurant where one can enjoy wild game specialties and approximately 100 different wines from all over the world including wine made at the same location by Kamnik.

I'll mention that by my humble opinion, Kamink’s wines are probably one of the best in Macedonia and wider in the region.


Traditional haters lodge interior ...


with all necessary elements…


A perfect antipasto dish: different types of wild boar & deer salami, smoked deer and fresh and tasty porcini


Main dish a slow cooked deer escalope…

And the star of the day:

Chateau Kamnik Cuvée de Prestige 2006 Barrique
Eye: Deep dark red
Nose: Blackberry, coffee, dark chocolate…
Palate: Very ripe, silky style, intense and same as on the nose, plus some licorice and spice.
Finish: Very long and nice mouthwatering feel.
Decanted: ca. 30 min.
Note: Amazing elegance. It will definitely gain complexity from aging. (89 pts.)

What is the verdict? If you are around, go for it!

Rating: 7.5 (out of 10.0)

Hotel Hunter's Lodge Kamnik
Kamnik b.b.
1000 Skopje, Macedonia