Book: Amber and Rye: A Baltic food journey

In the Baltics, two worlds meet: the Baltic Sea joins Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Amber & Rye explores this area, guiding you around the capitals, sharing stories and discovering a dynamic, new style of cooking.

Pre-Order It Here

Book: Polska – New Polish Cooking

I call myself a “Storyteller Cook”, because everything I do is to do with cooking and telling stories through the medium of food. I want to inspire the world to cook and eat more Polish food.

I have written a cookbook “Polska” – a love letter to the country where I was born – that has been published in the UK, America, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.

A Storyteller Cook

Zuza Zak

“Capturing the spirit of the nation”

The Independent

“The antidote to Brexit”

The Food Programme, BBC Radio 4

Featured Blog Posts

Where to eat in the Baltic States - My Top 10

Where to eat in the Baltic States - My Top 10

This was meant to be “my top 5” list but there are so many great places to eat all over the Baltic States right now that it turned into “my top 10”. This list is sort of in order of favourites…

My Top 3 Polish Christmas Recipes

My Top 3 Polish Christmas Recipes

Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year, and it’s not because I was born just a few days before the big day (and my daughter also) on Winter Solstice. Actually, as far as birthdays go, it’s not ideal. It gets hurried…

Spiced Pumpkin Pierogi

Spiced Pumpkin Pierogi

The time has come to reflect and review… this year has been all about home for me… and so many things in my life to be grateful for – my daughter, my family, my home, my friendships…

Social

HELLO SPRING: Having fun with pierogi has to be on

HELLO SPRING: Having fun with pierogi has to be one of my favourite things in life. This is another take on those springtime #pierogi I made a couple of days ago - I froze lots as a treat for Nusia. They are kitchen experiments for my next cookbook but 🤫
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#prettyfood #pierogies #food52grams #foodpicoftheday #polishfood #dumplinglove

AMBER & RYE GIVEAWAY PART 2: As a thank you to eve

AMBER & RYE GIVEAWAY PART 2: As a thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered my #newcookbook I have some Baltic goodies to give away: a Lithuanian blue-grey linen apron @linentales, Estonian Kama (a mixture of ground, malty grains) @justkamaeu and @siera_razotne Latvian green cheese. I have and love a similar apron and both the Kama and green cheese are used in many recipes in the book. This is how you enter:
🍎 Make sure you’re following me
🍎 Comment below
🍎 DM me your order number
If you’re entering for the second time, then I already have your order number, in which case, don’t worry about the last step. I will choose a winner at random at the end of the week. Don’t worry if you haven’t won, I have lots more goodies to give away. (This competition is not affiliated with Instagram)
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#amberandrye #bursztyniżyto #cookbookgiveaway #cookbooks #książkakucharska

SPRINGTIME PIEROGI: Celebrating spring today with

SPRINGTIME PIEROGI: Celebrating spring today with these lovely #pierogi dyed with beetroot and spirulina and stuffed with garlicky spinach and rice (green) and chickpeas and caramelised onion (pink) #springfood
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#dumplings #beautifulcuisines #pierogies #prettyfood

PINK PAMPUCHY: I try to eat seasonally, but you kn

PINK PAMPUCHY: I try to eat seasonally, but you know, strawberries. I just couldn’t wait. Predictably, they weren’t very good, but they did cause me to make these fabulous pink pampuchy so massive silver lining! #pinkfood
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#pampuchy #polishfoodporn #steamedbuns #breakfastinspo #smacznego #pycha

HERRINGS WITH FRIED ONION: This is another option

HERRINGS WITH FRIED ONION: This is another option for herrings and onion (to the one in Polska). Use Matjas herrings in oil and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a jar. Fry some finely sliced onion in a knob of butter for a few minutes, then season with salt and paprika. Keep frying for about 10min. Once the onion starts to caramelise, turn it off, cover in about 100ml of good quality rapeseed oil and allow to cool. Cover the herrings with the fried onion oil mixture. Eat after 24 hours on top of bread or bagels. I’m eating this as I type this and it’s delicious! A big congratulations goes to @mags_pix for winning the Baltic goodies, there will be another giveaway next week.
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#herrings #śledzie #lunchtoday #pycha #przepisy #recipeshare

MILLET PORRIDGE: Nothing like hot #milletporridge

MILLET PORRIDGE: Nothing like hot #milletporridge to warm the cockles on a day like today - this morning it’s spiced cacao flavour. London has got very cold the past couple of days to the point of needing a hot water bottle in bed!
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#porridgebowl #porridgeporn #śniadanko #kaszajaglana #breakfastbowl

HAPPY EASTER: Wishing you a peaceful, joyful Easte

HAPPY EASTER: Wishing you a peaceful, joyful Easter period. A Polish Easter breakfast is quite a special affair and ours was quite humble this year (in comparison to the one we usually have at my mums house), but it’s the symbolism that counts. While I’m not a religious person, I missed going to to church to get our baskets blessed this year. #happyeaster🐣 #wesołychświąt
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#wielkanocnystół #easter2021 #eastereggs #onmytable

SAKOTIS BUNDT CAKE: This cake’s looks don’t do

SAKOTIS BUNDT CAKE: This cake’s looks don’t do it justice- it’s simple yet superb. It even tastes good a bit dry, after a few days. Traditionally, the #sakotis or #sękacz it’s made on a spit and looks spectacular as the dripping batter makes it look like a Christmas tree, but you can make it at home in a Bundt tin under a grill, later by layer. Unfortunately, our grill was a bit dirty and the fire alarm went off giving the sleeping baby a horrible shock! The recipe is in my upcoming cookbook #amberandrye - on pre-order now. By the way, I’m wearing my Lithuanian linen apron here, I have four of these to giveaway, in different colours as a thank you for pre-orders (see previous post).
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#easterbaking #eastercake #balticfood #bundtcake #bundt