Hello!

New episode is out for all of you my darling archaeogastronomers!

This time, I'm going back to my troubled neighbourhood of the Balkans! I'm interviewing the award winning (James Beard awards on the International Category) writer and recipe developer Irina Janakievska, author of the book "The Balkan Kitchen, Recipes and Stories from the Heart of the Balkans". The book was shortlisted for the Jane Grigson Trust Award (2023) and the Fortnum & Mason Debut Cookery Book Award (2025), a British Library Food Season Narrative Cookery Book Award (2025) and a Special Award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards (2024). She has featured on BBC Woman's Hour, BBC Radio London and Times Radio discussing Balkan cuisine.  She lives in south London with her husband and young son, cooking, researching and writing about Balkan history, food culture and culinary traditions, and where I went to chat about all things Balkan. plus tasting some delicious traditional home made specialties!

We had so much fun and so many things to say, being neighbours and all, that I had to split this episode in to two parts for you! Next week will have Part two!

How many people used "Balkanisation" as a negative concept though the ages?

Well we are trying today to bring a bit of a balance and talk about about the delightful and delicious common and unique dishes we have throughout this historic, varied and rich part of europe! A crossroad of civilisations for millennia and place with mountains, sea, plateaus and fertile valleys!

Irina is the author of the book The Balkan Kitchen (Quadrille, 2024) which you can purchase now here:

https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-balkan-kitchen/irina-janakievska/9781784886851

You can find more about her and her recipes and story here:

http://balkankitchen.co.uk/

Photo Credit is The Balkan Kitchen (Quadrille, 2024), Copyright for photos Liz Seabrook.

Enjoy!

Much love,

Thom & The Delicious Legacy

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