Blinis are often thought of as elegant bite-sized hors d’oeuvres served at cocktail parties, topped with crème fraiche and caviar. While it’s a perfectly fine way to enjoy them, with group gatherings and parties of any kind still a blurry concept in a post-COVID world I wanted to show you how you can enjoy their pillowy goodness in the comfort of your home.
These small savory buckwheat pancakes can really be made in any size, from tiny snacks to a nice plated appetizer to a full size entrée. I like to make them just slightly smaller than the palm of my hand – that way I still get to eat a few for a homey breakfast without breaking a sweat over cooking and flipping tiny little morsels! You can really top them with anything but I find the distinctive flavor of buckwheat to be a particularly amazing vehicle for smoked fish, like in this smoked salmon, goat cheese and dill recipe.
The earthy flavor of buckwheat is the star of blinis but can be overpowering on its own. Recipes like this one that call for a mix of buckwheat and white flours are my favorite and so versatile. There’s cardamom for a little spice and complexity, and whipped egg whites to keep your pancakes super light and fluffy.
Fire up your griddle and then it’s up to you to make the size and shape you want. Experiment, make an assortment, have fun. It’s exactly like cooking buttermilk pancakes, super easy. It’ll also make you forget about that time you bought pre-packaged blinis and found them all damp and chewy… these homemade buckwheat pancakes are a revelation!
Serve with your favorite smoked fish, some soft goat cheese or sour cream or crème fraîche, and a sprinkle of fresh dill for a delightful brunch or a light supper. Not a fan of fish? They are equally delicious with sweet toppings such as jam or maple syrup, and a fried egg on top would also be amazing, with kimchi on the side? Possibilities are endless here – enjoy these small savory pancakes any way you want.
These small buckwheat pancakes are so versatile they'll please everyone at the breakfast or dinner table! Invoke festive luxury with smoked fish toppings or use them to jazz up your am routine and serve alongside jams, eggs, bacon, etc.
Total Time:
30 min
Yield:
Serves 6
Preparation
1. In a bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, baking soda, and salt. In a small, deep bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft, glossy peaks form. In another bowl, beat or whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, milk, butter, and molasses. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the egg whites.
2. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and grease lightly. For each pancakes, spoon or pour about 3 tablespoons batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute more. Serve immediately or transfer pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200F oven. Bake the remaining batter as directed. Serve garnished with chèvre, smoked salmon, and dill.
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2/3 cup buckwheat flour 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, separated 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup milk 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, or canola oil 2 tablespoons molasses 4 oz chèvre 4 oz smoked salmon 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
For anyone looking for an underdeveloped slice of paradise, the tiny town of Todos Santos in Baja California Sur is just the ticket. The area is so delightful that it was designated a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government, one of just 100 or so small towns honored for its natural beauty, cultural richness, traditions, arts & crafts, etc.
The quiet surfing town lies an hour north of Cabo and got a healthy amount of buzz when the Hotel San Cristobál opened in 2017. Down a dirt road connecting the highway to the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find the stylish beachfront abode favored by Instagram influencers and the chic nomadic types.
Sipping mezcal cocktails by the turquoise pool overlooking the ocean is a fine way to spend your time here, but there are also miles of great hiking and biking trails all around in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range. And of course surfing with some of the country’s best surf breaks located nearby.
The wide Punta Lobos beach is secluded and peaceful, with locals coming to fish as they’ve done for a long time.
This is THE stylish spot for those who want a little bit of scene and eye-catching design while still feeling pretty remote and yet undiscovered – it’s ‘Baja cool’. Nooks with fireplaces all around the pool add to the charm and the onsite restaurant serves fresh, healthy and wholesome meals to regenerate you after too many margaritas. You’ll want to linger here for a few days, at least, feeling rejuvenated and totally inspired.
When you’re ready to get out and explore, Todos Santos is just a 5 minutes drive away.
The incredibly chilled and sleepy town is a walker’s dream with quiet cobblestone streets lined with pastel-colored colonial buildings.
Popping into artisan shops and galleries is a joy as you get to interact with locals and expats who’ve settled here to live their hippie dreams. From colorful crafts to bohemian clothing and intricate handwoven textiles, the shopping experience here feels a lot more relaxed and rewarding than in Cabo.
Old haciendas have been turned into boutique hotels and restaurants. I love the rather unique architecture of brick buildings, somewhat blending the desert and mountains style synonymous with the region.
Side streets filled with charming cafes are begging for quiet contemplation and cultural immersion, with artists workshops opened onto the sidewalks.
Even private residences have a pedigree all their own and a personal nod to their beautiful surroundings, wildlife being especially prolific both underwater and in the sky.
For such a small town, there is an impressive amount of good eateries with a perfect blend of local and expat cuisine. Some are more hidden than others and you’ll find a delightful surprise in the backyard of Ezra Katz’ gallery.
A lush and beautiful garden is also a Mediterranean restaurant called ‘Bleu’ where you can savor drinks and light meals in a tropical haven.
Everything here is a reminder to take it slow…and it’s a big reason why Todos Santos has won so many hearts. Taking in its myriad of little details from photogenic doorways to stunning mosaics on a wall is the art cure we all need. Reality is it probably won’t stay this quiet for long (people are already referring to it as the ‘next Tulum’) but I’m pretty sure the hippie vibes will stay on.
Mountains, beach, outdoor activities, delicious food, local arts, friendly locals, uber chilled town with everything you need… this is the alternative Mexican beach vacation that will leave you totally refreshed and feeling like a lucky insider.
Until we can travel again, I’m glad I hadn’t had the time yet to post about my early 2020 trips which now serve as a reminder of how lucky I was to visit these beautiful places before the world shut down. To hit the reset button in Baja California Sur was a treat I look forward to repeating, and I hope my past and upcoming posts will keep your travel itch alive and well for when we can all start exploring again.
Set at the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas spreads its resorts-laden beaches to meet those of nearby San José del Cabo, creating the party central of A-listers known as Los Cabos (“The Capes”). Both towns offer something different, and if you want to be in the thick of the action you’ll usually end up in ‘Cabo’, short for Cabo San Lucas.
Miles of golden sand beaches are lined with restaurants and bars, and the stretch of El Medano Beach has calm waters you can swim in which makes it particularly popular.
This is where the crowd flocks to enjoy the sun and sand while listening to DJs spinning, drinking copious amount of cocktails, and admiring the gorgeous scenery.
When hunger strikes, you simply have to walk a few feet on the beach to find delicious food and festive ambiance, such as at The Office on the Beach, a famous and busy hangout.
Whether you opt to lunch with your feet in the sand or up in the bar area, the offerings are all scrumptious and beautifully presented with top-notch service. Definitely a cut above what you’d normally expect in such a setting.
Cabo burritos with shredded fish
When you’ve had enough of the beach (and the crowds!), there are a few small neighborhoods worth exploring on foot to admire glamorous villas. The ones up on a hill, such as Pedregal, have plenty of them, all vying for the best views.
Eating well is easy, you’re in Mexico after all, and Cabo has something for everyone. Do make sure to try some of the local places besides the fancy hotel restaurants, they offer incredible value. Tacos Gardenias for example will feed you delicious seafood tacos for less than $5 and is a 5 minutes walk from the beach.
One of the greatest things about Cabo is the amount of activities you can partake in, as I’m not one to sit on the beach indefinitely or spend sunny days shopping at malls and dancing in raucous nightclubs. You’ll want to head to the bustling marina for every kind of excursions from sport fishing to snorkeling to whale watching – which was the main reason I was here.
Time your trip between December and April for an experience you likely won’t forget, as Cabo is a worldwide hot spot for seeing whales in the Pacific Ocean. The waters around the peninsula are breeding areas and migratory stops for whales during this period and your chances of an encounter are almost guaranteed (most tour companies will take you on a second tour for free if you don’t see any).
The boat ride will take you close to the stunning rock structures you’ve been eyeing from the beach, hosts to pelicans and other aquatic birds.
You’ll pass by Lover’s Beach, a beautiful and calm beach on the Sea of Cortés.
Soon you’ll arrive at Cabo’s landmark of El Arco. The famous rock arch is seen on every pictures and publicity for Los Cabos and you’ll want to capture a few photos, especially with the morning light shining through.
The Arch also marks the point where the Sea of Cortés and the Pacific Ocean meet.
Sea lions are often seen the arch, sunning on rocks or frolicking in the water.
Leaving the calm sea behind, the boats make their way towards the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. Looking back, you can see Divorce Beach (not kidding), the other side of Lover’s Beach connected by a small gap in the rocks. It apparently takes its name from the fact that the waters on this side are turbulent and make swimming forbidden…
More upscale resorts line this quieter side of Cabo, including the Waldorf Astoria, with prime ocean views.
Only a few hundred feet from the shore, you should start to see them…the whales! At first it’s a tail or the outline of a large body slowly rolling close to the surface.
Our inflatable speedboat got into high gear to close the distance between us and the latest splash we’d seen in the distance. It’s a thrilling ride and you’ll want front row seats.
These are humpbacks, usually 40 to 50 feet long, and if you’re lucky they’ll put on quite the show… It’s called ‘breaching’ – a form of surface behaviour where most of the whale’s body leave the water to crash back down in an enormous splash. It is meant to be a way of communicating with the others below the surface.
Our guide heard over the radio about a particularly active one further out so we rushed to witness this absolutely breathtaking performance, over and over again. She must have done it 4-5 times while we sat and watched, speechless, as her ginormous body jumped out and fell back in a loud splash.
A 70,000 pounds ballerina’s final bow.
Besides the spectacular displays, you’ll learn a lot about these magnificent creatures, such as how their tail is their unique identification and no two are alike. Alas, the ocean got quiet again and we returned to land.
Pedregal
The streets around the marina are rather pleasant during the day before the night crowds come out and worth an afternoon stroll. Mind you, downtown Cabo will never be considered ‘quaint’ with its shopping malls and oversized pubs, but if you look closely you’ll find a number of smaller spots and restaurants to enjoy some quiet Mexican time.
Outpost restaurant is a welcome oasis on the main drag with boho vibes and organic food and cocktails.
Avocado toast with radishes and sunflower seeds
For no fuss, delicious tacos, you have to try Tacos Guss. Well known in the touristic circuits, it’s still a very solid stop for an affordable lunch of meat tacos with all the fixings.
For souvenirs, I’d recommend avoiding the usual tourist traps all around downtown and instead walking 10 min north to get to La Coyota.
The huge craft store is set in an old colonial hacienda with every room devoted to a different theme. You can find everything from embroidered textiles to kitchen utensils and outdoor planters and the experience is incredibly peaceful since most visitors don’t come that way.
Back on the beach for late afternoon, the options for a drink are plentiful but pretty similar after being here for a few days.
Break the ‘monotony’ with one of my best discoveries – Baja Brewery. The local brewery is almost hidden in plain sight, perched on the rooftop terrace of Cabo Villas Beach Resort & Spa.
You’ll be stunned by the views and the airiness of the bar. Grab one of their craft beers on tap and you can also have a full meal here with the usual comfort food offerings. Live music, matches broadcasted on the tvs, and let’s not forget the panorama… and you have one of the best places to chill out in Cabo for a few hours.
For an even more elevated experience, it’s totally worth splurging on a meal (or a night) at one of the many luxury hotels and resorts that are dotted along the coast between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo (the ‘Golden Corridor’ as it is known). They have unbelievable vistas and all the chic magazine cover looks the jet-setters have been flocking to for years. You’ll have many to choose from depending on your tastes. As for me, it was obvious I had to pay a visit to The Cape, a Thompson Hotel familiar to my former NYC life.
The sleek, mid-century modern surfer vibes are spread throughout the luxury hotel which is partially outdoors.
The open-air lobby and sunken bar feels cozy enough for a reading session and dramatic enough for hours of contemplation.
Sunsets at the rooftop bar are the perfect prelude to enchanting evenings with uninterrupted skies, live music, and carefully crafted cocktails.
You can gaze all the way out at the famous El Arco straight in front of you…
…and look down at the Monuments Beach point break for a beautiful slice of nature without the usual beachfront hotels lineup.
The true highlight of the evening though comes with the food. The on-site restaurant, Manta, is a creation of the biggest name in Mexican cuisine: Enrique Olvera. The man behind such treasures as Cosme in New York and world-famous Pujol in Mexico City has done it again here in Cabo with a stunning space and equally memorable dining experience.
Similar to his other restaurants, the space is hugely atmospheric and incredibly cozy at the same time. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the bay and the sound of crashing waves is a lovely accompaniment to the coastal cuisine.
Whether going for the tasting menu, which I highly recommend, or choosing from à la carte, a meal here is a gustatory adventure fans of Enrique will no doubt recognize and adore. The theme here is a comforting blend of Mexican cuisine using Japanese and Peruvian influences, and of course local ingredients with a lot of seafood in the mix. It’s fabulous, unparalleled, and the kind of meal you’ll linger over for hours.
Rice “chicharrones”Scallop sashimi, aji amarillo, sesame and wasabiCucumber salad, seaweed, cured nopales, mirin, togarashiOctopus anticucho, chorizo mayoRoasted sweet potato and almond moleFried chicken with aji amarillo dipChocolate dates
These quarantine days have turned a lot of us into every day cooks, searching for comfort, nourishment, and for some of us escapism. Until I’m able again to physically travel to savor another country’s cuisine, I find joy in remembering and recreating some of the most iconic dishes of my favorite destinations.
Rice and beans is a staple of many countries and a go-to dish in times like these, requiring only a few staple (and cheap!) pantry items. I recall some tasty versions from throughout the Americas, but it’s the Ghanaian take on it that has won my heart and will bring me warmth in the midst of this crisis.
They call it waakye (pronounced ‘waa-che’) in Ghana and it’s an incredibly popular breakfast. The best one you’ll ever eat can only be found in the streets of Ghana and each sellers has its own secret recipe – so no matter how much you try you’ll never be able to perfectly mimic it at home! Far more than just rice and beans, the dish here gets a ton of flavorful toppings, usually boiled spaghetti (talia); cassava flakes (gari), shito (a hot sauce); boiled eggs; fried fish/meat; and my favorite, fried plantains. You can see the final dish in the photo below which I took many years ago at my favorite waakye stall in Accra. That was some serious breakfast!
Waakye from a street stall in Accra, Ghana (2013)
I didn’t quite pull off the whole meal and its myriad of toppings, but I found a solid base in Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen which succeeded in soothing my craving with minimal prep.
The only ingredient unlikely to be in anyone’s kitchen are the dried red sorghum leaves, often called waakye leaves. They are boiled with the rice and is what gives it its characteristic reddish color on top of considerable nutritional benefits. You can find them at African markets or online.
A traditional waakye is made with black-eyed peas, but since we’re trying to use up what’s in our pantry, any beans will do. I ended up mixing some black turtle beans with red kidney to great effect, and substituted brown rice for an healthier twist.
The leaves are inedible so don’t forget to take them out before eating. Have some hot sauce nearby and maybe fried plantains if you want to bring it to the next level.
An easy one-pot meal perfect for quarantine and to satisfy some of that wanderlust…
Ghanaians are crazy about waakye, the staple local breakfast of rice and beans cooked with red sorghum leaves. The unique dish is both filling and healthy and calls for a number of accompaniments to suit your taste.
Cuisine:
African
Yield:
Serves 6 as a side
Preparation
1. Rinse the beans, place in a large saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour or until the beans are tender enough to be squeezed easily between thumb and forefinger. Drain and set aside. For a faster execution, use a can of beans - just drain, rinse and drain again.
2. Wash the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear - I wash it at least 3 times - then drain.
3. Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the oil and onion and saute over a medium heat for about 3 minutes or until lightly golden.
4. Meanwhile, wash the dried millet or sorghum leaves, if using - swiftly because the color will start to run as soon as they get wet - and cut them into 3-4 inch pieces.
5. Add the rice, beans, leaves, chili and salt to the onions, tossing slightly. Stir in the measured water or stock (and the bicarbonate of soda if using). Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat. Leave to stand, covered, for 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
7. Garnish with the soft-boiled eggs, chives and green chili, if liked, and serve with hot sauce as a side to any meat or veg-based stew.
Ingredients
225-250g (8-9oz) dried black-eyed beans, or 400g (14oz) can organic black-eyed beans or red kidney beans 400g (14oz) medium or long-grain brown rice 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 onion, finely diced 3-4 dried millet or sorghum leaves, or 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 red Anaheim chili, or bird's-eye chili, thinly sliced Sea salt 1 litre (1.75 pints) boiling water, or good quality chicken or vegetable stock Garnish (optional) 2 soft-boiled eggs, shelled and halved Small bunch of chives, finely sliced 1 green chili, finely sliced
I might have just finished Ethiopia’s northern historical circuit, but I wasn’t ready to go home just yet. Winter could wait… and there are so many other things to see here, from the tribes of the Omo Valley in the south to the alien landscape of the Danakil depression in the north. I opted instead to make my way east in search of one more wildlife experiences which have often been at the center of my trips to Africa. After the geladas of the Simien Mountains, I was going to track down the other big mammals in the dry Savannah of Awash National Park.
It’s about a four hours drive from Addis Ababa along the main road towards Dire Dawa and the border with Djibouti and Somaliland. This busy truck route passes by many bustling towns giving me plenty to observe on the way.
In between villages, I caught my first glimpse of wildlife – camel herds feeding in the bushes! I could feel the heat increasing as we made our way down from Addis’ high elevation to the hot valley, soon reaching the mid-30C temps. It felt almost unbearably hot after the cool mountain air I had experienced during my tour of northern Ethiopia.
Awash National Park is 756km2 of magnificent volcanic landscape set in a tract of the Rift Valley floor. Its semi-arid grassland and acacia scrubs hug the deep gorge carved by the Awash River and extend as far as the eye can see. It’s one of Ethiopia’s oldest national parks established to protect a number of dry-country fauna which I was eager to spot.
We left the main road and entered the park in the blazing midday sun. It was another 30 minutes of driving the 4×4 on the park’s sandy trails, where I did spot a few dik-diks hiding in the bushes, before we reached Awash Falls Lodge.
One of only two accommodations set within the park’s boundaries, Awash Falls Lodge wins big on the location. The rustic Tukul rooms have seen better days, but you’re here to be in nature anyway and for that the lodge is perfect.
Vervet monkeys are everywhere on the grounds and bird life is plentiful.
There’s a large shaded bar with cold beverages to refresh in this hot and dry environment.
But where you’ll want to spend most of your time here is on the restaurant’s terrace.
It sits right in front of the Awash Falls, giving you front row seats to the dramatic waterfall.
After the long and hot journey, getting a cold malted beer and lunch served on a private deck overlooking this thunderous display was pure ecstasy.
I even got a cheeky visitor to come and steal my bread… clearly used to tourists enthralled by the falls and distracted from their lunch!
A short footpath leads to the base of the waterfalls where animals come to drink and…
…crocodiles lurk in the shallows.
The fringing woodland is great for birds, and I was lucky enough to spot an African fish eagle perched high up.
Once the heat had started to subside in late afternoon, it was time to get back into the 4×4 and try to find some of the area’s four-legged inhabitants. Like in many parks in Africa, the sad reality is that poaching has accounted for much of the park’s once prolific mammals. You can pretty much forget about seeing any of the large predators such as lions, leopards, etc. but with a little patience you can still see quite a good amount of wildlife here.
My first sighting happened at lightning speed, and it was a very lucky one as we spotted three very rare bat-eared foxes running away. Those ears…wish he would have turned to look at us for the full effect!
Soemmerring’s gazelles were numerous, and so beautiful.
Same with the beisa oryx found in herds and unmistakable from afar.
The horns (this guy lost one sadly – fight with the alpha?) and stunning face markings make them one of my favorite antelopes to photograph.
The kids aren’t nearly as pretty…but they’ll get there.
The river gorge is quite breathtaking, and supposedly leopards roam the shaded hillside but are rarely seen out in the savanna.
When not in pursuit of large mammals, you only need to lift your eyes up to the sky to see a plethora of unique birds, surely attracted by the river.
As the light started to fade, I had another fortuitous meeting when we stumbled upon a small family of warthogs, the little one seemingly curious of our vehicle.
It wasn’t long before mama called him up and both scurried to hide behind the scrub.
Sunsets on an African safari are my favorites…
…animals are so active that I also caught a glimpse of jackals…
…and that cute rabbit that crossed the road right ahead of us.
We returned just in time to see the last rays disappear behind the falls.
The following morning saw me bright and early at my favorite viewing deck enjoying a comforting bowl of local porridge before meeting my guide for a walking safari.
The trails around the lodge are perfect for a morning stroll (accompanied of course) and guarantee quite a few encounters with small(ish) animals both on and above ground.
I’ve seen them in a number of places but starlings‘ electric blue feathers never fail to catch my eyes.
Hornbills are another familiar face, always a hoot.
Large wattled ibis, on the other hand, are only found in Ethiopia so it was a treat to make their acquaintance.
There’s a lot of life on the banks of the Awash river, right above the falls. Birds especially, and the local farmers whose land border the park.
A gray heron was surveying the scene…
…as were a couple of Egyptian geese.
Less conspicuous were the vervet monkeys silently grooming themselves in the nearby trees.
The highlight of the day though was undoubtedly this Colobus monkey hiding above us. They’re notoriously hard to spot as they spend almost their entire life up in the highest branches of trees and are incredibly shy. It was my very first sight of this striking black and white ‘cape of fur’ – doesn’t he look just like a judge?
We finished our walk with yet more primates as we met up with a large family of baboons which we followed for a while.
The little one, ever so inquisitive, wouldn’t let us out of his sight.
Then it was one last coffee by the falls before heading back on the road for the airport. I was so glad to have squeezed in some more wildlife into this cultural trip and uncovered yet another unique pocket of this very large and diverse country. There’s more to be seen in Ethiopia but it’ll have to be for another trip…!
