Buggering Off to Bulgaria

Buggering Off to Bulgaria is a new cookbook which incorporates a generous helping of traditional Bulgarian recipes, a spattering of British-inspired comfort food and a pinch of the same from Eastern Europe, Greece and North America. Organised in seasons, and by the author’s own admission, this cookbook is a mish mash of recipes from Bulgarian and worldwide cuisine. The compilation, put together by Remanon Last, is influenced by her own travels and love of all things from the kitchen larder, but you’ll also find contributions from some of the British expat community in Bulgaria who have supplied some of their own favourite recipes.

The principle idea behind the book came from Remanon’s love of animals and trying to find a way to raise money and awareness for the benefit of animal shelters and sanctuaries in Bulgaria. As anyone who has visited, and certainly for those who live here, can’t help but notice, the amount of dogs and cats wandering around the streets of any city or village who have often been neglected and maltreated. This book has been carefully planned and published with these strays in mind so inside the book (and below), you’ll find a list of rescue centres which the proceeds of the book will be shared between to help contribute towards the costs of neutering and caring for these animals.

Whether you like learning how to cook traditional recipes or prefer experimenting by adding modern twists to them, this culinary tome is full of fresh natural ingredients that encompass appetizers, soups, mains, bread, jams and deserts. Full of variety and unique flavours, choose to cook anything from a Hungarian Mushroom soup to a Pumpkin Curry or a Middle Eastern Mujadarrah, such is the culturally diversity of these recipes. For those who are sweet-toothed, you’ll find out how to make muffins, cakes and even a cheesecake with variations on chocolate based pudding too.

In addition to the recipes, you’ll find references to Bulgarian traditions, history and festivals that reflect the diversity and influences of their cuisine. So, if you need the recipe for Easter bread (Kozunak), what do make using the famously healthy Bulgarian yogurt, or simply just need some inspiration from your garden or market produce, then this book has it all.

 For my own inspiration, I’m looking forward to trying beetroot on the BBQ, something I’ve not come across before, and will wait until the plum season before experimenting with making some bread with it. All recipes are easy to follow, and very economical so even if you’re not an experienced chef, you’ll still be able to create a tasty dish or accompaniment for your pleasures such as Panagyurski Eggs or Nettle Pesto. There are also some very useful Appendixes which are particularly handy for when you’re looking for substitutions or equivalents to certain ingredients which can often be difficult to find in Bulgaria.

Buggering Off to Bulgaria is not just a cookbook worthy of a good cause but our kitchens also deserve a copy so we can all have a deeper knowledge of Bulgarian food and culinary customs. And, with plans for a forthcoming series to include preserving and gardening, we’ll all soon be cooking up a range of feasts from tasty, seasonal produce!

For further information:

There are plans for the book to soon be distributed in Bulgaria but for now you can buy a copy of the book through Amazon. However, the first five subscribers to travelin2bulgaria can have a copy sent from Bulgaria, (currently a limited supply) – just sign up in the box below and we’ll get back to you with details (Paypal & Ekont) 

You can read more about Remanon and her move to Bulgaria on either one of her blogs: Buggering Off to Bulgaria or remanonlast.com

If buying the book isn’t an option for you, listed below are the links for the rescue centres in Bulgaria so you might want to learn more about what they do and make a donation to their cause instead.