Zelnik Nontraditional Macedonian

07/24/2025

Midwesterners really like their corn!

Kochani Rice | Ohio Sweet Corn | Green Ajvarka | Porcini | Feta | Bukovec | Basil & Chive Oil

04/02/2025

Pork braised with chilis, pulled like carnitas, flavored like it’s from the Balkans, and eats like a Sloppy Joe. A glorious conglomerate of deliciousness. Behold, the Balk-exican Pulled Pork Sammy by .

Added a curry mustard-mayo slather, and some lacto-fermented plum slices. Otherwise stuck to the recipe! So damn good

03/18/2025

Few of my favorite things combined into one braise - Mexican style pulled pork, Balkan flavors, Jackie O’s beer. Been slacking on getting this review out but I’ll tel you the recipe SLAPS!

01/08/2025

“SPINACH & RICE”

The Balkan Kitchen by Irina Janakievska


THE BLAH BLAH BLAH

With so many recipes to choose from in my newly purchased cookbook, where do I start? Like a good Macedonian, I began with the ingredients that I had. Which for me that happened to be the ingredients required for Irina’s Spinach & Rice recipe. While I won’t give you the recipe (you have to buy her book - it’s worth it I promise), I will tell you that it contains eggs, tomato paste, paprika, spinach and ARBORIO rice. Yes, Arborio in all caps because - isn’t that for Italian risotto? Well, as is the theme of the book Arborio rice and many more ingredients and recipes are not bound by national lines. People move, sometimes in masses, and their food moves with them. It sounds simple when put like that, but the ramifications of new homes, blending ethnicities, fluid borders, and a host of other factors creates a sensitive topic for many. I’ll do my best to delve into that down the road. For now, food…

THE REVIEW

The recipe calls for Arborio rice and for a risotto method of cooking that rice so not so surprisingly, you get something similar. It ends up being a little looser though since you are adding the spinach towards the end of cooking, which adds a significant amount of moisture to the pan. The flavor profile is very familiar to Macedonian stews and such, with tomato and paprika doing the bulk of the work on your palate. With a fried egg on top with a runny yolk, you’re in for an easy yet delectable weeknight meal!

That said, I did switch things up on my own (as I always do when following non-baking recipes). My edits and comments on them…

👎Added some shaved black truffle on top of the egg. The truffle got entirely lost and couldn’t taste it at all
👍 Added about 2 tbsp of fermented peppers, garlic, and herbs blitzed into a paste. Byproduct from lacto-hot sauce (pic 2).
👍Homemade chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
👌Reduced spinach by about half. It turned out to be the right amount per my taste and the pics in the book. Used Kroger spinach (pic 3).

Book: Balkan Kitchen Cookbook
Author: Irina Janakievska

07/25/2024

Reminder that August 10th will be our last public showing with the Zelnik brand!

Also, look at this yummy ice cream I made. Inspired by the Gurabii cookie which is a Balkan shortbread cookie oftentimes made with walnuts. The ice cream is mixed with Weller’s shortbread cookies and walnuts. But I put a North American twist on the theme by using Black Walnuts. I served it topped with more walnuts, cookies, caramel, and a “green/young” black walnut macerated syrup. Follow where I’ll be posting more creations like this 😋

05/10/2024

It’s been a great run. That’s what I have been telling myself over the last few months as I wrestled with this decision. It’s finally come time to “kill my darling” so to speak. A lot went into this decision and I’ve finally decided that the best thing will be to move on from the Zelnik project from a retail standpoint. So, the next four months are your last chance to grab a Baba’s Original or Spiced Beef Zelnik. I’ll be at the Dublin Market on the second Saturday of May, June, July and August. Come say hi!

Huge thank you to all that have supported me on this journey. I’ve learned and grown a lot, and made some great friends along the way. It’s not the end of my Macedonian creative outlets though. While I’m taking a huge step back to focus on my corporate career and my family, I’ll also have more time to focus on creations like the one pictured here - “The Best Bite of Tavce Gravce”. One day I might share them with you all ❤️🇲🇰

01/05/2024

Ground Ajvarski peppers 🌶️

01/04/2024

Love ❤️

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas to all ❤️

12/21/2023

The layers 😍

11/22/2023