BITE with ZEST

Autumn in the Balkans has a very special scent 🍂✨

It doesn’t begin only with falling leaves, but also with colorful jars of home-canned fruits and vegetables filling basements and kitchens. 😍

🔸Home canning is much more than just preparing food – it’s part of our culture, family traditions, and memories passed down from generation to generation. 🏡💛

Since ancient times, people have preserved fruits and vegetables to save them for the cold months, when nature rests and the table longs for the flavors of summer and autumn. 😊

🔸In the Balkans, this time of year means that kitchens come alive with the smell of roasted peppers, simmering tomatoes, and sweet fruit bubbling in large pots. 😃

🔸Shelves slowly fill up with ajvar, pindjur, roasted peppers, pickled vegetables (beets/peppers/cucumbers/cauliflower…), sauerkraut, mixed vegetable salads (turšija), carrot and garlic salad, tomato sauces, jams, compotes, preserves, and even homemade juices and syrups.

Each jar carries a story – of family recipes carefully guarded, of long afternoons spent peeling, chopping, and stirring, and of laughter shared over steaming pots. 😄

In many households, autumn is unimaginable without this special “ritual”. ❤️

It’s a moment when families work together, talk, and laugh, and each jar becomes a little treasure of love and togetherness.👩‍👩‍👧‍👦

Although home canning was once a necessity, a way to feed families during times of scarcity, today it carries emotional value as well – reminding us of our roots, of grandma’s basement full of jars, and of the sense of security that comes from knowing something homemade and lovingly prepared awaits us at home. 💛

For us, home canning is a story about the connection, about family, community, and love for what nature gives us. 🌿

Follow us on this autumn journey! 🍁🚶‍♀️

In the coming weeks, we will share stories, tips, and little secrets from the world of home canning! ✨

🇧🇬 Sweet vegan moments through Bulgaria 🍰☕

Every trip leaves us with little moments that stay in our memory – warm drinks, cozy cafés, and perfectly sweet bites. 🌸

Between long walks, new cities, and spontaneous detours, we always found time for a dessert break – a quiet moment to slow down and enjoy the taste of the journey itself. ✨

🍮 Our favorites:
📍 Vita Rama Vegan Restaurant, Sofia – a lovely vegan cake and warm matcha tea 🍰🍵
📍 Bistro BONELA, Burgas – refreshing chia pudding with mango 🥭🍮
📍 Shtastliveca, Veliko Tarnovo – a slice of vegan cake and strong coffee ☕🍰

✨ From warm drinks to sweet pastries, every stop had its own little charm – and Bulgaria turned out to be sweeter and more vegan-friendly than we expected. 💚

🇧🇬 Vegan in Bulgaria – sometimes we cook, sometimes we explore 🌱🍽️

During our trip through Bulgaria, we mixed a bit of planning with spontaneity – sometimes we cooked our own meals, and other times we explored local vegan restaurants. ✨

🍲 What and where we ate:
📍 Ashurbanipal Iraqi Restaurant, Sofia - Fresh salad, fluffy rice, and tender green beans. 🥗🍚
📍 4 Directions Family Restaurant, Bansko - Bean soup, fresh salad, baked veggies with cheese, and crispy potatoes. 🥣🥔🧀
📍 Veggic 식당, Plovdiv – Day 1: wraps, a salad with vegan cheese, and potato salad. Day 2: wraps and a pizza. 🌯🍕
📍 Mekitsa & Coffee, Plovdiv - Crispy mekitsi with vegan cheese🥐🧀
📍 Street food, Sozopol - Hot corn on the cob by the sea. 🌽🌊
📍 Bistro BONELA, Burgas – Rice with chickpeas, falafel, and salad. 🥙
📍 La Pala Pizza, Varna - Vegan cheese pizza 🍕
📍 Shtastliveca, Veliko Tarnovo – Three grains, spinach, quinoa, and roasted potatoes. 🥬🍠
📍 Macchiato, Troyan - Mekitsi and freshly squeezed juice. 🥐

✨ Traveling vegan in Bulgaria turned out to be a delicious adventure. 🌍