...That same afternoon, after a short walk around Skopje's center, we go to (surprise surprise) Kaj Marsalot as Andrea has read about it in Lonely Planet's guidebook, which is funny. It is there that we find out the third thing that Andrea doesn't like - the liver that Ivica ordered and that many locals go crazy for. This makes us dive into even more food related discussions. Over plates of baked beans, stuffed grapevine leaves and both Macedonian and Greek salads:), we talk about the relative disconnect between ingredients and ready food in today's world.

Andrea's favorite food is pasta and much like us, she loves basil pesto and gives us tips on making it at home (we just have to get a good blender first). We're always curious about our guests' countries' national dishes and Andrea mentions Poutine, which makes Ivica salivate. Poutine originates from Quebec and is now sold anywhere in Canada from local McDonald's through high school cafeterias to popular restaurants. Its a quite simple affair; its basically french fries, topped with cheese curds and drizzled with gravy. No wonder it's called "messy" (poutine means "messy" in French). Gotta say it doesn't look too appetizing but can't speak before we try.

We linger a bit longer on the topic of Canadian Butter Pecan Tarts (which sound like they belong in sweet fat heaven). So a bit later, I do some research and find a recipe for them (actually for butter tarts, as pecans are a bit hard to come by here). I'm still debating whether I should attempt making them, simply because I know that if they turn out to be as good as they look and that we'll be tempted to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But in case you're more courageous, here's a recipe.

Preheat the oven to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it's slightly thinner than straight from the pack. Then cut out 18-20 rounds with a 7.5cm fluted cutter, re-rolling the trimmings. Use the rounds to line two deep 12-hole tart tins (not muffin tins). If you only have a regular-sized, 12-hole tart tin you will be able to make a few more slightly shallower tarts.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts. Tip this mixture into a pan and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the butter melts, and the mixture bubbles and starts to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't overcook, and be sure to stir all the time as the mixture can easily burn. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
Spoon the filling into the unbaked tart shells so it's level with the pastry. Bake for 15-18 minutes until set and pale golden. Leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes before lifting out on to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

It was then time for Andrea to get her one Skopje souvenir and, not surprisingly, it turned out to be a small bottle of Rakija:)

Our time with our energetic Ukraintonian Saucier guest, sadly, came to an end. I think, inadvertently, she's left one of her flip flops at our home:) Or maybe it was a sneaky plan to make sure we don't forget her!

We've been guest-free for a couple of days now, and tomorrow brings in Alberto and Nuria from Mallorca, hopefully along with some nice weather! Hasta pronto!