Maslenitsa-Mасленица

Spring is one of the most beloved seasons for most of the people. I really enjoy early spring here in Istanbul. Compare to cold, and snowy March in New York, we are enjoying Californian warm sun here. We have been spending so much time outdoors, exploring parks, sahil yollar (meaning pedestrian road by the water). Seeing jogging people, girls in tight sport outfits makes me feel comfortable. WARNING: I wouldn't do running in super sexy outfit in every neighborhood of Istanbul.



To warm up my friends on East coast, and Europe, I am baking today specialty of this week -BLINY (блины), Blintzes, Crepes.Whole week was a week of celebration called Maslenica Wikipedia gives us this meaning "Maslenica is a port and village in Zadar County, Dalmatia, Croatia." -No, no, no -that's not what we celebrate. MASLENITSA is according to Wikipedia "an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday. It is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent—that is, the seventh week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha (Easter)" Traditionally, we bake Bliny, and eat them with various fillings -herring, caviar, honey, jams, smoked fish,hard-boiled eggs+rice, meat, and more modern and most popular sweetened condensed milk, Nutella.
There is no recipe of Bliny in my family. It's a product of leftovers, mixing them, reaching correct consistency, and frying on right heavy-bottomed pan. Like yesterday, my mom said that Bliny were fantastic, not like on Monday.
- Mom, did you do something different this time?
- No, of course not. Little bit of milk, 2 eggs, flour. That's it.
So, every time I am about to beat up the batter, I am hoping that BLINY Gods will be happy today with my mixing skills and my bliny will be soft, delicious, and just like my mom's. After 100th recipe, that I had tried, I believe I am getting better, and can post a recipe that you might follow and get delicious result.
In Turkey, I am in constant search of good ingredients. Recently, I found Organic Flour in Migros. I bought two kinds -whole wheat, and regular white flour packages. I cannot write review in fully yet, but I will be making Bliny with white flour today.


I usually, mix the batter right before I pick up my kids from school. After we get home, I work it on two frying pans, and getting the bliny ready in no time in front of my two hungry men.
CREPES-BLINY
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs
3 T sugar
1/2 t salt
70 grams of melted butter
1 T Vanilla extract
1 cup of all-purpose flour

You can use blender to mix all the ingredients together. If you are using mixer, then mix Eggs+ Sugar, do not make it foamy, add salt, butter, half of milk, and vanilla. 1/2 cup of flour, rest of the milk and the rest of the flour (1/2 c).Cover the bowl with batter with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Butter hot frying pans. One ladle of batter should be spread by moving the pan.The edges will turn into light golden color, you flip the crepe over, and fry the other side. Stack crepes on top of each other on the plate.