Who am I?

I’m a recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes. I consider myself a home chef with a cultivated passion for amazing food.

I’m also a New York State corporate attorney, and I absolutely love my job.

Photo of Edyta, author of the blog Innocent Delight, sitting in a cafe

How it all started?

Many moons ago, my husband told me that it was a shame that he’s the only one who gets to enjoy the dishes from my kitchen. The point he was making, and which planted the seed for this blog, was that I should share my meals with a larger audience. And so it was that this blog idea started.

What you will see on this blog is simply what I cook for my family. I can’t imagine cooking dishes that nobody in my household would eat. What motivates me are those “hmmmms” & “wows” when they’re devouring a meal.

I’ve been told from both family and friends that my food is restaurant quality or better. For example, homemade pierogi is something that you can’t really find elsewhere. They’re simply incomparable.  And they come from a long family tradition. You can’t beat that!

Why do I cook?

I was born and raised in Poland during times when accessibility to restaurant food was extremely limited. My parents worked in the hospitality business and they had formal culinary educations but eating out was very limited in communist Poland.

So, naturally, the opposite was true…. everyone cooked meals at home. There was no take out, frozen meals nor fast foods. Believe it or not, kids actually ate whatever they were served. And if they didn’t want to eat, they’d then have to wait for another meal. There were no substitutions. Supplies were scarce.

As such, I grew up always eating homemade meals. And my mom is a super talented cook. Her dishes and seasonings were always spot on. I watched her growing up, and much of what I learned was from her. She had that “ease” in the kitchen. She would add a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and it would come out outstanding.

I am a very similar cook to my mother – very intuitive.  I have a vision for a dish in my head, then I execute it, and it usually hits the mark.

Why am I creating recipes based on European and Mediterranean traditions?

Polish cuisine has a special place in my heart, as that was the very first cuisines I knew.  However, I was very fortunate growing up living in central Europe, as it also afforded me the ability to travel to most European countries and beyond.

I’ve been to France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria, Morocco, and many more on numerous occasions. Part of the journey for me was the opportunity to try local cuisines in different restaurants and households. I know how an authentic dish should taste.

One summer I also worked, as a sous-chef in French bistro, and this was where I learned how to make Perfect French Crepes and other amazing French recipes.

As for the Mediterranean Diet, this is my very favorite lifestyle diet. We eat A LOT of Mediterranean food in my house. I firmly believe in the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. There’s a reason why people in Ikaria are among the healthiest in the world.

As I mentioned above, I create recipes for this blog based on what my family eats. I love introducing my husband and my boys to dishes that I grew up with, or that I’ve tried while traveling, or Mediterranean dishes which are super healthy.

I don’t claim to know all the recipes from these countries. So, if the dish is not something that I’ve been cooking for many years, my process is to make extensive research, testing and develop the recipe. If it passes my family test (admittedly a pretty strict standard), I share it with you all.

Meet my family:

I live just outside of New York City with my wonderful husband Eric and our two little boys: Gabriel and Aiden. The beauty of living here, aside from the proximity to the city (great restaurants) and the ocean, is that we’re able to source some great fresh produce from the north fork of Long Island

Aiden Gabriel collage

Edyta and Eric by the window

If you’re interested, you can see how we occasionally enjoy supply runs to local Long Island farms here.

In an effort to introduce you to our newest addition, I recently tried to take a stab at newborn photography when my youngest son was born. You can see these photos here.

I encourage you to enjoy the ride with me and explore Eating European foods inspired by European and Mediterranean cuisines. If you have a family recipe that you’d like me to feature on the blog, then just let me know. I’m sure all our followers would love the introduction too.

Thanks for stopping by, and I’m hoping these dishes will keep you coming back.

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Edyta

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