Hello all, and welcome to Lizzi Tremayne’s portion of the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop.
I write historical romantic fiction and veterinary school contemporary stories, all with a horsey flair.
I’m so glad you could join us today! Be sure to read through to the end to find out how to enter my contest as well as the contest for the Grand Prizes!
xx
Lizzi
Contents
First is my recipe~
This recipe is in my first novel, A Long Trail Rolling. Aleksandra, my heroine, is of Polish descent, where the winters are harsh and unforgiving. This hearty stew, typical of the ‘sour’ soups common and beloved by many Eastern Europeans, captured my heart on our visit to Poland a few years ago. 
I’ve modified several versions… again, and again, until I managed to get it just right. Many of the Poles I asked for recipes just looked at me sideways.
“It comes from a packet. We just add water,” said one, with a frown. The others just shook their heads. I mustn’t have asked the right people!
One cannot simply buy Żurek here in New Zealand, but it’s well worth the time it takes to make it. Thank you to the Glinkowski family, third generation owners of Glinkowski Carriages, for sharing with us their love of Poland and Żurek. After leaving them, we tasted different versions of it in every town we visited around Polska.
Recipe: Żurek
Zakwas (“ZAH-kvahss,”) –Sourdough Rye Starter Culture (below)
2 cups rye flour
1/2 cup oat flakes
3-4 cupswater, boiled and cooled to room temperature
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Crusts of a piece of Polish rye bread (remove after 2-3 days to prevent mold) or a few tablespoons of sourdough starter
Mix in a nonreactive vessel (glass, stainless steel, stoneware) and leave in warm place (70-80 F / 20-27 C) to ferment for 2-5 days until bubbly and as sour as you wish, then use it to make żurek.
The resulting culture: After I use some to make żurek, I refresh the rest by ‘feeding it’ more kibbled/cracked rye or rye flour and water, as Aleksandra’s mother did in the story. Leave out, covered, to ferment overnight then refrigerate. When it hasn’t been used for a while, liquid will accumulate on top and be less active. Stir it and replenish as above. With this starter, I can make żurek whenever I want and also use it as a starter in sourdough rye bread recipes.
Żurek or zur or biały barszcz (“ZHOO-rek”,”BYAH-wih BARSHCH”)
White Borscht or Sour Rye Soup
Serves 6
1-2 onions, minced
fat or oil for frying
1 lb bacon, chopped (450 g)
1-2 lb Polish kielbasa sausage (pork/beef) in ½ – 1 inch slices (450-900 g)
Spices: 1 T marjoram, 2 whole allspices, 6 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf
6 cups boiling water or stock
2 cups zakwas
½ cup cultured sour cream
vegetables (carrots, peas, mushrooms, parsnips) in small pieces, if desired
salt and pepper to taste.
To serve:
5-6 eggs, boiled and cut into wedges or quarters
4-5 potatoes, boiled and hot, cut into quarters or cubes
rye bread or trenchers
In large soup pot, brown chopped onion till translucent, then add bacon and cut up sausage. Stir-fry until browned (some prefer to prick sausages and cook them whole in the liquid soup, then cut up later). Add spices and boiling water or stock. Add zakwas, while whisking. This will thicken the soup. If you used oat flakes, you may wish to strain the zakwas but I don’t strain it, as I also use kibbled rye in my starter. They cook down.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. If it has thickened enough, add the sour cream. If not, stir one tablespoon flour into the sour cream before adding, then bring to boil again and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. I make (at least) a double recipe, as it is better the next day or after freezing.
To serve, ladle soup over potatoes and eggs placed into the bottom of individual bowls or make bread trenchers to use in their place! Cheat by horizontally cutting the top off of a large bun to create a lid (or cut a hole out of the top as you would a Jack O’Lantern pumpkin). Hollow the bread out and ladle the soup into it.
Serve with rye bread.
(What else?)
I hope you love Żurek!
Second, here is my Authors in Bloom Giveaway!
What would a blog hop be without a giveaway?
I’m giving away one digital copy of A Long Trail Rolling and one digital copy of Once Upon a Vet School #7: Lena Takes a Foal 
to lucky entrants! There will be one book given away for every forty commenters! This is available anywhere in the world!
Just leave…
1) a comment about the recipe or one of my books (see them all here)
AND
2) your email address, so we can contact you to let you know you’ve won!
PLUS:
3) if you add me on any social media sites, be sure to add that to your comment for one extra prize draw entry per site added!
As long as you visit each of the 43 authors’ blog posts on this hop, commenting and leaving your email will also put you into the draw for the Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire or Nook (winner’s choice) along with a 2nd prize of $25 gift card.
If you follow me on any social media platforms (icons in right column and bottom of each webpage) note which ones in your comment and you’ll get an extra entry for each one!
There is also a BONUS PRIZE!
On top of the Authors in Bloom Giveaway, I’m offering a free copy of my Lizzi Tremayne Sampler to everyone who signs up to my newsletter list on this link!
(This bonus prize does not count toward the commenting Giveaway above, or for your visit to each site on the blog hop!)
If for some reason the hyperlink doesn’t work, try here: https://lizzitremayne.com/signupsampler/
Follow Lizzi on Social Media!
List of Authors in Bloom Blog Hop Participants
Well, all, thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit! You have until Friday 27 April at 11:59 EST to get all of your entries in! Remember that your social media adds will get you extra entries if you post that you’ve joined them in your comments!
Looking forward to hearing from you! I’d be happy to answer any questions you leave in your comments!
I’ll be stopping in on Dianne Venetta’s Facebook Party that’s running for the WHOLE TEN DAYS!
XX from NZ!
Lizzi Tremayne
Come on by and see my books here!
Congratulations to all of my winners! They’ve all already picked up their prizes of copies of A Long Trail Rolling and Once Upon a Vet School #7!
A huge Congrats to KATHY NEWCOMER, who won the grand prize!
Good on all of you, that was a HEAP of posts to read and comment upon!
Well done!
xx
Lizzi
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have never thought about adding boiled eggs to stew. I got to visit Poland a number of years ago and I remember loving their cabbage rolls.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I might skip the onions though, I am not a fan!!
savannahm1987@gmail.com
Sounds great, Savannah! 😉 Hope you love it! Hope you love my stories as well!
xx
Lizzi
You originally had me with the bread basket part but once she started adding in sausages and bacon you lost me as I don’t eat meat
LOL, Diana!
There’s no reason you couldn’t substitute whatever you substitute for meat, (you might starve in Poland, however… I’ve never SEEN so many kinds of preserved meats on one table in my entire life… combined. 🙂 But, when it gets to 30 below…Celsius… they have to stay warm somehow!) Something like Rapunzel Veggie Bullion and more veggies or (if you eat them) your soy/whatever sausages, etc. will suffice! 🙂
Thanks for coming by!
You can still have your bread trencher!
xx
Lizzi
I love any kind of sausage in soup. I followed you on Twitter and I loved A 12th Night Tale!
Hi again, Cheryl!
Sorry, its set to need approval, spam, you know. 🙂
Thanks so much for coming by!
Xx
Lizzi
I love any kind of sausage in soup. I followed you on Twitter (@bookwhore1404). I’ve read A 12th Night Tale and loved it!
Hi Cheryl!
The Kielbasa is especially fine!!! Thanks for following on Twitter! Um… not sure if you’ve got the correct author? I didn’t write A 12th Night Tale, was that Jude or Caroline? If so, all good. We write together anyway!
Hope you love my stories too! Have a read! Xx Lizzi
Zurek sounds amazing! I love Kielbasa sausage. I subscribed to your website and I followed via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Goodreads, Facebook, Google + and Facebook.
Hi Jeanna! I’m glad zurek appeals! It sure does to me! With all this commenting about it, I’ll have to order some from far away at the bottom of the South Island, as my source up here no longer carries it! 🙂 Thanks for following me and I look forward to hearing from you. Hope you enjoy my books! I hope you weren’t trying to negotiate my home page just now, I was working on it. Much better now! Thanks so much for coming by! xx
Hi Lizzie! Horses are my very favorite animal. I’ve loved them from the time I was a young girl. I’ve never had the privilege of owning one but love to ride. I’m looking forward to reading your work. It sounds like my type of romance. Thanks!
I forgot to mention that I followed you on all of the platforms you listed. Twitter, FB, Instagram, Google, Goodreads, Amazon, Pintrest, and YouTube
I sure appreciate that, Kathy! Looking forward to seeing you on them all!
xx
Lizzi
Fantastic, Kathy! I love them too… which is probably why I became a horse vet! 🙂 I hope you make the chance to ride often, and I hope you like riding with Aleksandra and Xavier! Keep me posted! xx Lizzi
Awesome looking recipe, even if the first part sounds a bit scary to me!
followed you on twitters, instagram, and pinterest (Vipersweb); google +L (rhi f), Goodreads (rhi).
vipersweb at gmail dot com
Thanks for the chance!
All good, Striking Viper! You can do it! It primarily takes care of itself! Go for it! you can always message me for help. 🙂
It’s SOOOOOOoooooo worth it. Thanks for all the joins! What sort of stories do you tend to read? Hope you enjoy them!
xx
Lizzi
I don’t see my other comment, so I hope it’s just that it’s being moderated…but I did sign up for your newsletter.
Yep, was just being moderated. 🙂 Thanks for checking!
xx
Lizzi
Interesting recipe, although I am not a fan of rye, so I don’t think it is something I’d add to our limited repertoire. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway opportunity.
elewkf1 at yahoo dot com
You might be surprised! Give the recipe to someone else and get a try of it after! 🙂 (unless you’re sensitive or allergic to it, of course!). You’re do welcome, ELF! Thanks for visiting and commenting! Best wishes in the giveaway! Glad you’re on my newsletter! I don’t spam and only write when I have news! Hope you enjoy my stories!
Thanks again,
Lizzi
Oh wow…thank you so much for sharing a recipe that took so much effort to get right. I know the work involved in that. Your picture made my stomach growl! laceyjanewaters@gmail.com
You’re so welcome, Lacey! I hope you enjoy making it! It’s making my stomach growl too! Wish I had some kielbasa! Hard to find good authentic stuff down here! 🙂 Well, in my little town, anyway! Thanks so much for coming by! Take care, Lizzi
Hi Lizzi:) Thank you so much for sharing the Zurek recipe! My hubby is Polish and when I showed him the recipe and picture he said he remembers his gran making something similar…maybe it’s the same thing!!!! I’ve copied the recipe and will print it out:) I’ve always enjoyed cooking and baking so I’m willing to try anything new!!
I’m now following you on every link you posted….Website, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube….yep, I’m pretty much stalking you everywhere! lol
You are a new to me author and so will check out your books, I’ve always adored horses although haven’t had much to do with them. Thank you so much for participating in this fun blog hop!! xo Carole Burant (carole_57@hotmail.com)
Wow, Carole, just WOW!:)
I’m so pleased you came by. 🙂 Your hubby will be happy after you make this for him. Every restaurant has its own version of this hearty, delicious soup. Some thick, some thin. I love them all. I truly DID try it in every city and town we stopped in. 😉 That and chocolate gelato in every place in Italy. Took years to take the weight off. lol SO you go girl with the zurek! Hope you both love it!
Thanks for stalking, stalk away! 🙂 Hope you love my books too. Keep me posted, please?
xx
Goodnight!
talk soon.
L
Hey Lizzi! Great to see you! I think that recipe would take me forever! But would love to taste it!! This is a long blog hop!!
Hiya Lori! Thanks for coming by! Once you get the starter developed and feed it like a sourdough starter (or use it!), it doesn’t take much time at all for the Zurek! 🙂 It IS a long blog hop! Enjoy! xx
Hi the recipe sound great. blou1951@aol.com Thank you
Thank YOU for coming by, Brenda! Hope you make a lovely batch of zurek! Thanks for coming by! You’re entered! xx
new recipe to me
Hiya bn100! It was a new recipe to me before my youngest and I went to Poland several years ago now! We stayed in a castle at a Combined Drive event… It was awesome. Thanks for coming by!
Hi! I signed up for your newsletter and following you on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to reading your books when I get a chance. I love horse’s I think they are beautiful. Chevygirl901@gmail.com
Hiya Tracy! I love them too! Probably why I became a horse vet… decided at the age of seven. 😉 Glad to see you’ve signed up for so many social media bits! You have HEAPS of entries! Hope you love my stories. I’ve written them for people like you! Let me know how you like them! xx
Hi Lizzi, thank you for sharing your recipe . It looks like some work but from the looks of it, it’s well worth it. I love dishes like this.
Fantastic, Carol! You’re so welcome! Thanks for coming by, I’m really enjoying this! It’s just the time involved to get the zakwas made the first time. If you use it regularly or feed it like sourdough, plus throw in a bit of your extra cooked potato, you should have a happy little zakwas starter! The rest isn’t so bad. We have a glass-roofed porch with a covered barbecue with a deep dish in the centre. It’s IDEAL for things like this… and no mess. 🙂 Gotta love anything that can survive high heat and a good scraper! 🙂 Bon appetit! Thanks again!
Hi Lizzi, I’m not sure why I haven’t read your books since I have lived & breathed horses since I can remember. I see your posts in the Belles Brigade and will definitely check them out.
Brilliant, Tommie! Hope you love them! You’re entered in my draw and in the big prize draw! Only 36 more blog posts to check out! I think by the sheer numbers of authors in this blog hop, you deserve a medal just getting around them all!
Thanks so much for coming by!
xx
Lizzi