# data[].attributes.body
Oscypek is a traditional smoked cheese from the Polish Tatra Mountains, made from sheep’s milk. The name comes from the word "oscypać", which in the local dialect means “to shape” or “to press.” Oscypek is formed in decorative wooden molds and then smoked, giving it a salty, rich flavor. It is often served grilled, sometimes with cranberry sauce.

# data[].attributes.body
We have with something special - food from space :)

# data[].attributes.body
Chocolate-covered plum is a traditional Polish sweet enjoyed for generations. It consists of a dried plum coated in dark chocolate, often with a soft, rich filling inside. This treat combines natural fruit sweetness with the deep flavor of chocolate, creating a unique and elegant dessert. It is especially popular during holidays and special occasions in Poland. Many people consider it a symbol of classic Polish confectionery.

# data[].attributes.body
Żubrówka is a traditional Polish vodka flavored with bison grass from the Białowieża Forest, home to the European bison. Its name comes from the word żubr, meaning bison in Polish. The vodka has a mild, herbal-vanilla flavor and is often made following centuries-old recipes. A blade of bison grass is typically placed in each bottle for aroma and symbolism.

It’s best served chilled and neat, or mixed with apple juice in the popular cocktail known as a “Polish apple pie.”

# data[].attributes.body
We will bring pretzels and typical German nuts to share :)

# data[].attributes.body
We’ll also be bringing a wedge of Parmigiano to share. This iconic Italian cheese is aged to perfection, with a savory, nutty flavor and crystalline texture that makes it perfect for breaking into bite-sized chunks. It's ideal for nibbling during aperitivo or adding a flavorful touch to any dish. We hope it adds a taste of our heritage to the table!

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Torta sbrisolona, a crumbly cake made with almonds from the city of Mantua.

# data[].attributes.body
For dessert, we're bringing torta sbrisolona—a traditional crumbly cake made with cornmeal, flour, butter, and almonds. It's a rustic specialty from Mantua, in the Lombardy region, and is known for its coarse texture and rich, buttery flavor. Legend says it was once a humble peasant dish, but it later became popular in the noble courts for its delicate crunch and aroma. Although it’s not typical of our region, we thought it would be a delightful choice. We initially considered bringing a classic hazelnut cake, more representative of our local tradition, but unfortunately, we've been told hazelnuts aren’t at their best in this season.

# data[].attributes.body
Ti Punch means "small punch," it is a rum drink that is especially popular in  Guadeloupe.  "Ti " is a creole word for small or little.

Punch - is a rhum and fruit mix with added sugar and spices. It is served as an apéritif before starting a meal, both as a matter of tradition and because the drink itself is strongly alcoholic.

A popular tradition is that “chacun prépare sa propre mort” (everyone prepares his own death). Instead of serving the mixed drink, the host puts out the ingredients, and everyone prepares the drink according to their own taste.

# data[].attributes.headline
Istrian sausage, Istrian pancetta and truffle cheese (istrska klobasa, istrska panceta in sir s tartufi)

# data[].attributes.subject
Istrian sausage, Istrian pancetta and truffle cheese (istrska klobasa, istrska panceta in sir s tartufi)

# data[].attributes.body
My colleague Breda Švara and I will bring typical Istrian dishes.:

Istrian Sausage – Traditional dry-cured pork, seasoned with garlic and spices. Perfect with bread and local wine.

Istrian Pancetta – Air-dried pork belly with a perfect fat-to-meat ratio. Rich, delicate taste.

Truffle Cheese – Creamy cheese infused with aromatic Istrian truffles. A true gourmet experience.

Tip: Pair with Istrian wines like Malvasia, Refošk or Teran.

# data[].attributes.body
Garlic Rye Bread Croutons (Ķiploku rudzu maizes grauzdiņi)
These are toasted slices or cubes of dark rye bread, rubbed with garlic and lightly salted. This snack is especially popular in Latvia due to its long-standing bread-making traditions — rye bread is considered a part of national cuisine and cultural heritage. Croutons are appreciated for their crunchy texture and rich flavor. They're often served at gatherings, in cafés, or pubs as a simple but tasty snack.

Cow Milk Candy (Gotiņa)
These are soft, chewy milk toffees made from condensed milk, sugar, and cream. These candies have been popular in Latvia since Soviet times and still evoke warm memories of childhood, home comfort, and celebrations. They hold a special place in Latvian everyday treats and traditional sweet gifts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Без названия

# data[].attributes.body
I will bring gingerbread cookies to eat with coffee for in the morning (I hope someone will bring the coffee!)

I will share the wikipage so you can read about it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculaas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Alternative names

Windmill cookies

Type

Shortbread cookie, Biscuit

Place of origin

Belgium/ The Netherlands

Main ingredients

Flour, sugar, butter, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg

Speculaas or speculoos (Dutch: Speculaas Dutch pronunciation: [speːkyˈlaːs], Belgian-Dutch: speculoos, French: spéculoos French pronunciation: ​, German: Spekulatius) is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit, traditionally baked for consumption on or just before St Nicholas' day in the Netherlands (5 December), Belgium (6 December), Luxembourg (6 December), and around Christmas in Germany and Austria. Speculaas are thin, very crunchy, caramelized, slightly browned and, most significantly, have some image or figure (often from the traditional stories about St. Nicholas) stamped on the front side before baking; the back is flat. Speculaas are also found in Indonesia and locally known as spekulaas or spekulaaskoekjes. In Indonesia, this dish usually served during Christmas or other occasion.

Speculaas dough does not rise much. Dutch and Belgian versions are baked with light brown (sometimes beet) sugar and baking powder. German Spekulatius uses baker's ammonia as leavening agent. Spices used in speculaas are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and white pepper; these were common in the 1600-1700s due to the Dutch East Indies spice trade. Family recipes may also include small amounts of other spices like anise, etc. Traditionally, speculaas were made from Frisian flour and spices. The name speculoos was coined for Belgian wheat flour cookies with hardly any spices. Today most speculaas versions are made from white (wheat) flour, brown sugar, butter and spices. Some varieties use some almond flour and have slivered almonds embedded in the bottom.

The dough is prepared by beating butter, sugar and spices and combining them. The flour and leavening agent are mixed separately and then added. Bakers are careful not to overwork the dough, so it will rise slightly. The dough is stored in a cool place overnight to give the spices time to permeate the dough and add extra flavor.

There are several interpretations for the origins of the name speculaas. It may derive from Latin speculum, which means mirror and refers to the fact that the images are cut as a mirrored bas-relief into a wooden stamp, which is then used to decorate speculaas. Another, less likely, word origin refers to the Latin word speculator which, among other meanings, could refer to a bishop or St Nicholas' epithet, "he who sees everything". Still another possible source is Specerij, the Dutch word for spice.

A variant of the Dutch speculaas is the Belgian speculoos. Fewer spices (mostly just caramelized sugar as base ingredient) are involved in the process of making Belgian speculoos compared to the Dutch speculaas, as the spices were much more expensive to import to Belgium as opposed to the Netherlands. Belgian speculoos was developed in the 20th century around the area of Verviers, and made as an alternative for people who couldn't afford the real Dutch speculaas.

The Belgian city of Hasselt is known for a local variety of speculoos. On 13 January 1870, Antoine Deplée, a baker from Hasselt, acquired a licence for Hasselt speculoos: "une espèce de pain d'amandes connu sous le nom de spéculation" ("a kind of almond 'bread' known under the name spéculation"). He sold this version locally and abroad.[citation needed ]

The German Spekulatius, traditional in Westphalia and the Rhineland, is similar. It is popular throughout the country around Christmastime and usually not available at other times of the year.[citation needed ]

In Europe, Lotus Speculoos is the most recognized brand. In the United States and United Kingdom, the same company is branded as Lotus Biscoff. In Oct 2020, Lotus Bakeries decided to omit the word "speculoos" from local markets, to uniformize their brand. Several chains of supermarkets have started their own product under their generic name. In the US, you will often find the reference to Windmill Cookies or Almond windmill cookies, which are mostly based on Speculoos. Speculaas is often produced under local bakeries' brand names as well.

In the United States, California-based variety grocery store chain Trader Joe's sells their own select brand of cookie butter, a thick buttery paste made up of the cookies, as well as their own cookie butter ice cream.

By 2007, several Belgian companies began marketing a paste variant of speculoos, now available worldwide under various brands and names: as Speculla, Cookie Butter, Biscoff Spread. As a form of spreadable Speculoos cookies, the flavor is caramelized and gingerbread-like, with a color similar to peanut butter and a consistency ranging from creamy to granular or crunchy. The spread consists of 60% crushed speculoos cookies along with vegetable oils.

Workers in the Low Countries traditionally made a sandwich in the morning with butter and speculaas or speculoos cookies. This would develop into a spread-like consistency by lunchtime. In 2008, two competitors entered a contest on the Belgian television show, The Inventors (de Bedenkers), with a spread made from speculoos cookies - Els Scheppers, who reached the semi-finals, and the team of chef Danny De Mayer and Dirk De Smet, who weren't selected as finalists. Spreads made from crushed Speculoos cookies would subsequently go into production by three separate companies and become popular.[citation needed ]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alternative names Windmill cookies Type Shortbread cookie, Biscuit Place of origin Belgium/ The Netherlands Main ingredients Flour, sugar, butter, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg Speculaas or speculoos (Dutch: Speculaas Dutch pronunciation: [speːkyˈlaːs], Belgian-Dutch: speculoos, French: spéculoos French pronunciation: ​, German: Spekulatius) is a type of spiced shortcrust biscuit, traditionally baked for consumption on or just before St Nicholas' day in the Netherlands (5 December), Belgium (6 December), Luxembourg (6 December), and around Christmas in Germany and Austria.