Good morning, afternoon, evening, or perhaps even night! The culinary muse is a very unpredictable creature; she may be hiding somewhere all day long and then suddenly arrive at night with her interesting ideas and a mad desire to cook something new and appetizing. I am thrilled that you have visited my cooking site. My name is Iryna Hudyma, and my primary “profession” is that of a happy mother and wife. Whenever I have a free moment, I love to experiment in the kitchen, and my husband, Roberto, patiently and happily acts as my taster.
My love for cooking did not develop overnight. I used to live a quiet life in my hometown of Ternopil, Ukraine. After graduating from the faculty of foreign languages, I fully immersed myself in the world of academia and worked as a teacher at the university. At that time, I never really considered cooking as a serious hobby, and my culinary skills were limited to simple dishes such as mashed potatoes and tea.
I’ve always had a love for good food, however
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been raised by the best mom and granny in the world. Thanks to them, my childhood was filled with rich and uncommon gastronomic experiences. My granny Maria spent her entire career as a pastry chef in one of the largest hotels in Ternopil. This meant that I had the opportunity to sample various fashionable novelties such as cakes, cookies, pastries, pies, and other sweet and savory delicacies. Additionally, my mom is an exceptional cook who prepares delicious soups, salads, snacks, and meat dishes with skill and expertise.
In terms of cooking, I used to prefer leaving everything in the capable hands of my mum and granny. But life is unpredictable, and it’s wonderful! You never know what surprises await you. One such surprise was meeting a handsome Italian young man named Roberto (although I don’t believe in coincidences). After we got married, I moved to Rome and found myself with a lot of free time while my husband was at work. To improve my Italian language skills, I would sit on the sofa and watch TV, and the only shows I could understand were the culinary programs.
Italians, I must say, are great gourmets and wonderful cooks. Some men here cook even better than women! Whether it was the Italian passion for food (which seems to be in the air here) or the desire to pleasantly impress my husband with something delicious, I discovered a hidden gourmet in myself. Unexpectedly, I began to cook with enthusiasm. And my husband always gives me some interesting ideas.
Later on, our sons Alessio and Giuliano joined my personal team of tasters (they are sooooo picky eaters, but they are also my best helpers in the kitchen). Since our family is very international (I am Ukrainian, my husband is Italian, and my mother-in-law is Maltese), we enjoy cooking dishes from different cultures, including Ukrainian, Italian, and Maltese cuisine. Additionally, we like to explore the flavors of other countries as well.
My beloved tasters
English is not my native language, so please excuse any errors in my writing.
Welcome to our virtual kitchen. We are happy to share our culinary adventures, experiments, and recipes with you.
