Flourless chocolate cake with choco-whiskey sauce

A flourless version of a rich chocolate cake. It comes out moist and fudgy and yet with a light consistency, sort of like a solidified chocolate foam :). It's of course great as a gluten-free alternative to a classic celebration cake, but the texture and taste are so good you should make it just because, not for fitting any special diet. :).  
The cake slices, still warm, are to be drizzled with a hot whiskey and chocolate sauce and decorated with a few strands of whipped cream, as you can notice above. (The sauce is really the ka-boom part of the whole experience, so don't skip it. It contains a lot of alcohol which you can still taste after it's done, it's not sweet - as it has no sugar - and it's made with dark chocolate, it has a "serious" taste about it, but somehow compliments the cake perfectly). :)
Cake recipe adapted from: Cătălina. Whiskey sauce recipe is my own.

Last year: Poulet Vallée d'Auge (Chicken, apple and Calvados cream stew) (French).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Chinese fried rice, Broccoli and ham torte and Cardamom lassi (Indian).

Harissa and truffle potato puree with mozzarella-olive sauce

A lovely dinner for two with sophisticated undertones. If you like the classic addition of truffle-flavored oil to potato mash and if you're a fan of spicy foods you'll love this. The mozzarella and olive   side bring just the right amount of flavors needed to complete the experience. Enjoy :)
P.S: I neither approve or disapprove of the holiday many people celebrate today. Some years ago, I passionately despised it for what I perceived to be its stupidity and kitsch. Nowadays I'm indifferent-tolerant to it. If people feel the need to celebrate love this way, who am I to stand in their way or be the grumpy Grinch? I guess it's not the worst thing in the world. (*Feeling peaceful, non-judgmental and trying to be a better anthropologist*).

Last year: Crispy cheese and guacamole tortillas.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Tirolese spinach and cheese dumplings (Austrian), Spinach and cheese crostini and The perfect fluffy fried bananas.

Pizza Diavola (Italian-American)

The go-to in terms of spicy pizza. Super-easy to make and way better than any Diavola you could buy. Not to mention that by making it at home you'll have the satisfaction of feeling (and especially smelling) every step of the way. Enjoy :)

Last year: Deep fried Brie with tamarillo relish.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots and Parmesan, Pork in spice crust and Banana bread with nuts (American).

Sholezard (Iranian rice, saffron and rosewater pudding) (vegan)

For fans of sophisticated Middle Eastern desserts. For fans of intense rosewater and saffron flavors. For those who crave a fancy but easy to make treat. For those who started feeling the chilly evenings getting to them :) 
[But first of all, for Mira, who is today 2 years old. Happy birthday little one. :) ]
Enjoy.

Last year: Ti ki burfi (sesame seed burfi) (Indian).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Pickled mustard and Marliesentorte (German hazelnut, chocolate and cream cake).

Turkey bites with vodka sauce

Vodka sauce (actually tomato and vodka sauce) is a classic addition to Italian pasta. Apparently there's something in the alcohol that enhances the taste of the tomato sauce, even if (most of) it cooks off. I thought it would also complement tiny morsels of fried turkey just right. And right I was. Enjoy :)

Last year: Smoked salmon pizza (Italian).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Bacon-wrapped baby corn, Spicy chocolate truffles and Pissaladières (French caramelized onion tarts).

Tuna parsley fritters with mustard bechamel sauce

This was another impromptu dish I had to fix up in a hurry while not having my camera with me (which explains the poor quality of the pictures taken with a cell phone). But the dish had been planned in my mind for a long time before, and the final result did not fail me :). It was everything I imagined and more. Everyone was pleased, Miriam was happy, mission accomplished. Enjoy. :)

Last year: Tortellini and vegetable souffle.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Chicken with cream and mushrooms, Singapore noodles with chicken and Mexican-style scrambled eggs.

Guacamole de Granada (Guacamole with pomegranate) (Spanish-Mexican) (raw vegan)

A Spanish take on the ever versatile and ever delicious guacamole. Adding fresh pomegranate "seeds" gives the guacamole an unexpected freshness, sweetness, and occasional crunch. The pomegranate juice complements the lime juice in a very harmonious way, releasing a sweet citrus-y combined flavor. I, being both a guacamole and pomegranate major fan, really loved it. 
Recipe source: here.

Last year: Chili and lemon fried shrimps.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: White rice pudding with rosewater and almonds (Turkish), Florentine pie (with spinach and egg) and Bramboraki (Czech potato pancakes).

Turkish Baklava

The baklava is a sweet dessert made of layers of phillo pastry, sugar syrup, butter and ground nuts (sometimes also cream) traditional to the areas belonging to the former Ottoman Empire. But since these areas comprise many peoples, there are a lot of ethnic traditional versions of it.
This time I'll present you the most known one, the Turkish version. More are to follow eventually.
I'm sure almost everyone ate baklava at least once and loved it, but I sensed that the general impression (at least among people who don't take cooking as seriously as I tend to) is that it's a hard to make dessert. I'll show you that couldn't be further to the truth :).
Enjoy.

Last year: Endive and apple salad with poppy seed vinaigrette (raw vegan).
Two years ago: Dagaiku imo (Japanese sweet potatoes with honey and sesame) (vegan).
Three years ago: Winter wheat berries soup with capers (vegan) and Endive and bacon pasta.

Avocado "fries" in Parmesan coating (raw)

This is a nice snack or lunch for when you feel like fries, but want to go healthy :). The spice and Parmesan dusting that coats these strips of avocado flesh provides enough flavor to make you feel like you're eating one of those guilty fried foods :).
Recipe idea adapted from here.

Last year: British country apple cake.
Two years ago: Creamy potato and artichoke salad (very light).
Three years ago: Bacon and eggs breakfast with a fresh touch (British) and Vegetable stock from scratch.

Moroccan tomato salad (raw vegan)

This is a simple and fresh side you could put next to most Moroccan mains, especially tagines :). The special spices differentiate it from common tomato salads, but the result is still delicate enough not to overpower the flavors from the main. You can also have this on its own, just with some flat-bread. Enjoy.
Recipe source: Saveur.

Last year: Three cheese pan potatoes.
Two years ago: Linguine alla putanesca (Italian).
Three years ago: Red pepper and pesto pasta with smoked salmon and Fig salad with feta, rucola and cherry tomatoes.