Buy & Sell Bulgaria Insight Newsletter

By Stel Violaris

As we all know, association football is the number one sport on planet Earth, loved and played from the deserts of Africa to the rainforests of South America. Bulgaria is no exception. Playing organised football and being involved in teams has had a very positive impact on my life and that of many others so I wanted to bring this benefit to the youngsters of Varna. This is how the Eurolink Cup was born.

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There are many birthday boys and girls in June. Our dear colleagues Petar Baramov (Personal Assistant to the MD) & Evgeni Vladov (Driver), and our clients and good friends Nick Cook, Katie Lowe, Mogens Hviid, Shirley Wallis and Kenneth Corkett, have their special day this month. We would like to wish them all Many Happy Returns and the best of luck!

It is our company policy to celebrate all Great Events!!!

Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves - to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today

Stewart B. Johnson

The star changed her dresses several times, and at the finale of the concert came back for an encore.
The world known pop diva Kylie Minogue performed a two hour concert to the Bulgarian audience at the Sofia stadium of “Locomotive”. The singer arrived in the country with a new image and shine, to perform her album - “X”, published in November 2007, after her successful fight with breast cancer.
Using an effective multimedia, surrounded by 14 dancers and several acrobats, Kylie Minogue performed one of her biggest hits and some songs from her new album. Her second performance - “Can”t Get You Out Of My Head”, managed to electrify the public and let it dance to the beat of the song.
In a completely new arrangement sounded hits such as “Spinning Around”, “On A Night Like This”, “Slow”, “Fever” and others. Her version of the hit of Barry Manilou of 1978 — “Copacabana”, was accompanied by many dances and much charm.
The song “Kids”, performed together with Robbie Williams, let the public sing in one voice again. Among the hits from her new album the performances of “2 Hearts” and “In My Arms” showed up.
After more than an hour and a half show, during which Kylie changed her performing dresses 6-7 times, she came back for an encore in order to sing three songs, last of which was “I Should Be So Lucky”, included in her first studio album “Kylie” (1988).
Kylie Minogue performed a great show, accompanied by choreography, lighting effects, dancers and a live band. The singer skillfully maintained a high emotional charge with the public, having short but friendly talks with it.

The concert of Kylie Minogue, organized by “Sofia Music Enterprises”, is part of the world tour of the pop icon, which started on 6^th May in Paris. The tour includes 53 concerts across Europe, for the first time in her career, Kylie will have concerts not only in Bulgaria but also in Turkey, Romania, Spain, Luxembourg and Russia.

This is simply a chocolate cheesecake to die for. If you like chocolate, if you like dark chocolate with fruit and nuts, and if you like luscious, velvet-textured mascarpone - need I say more? Before embarking on a baked cheesecake remember that, to prevent cracking, it’s best cooled slowly in a switched-off oven. So you will need to make it well ahead. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients for the filling:

3½ oz (100 g) dark chocolate, with 75 per cent cocoa solids
1 x 250 g tub mascarpone
2 oz (50 g) raisins
4 oz (110 g) whole hazelnuts
1 x 200 g tub fromage frais (8 per cent fat)
2 large eggs
1½ oz (40 g) caster sugar

Ingredients for the base:

2 oz (50 g) whole hazelnuts
4 oz (110 g) sweet oat biscuits
1 oz (25 g) butter, melted

Ingredients for the chocolate curls to decorate: 3½ oz (100 g) dark chocolate with 75 per cent cocoa solids

To serve: crème fraîche or pouring cream
1 level teaspoon cocoa powder

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C). You will also need a 7 inch (18 cm) cake tin, preferably springform, with a depth of 3 inches (7.5 cm); if shallower than this, line the sides with silicone paper (baking parchment).

First of all, place all of the hazelnuts for the base and the filling into the oven and toast to a golden brown; use a timer and have a look after 5 minutes, giving them 5 extra if they need it. Then remove them from the hot tray to cool. Set aside 4 oz (110 g) for the filling. Meanwhile, make the base of the cheesecake by crushing the biscuits in a polythene bag with a rolling pin - not too finely, though, as it’s nice to have a fairly uneven texture then chop the remaining 2 oz (50 g) toasted hazelnuts. Tip all the crushed biscuit crumbs into a bowl, then add the chopped nuts and melted butter and mix everything very thoroughly before packing into the base of the cake tin, pressing it very firmly all over. Now place the tin in the oven and pre-bake the crust for 20 minutes. Then remove it and let it cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).

To make the filling, first place 2 inches (5 cm) of water into a saucepan, then put the saucepan on to heat and, meanwhile, break the chocolate into small squares and place this into a basin. As soon as the water is boiling, remove the pan from the heat and place the bowl on top until everything melts. Don’t be tempted to put the bowl on top of the saucepan while the water is still boiling - because of the high cocoa solid content, this chocolate mustn’t get overheated or it will separate. Now spoon the mascarpone and fromage frais into a large bowl and whisk them together until smooth, preferably with an electric hand whisk. Then add the eggs and sugar and give it another good whisking before adding the melted chocolate - use a rubber spatula so that you get every last bit of chocolate from the basin - and then lightly fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Finally, add the raisins and toasted hazelnuts.

Now pour the mixture into the tin, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon, then place it on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 1¼ hours. After that, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake inside until it’s completely cold.

To make the chocolate curls: melt the chocolate as before, then pour it on to a flat, smooth surface. The underside of a large plate will do. It should form a circle of about 6 inches diameter (15 cm) and ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Place the plate into the fridge to chill for 45 minutes. What you want is the chocolate to be set hard enough so that if you press the surface of the chocolate it doesn’t leave an indentation.

Now take it from the fridge and use a cheese slicer, otherwise a sharp knife will do if you hold the blade in both hands. Just pull it all along the chocolate towards you and it should curl up. What is very important to know here is that if it doesn’t curl and you end up with a pile of chocolate shavings they’ll look just as nice - either way, place them in a rigid plastic container and then put this in the fridge until you need them.

To serve the cheesecake, sprinkle the surface with chocolate curls, dust with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and serve in slices with crème fraîche or cream, handed round separately.

The restaurant exists since 2005 and has been established as a place where more than 30 dishes of the Black Sea mussels are offered. They are delivered every day, fresh, from the farm “Dalboka” near Kavarna. The restaurant is situated near the Sea Garden, just by the coast and has two levels with a magnificent view to the sea and beautiful Bay of Varna. The capacity is 120 seats.

Rating 8/10

The International Children’s Day (ICD) is celebrated in numerous countries, usually (but not always) on June 1^st each year.

The ICD had its origin in Turkey in 1920 (April 23^rd) and later on the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland in 1925. It is not clear as to why June 1^st was chosen as the ICD: one theory has it that the Chinese consul-general in San Francisco (USA) gathered a number of Chinese orphans to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in 1925, which happened to be on June 1^st that year, and also coincided with the conference in Geneva.

June 1^st has since been observed as the ICD by numerous countries, especially by Communist countries; in the Western world the ICD is usually celebrated on other days of the year (if at all), and there is often little public awareness about these celebrations. Consequently there is sometimes a misperception that June 1^st as the ICD was a Communist invention. Nonetheless, in recent years even some groups within the United States started observing the ICD on June 1^st.

In Bulgaria, The Children’s Day is celebrated by many parties and amusements organized for the kids. Various companies, media, the municipality and many others, gather children to listen to some music, play games, have fun and refreshments. The young ones feel very excited on this day and receive all sorts of presents from family and relatives.

Marks & Spencer Group Plc is the largest UK clothing retailer.

Photo by www.marksandspencer.com

Marks & Spencer Group Plc, the largest UK clothing retailer, announced it has entered a joint venture with Marinopoulos Group to expand in the Balkans, Bloomberg agency reported.

The retailer bought 50 % of Marks & Spencer Marinopoulos BV, which operates 38 Marks & Spencer stores under franchise across Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and also in Switzerland, for EUR 50 M, the London- based company said in a statement.

“Our joint venture with Marinopoulos will mean we can really put M&S on the map in this part of the world,” Carl Leaver, the retailer’s director of international business, said in the statement, as cited by Bloomberg agency.

Ingredients:

1 pc of chicken chest
1 cucumber, 200 gm
2 carrots
Sesame
Vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Dill

Cut the meat and vegetables in stripes and sprinkle the sesame and dill on top. Add the vinegar, oil and salt according to your taste preference. Serves 2. Enjoy!

The fish restaurant Villa Burov is located in the most picturesque part of the Sea Garden in Varna. More than 100 years ago, the area was the place where ministers, bankers and diplomats would choose to spend their holidays and vacations. Nowadays, the restaurant’s guests can enjoy the symbiosis of nature, the architecture, the luxurious interior and exquisite cuisine. The menu includes fresh fish’s fillet, wild fishes, octopus, squids, Black Tiger shrimps, many salads, pork fillets, beef fillets and a long wine list.

Villa Burov has outside seats in the beautiful garden and inside seats, situated in 4 guest halls on two floors, with 3 bay-windows, air-conditioner, parking lot, kid’s corner in the garden, exquisite interior and background of mainly retro or Italian instrumental music.

Rating of 9/10

There are many birthday boys and girls in April. Our dear colleagues Ginka (making sure that all offices and apartments of the Group are nice and clean), Nevin Halil (Legal Department, Buy & Sell Bulgaria) and Jessy Karaivanova (Legal Department, Eurolink Investment Group), and our clients and good friends Stephen Day, Darren Finch, Kristina Trodden, Latesha Tuck and Antonis Konstantinidis, have their special day this month. We would like to wish them all Many Happy Returns and the best of luck!

It is our company policy to celebrate all Great Events!!!

You can prepare patatnik as a main course. In the old times during cold winter months potatoes used to represent one of the main foods of the Bulgarian diet. They have even been used to make bread. Here are the ingredients:

6 tbsp flour
1/2 cup oil
water
1 tbsp butter - melted

For the filling:
3 lbs potatoes, grated - around 10 big ones
4 onions, grated
3 eggs, beaten

1 spoonful of fresh mint (or dried oregano)
1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

Make a soft paste of the flour, 1/2 cup oil and as much water as necessary. Leave it for 15 minutes at room temperature, and then divide it in two parts, one a little larger than the other. Spread the smaller mass to form a sheet 4-5 cm wider than the bottom of your baking dish. Mix together the grated potatoes and onions, the beaten eggs, the mint and the salt. Place the bigger part of the paste in a buttered baking dish, spread around to form a sheet in a way that it covers the baking dish and sticks out at all ends. Add the filling and cover with the smaller sheet you already prepared. Turn the ends of the first sheet inside and pinch the two sheets together to prevent the filling from coming out while baked. Bake the meal at 375º F for about 25 minutes or until it turns rosy.

The restaurant is in the center of Varna, near The Archeological Museum and The Municipality. Old residents know the house with the sun and its unique architecture and the four mythological ornaments on the frontage, which is why they have given such a name to the restaurant.

The cozy classic interior reminds of the typical French and Italian restaurants. The separated halls are a perfect place for family and business celebrations. The restaurant is famous with its classic international cuisine. Ask about turbot fillet with smoked salmon souse or about tender veal fillet. Connoisseurs are flattered by a large selection of more than 80 wines. Don’t miss the restaurant in the summer. The gardens are a favourite place of the locals and the guests in Varna.

Rating of 9/10  

Easter is the greatest holiday in the Orthodox Church. It is fixed according to the moon - that is to say, it is always celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon of the spring equinox. To celebrate Easter everything should look clean and new, so houses are cleaned, painted or white-washed, and new clothes are a “must”, especially new shoes. Holy Week is edicated to church-going and to baking, etc.

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“The most important in this life, is not to know where one is, but where one is
going”

Goethe

Said to have been introduced with the adoption of the new Gregorian calendar in place of the old Julian calendar in 1582, April Fool’s Day or All Fool’s Day, was once used to be celebrated as the New Year’s Day. It evolved into its present form through several centuries and influenced by several cultures and has limited itself to be the fun and hilarity associated with Spring. Practical jokes and pranks are the order of the day. Sober and upright media organizations such as BBC have also participated in fooling and tricking people in its own way.

The soul of April Fool’s Day lies in the funny pranks that are played on that day. The real good prank is the one that makes the victim laugh and enjoy as much as the other people who witness it. It’s not nice to harm someone while pranking people and keep it safe. It is also necessary not to go overboard. However, small revengeful pranks that may be pardonable can be used to get back at someone who really deserves it. So let out the latent spirit in you with these devious hilarious pranks.

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How people celebrate in Sweden?

Like in many Scandinavian countries, Easter in Sweden is devoid of its religious connotations and is mostly looked upon as an occasion for festivity. People do attend church prayers but most of them look forward to the long Easter weekend as an opportunity for family reunion or a vacation in the mountains.

Påskkärringar or Easter witches is a unique Eastertime tradition in Sweden. Children dressed up as Easter witches with long skirts, colorful headscarves and painted red cheeks, go from house to house in the neighborhood and present the occupants with Easter eggs and well wishes in hope of getting sweets in return. According to Swedish folklore, during Easter the witches fly to Blåkulla (Blue Mountain) to meet the devil.

The traditional Easter brunch consists of different varieties of pickled herring, cured salmon and Jansson’s Temptation (potato, onion and pickled sprats baked in cream). The table is often laid like a traditional smörgåsbord. Spiced schnapps is also a must at the Easter table. At dinner, people eat roast lamb with potatoes au gratin and asparagus or some other suitable side dish.

Decorated birch twigs are a common sight in Swedish homes during Easter. As a reminder of Christ’s suffering, young people would lash each other with silver birch twigs on the morning of Good Friday. These silver birch branches, decorated with brightly colored feathers, were the originator of both the Lent and Easter decorated branches.

As the earth is refreshed and the silver of winter blossoms into Spring…
wishing you all the happiness and blessing that Easter brings! Happy Easter!

• 2-3 cucumbers, finely diced
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, ground
• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
• dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• salt

Beat the yogurt, add the crushed garlic, ground walnuts, finely diced cucumbers, oil and salt. Stir and dilute with cold water. Serve sprinkled with finely chopped dill. Makes 3-4 servings. Light - easy - quick - tasty.

Orient restaurant opened in 1992 initially as a fast-food restaurant. This is the first place in Varna that offered duner kebab and genuine charcoal grill. Later the restaurant was extended and modernized to turn into a popular favourite place. At present the restaurant has 60 seats and a summer garden. Here you can try out very delicious, traditional and interesting salads (Turkish salad, Tabbules and Homs), Hors D`oeuvres (Felafil, Rolled dough list with cheese and Egg plant pane), special cook (Liahmadzhun, Pide with meat, Ballon ekmek and Lavash), coal grill (Chicken Duner, Beef Skewer Kebap and Lamb Chop), fantastic sweets (Kemal Pasa, Turkish Sweet and Kunefe) and many other offers. I strongly recommend it.

Rating 9/10