The fresh ingredients and unfamiliar flavour combinations of Central and Eastern Europe are capturing the imaginations of gourmet stores and restaurants in the West, as borders open up and Europe is extended. We’re enjoying dishes such as goulash, stroganoff, pierogi and borscht as we feast on a wealth of culinary traditions that stretches back for generations. Silvena Rowe turns to countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, Georgia, Russia, and the Ukraine for her inspiration. She cooks game with sweet-and-sour stuffing, sauces and marinades; smoked fish; wild mushrooms; fruits such as quince, figs and pomegranates; and seeds and grains such as lentils, pearl barley and poppy seeds. She plunders the traditions of the poor and wealthy alike in her quest to bring us a taste of what is put upon the tables in these countries. The food is untamed and the flavours are strong. Alongside Silvena’s recipes are photographs of the food markets, farms, homes, grand cafés and restaurants of Eastern and Central Europe by photographer Jonathan Lovekin