Iulia Claudia Dumitru, Author at Chef's Pencil

Best Mozzarella Substitutes For Pizza, Pasta, Lasagna & Salads

Food Substitutes

Ciao to all home chefs everywhere! Today, we’re talking mozzarella substitutes, from other melty, rich, velvety cheeses to non-dairy alternatives to mozzarella (i.e. vegan substitutes) and homemade recipes—yes, they are...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

December 31, 2021

Comment

18 Finger-Licking Gorgonzola Substitutes ( Including Some Vegan Ones)

Food Substitutes

When it comes to cheese, Italy has it all. But picture this scene: You’re about to make the perfect risotto, or a rich creamy cheese sauce, when you open the...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

December 10, 2021

Like 1

Comment

Prepare to Win at Christmas with the Best Reindeer Cookies

It won’t be long now. In a few short weeks, we’ll be decking the halls with boughs of holly, and Santa Claus and his little red-nosed helper will be coming...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

December 7, 2021

Comment

Best 22 Italian Christmas Cookies

If you love baking and you want a special treat, something different for this Christmas, how about a trip to Italy? These traditional Italian Christmas cookies will be a refreshing...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

December 2, 2021

Like 1

1 Comment

Best 18 Fontina Substitutes

Food Substitutes

Does your recipe require fontina cheese and you don’t have any lying around? Do you want to replace it with a vegan version? Would you like to use another type...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

November 15, 2021

Comment

Best 15 Oregano Substitutes

Food Substitutes

A staple in Italian and Greek cuisine, oregano is what your food needs for extra flavor. What would your pizza be without it? What about your pasta sauce? How about...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

October 31, 2021

Comment

Fennel and Fennel Seed Substitutes to Spice up Your Dishes

Food Substitutes

Fennel is so versatile and complex! We can use fresh fennel in our recipes and spice up our dishes with fennel seeds. But what do we do when we run...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

September 27, 2021

Comment

Try These Sage Substitutes & Don’t Sacrifice the Flavor of Your Cooking!

Food Substitutes

Most of us associate sage with Thanksgiving dinner. But sage doesn’t only work well with turkey and stuffing! Its rich aroma is ideal for complementing rich, unctuous, creamy, fatty, and...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

August 7, 2021

Like 1

Comment

14 Cornstarch Substitutes You Can Try Right Now!

Food Substitutes

Cornstarch is a powder obtained by removing the outer bran and germ of corn. With the power to absorb liquid, one of cornstarch’s many uses in the kitchen is as...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

July 30, 2021

Like 1

Comment

Crunchy Goodness: Try These Hazelnut Substitutes in Your Recipes!

Food Substitutes

We love them in chocolate chip cookies and biscuits. We love them in salads and savory dishes for that extra crunch and texture. And yet sometimes we don’t have them...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

June 17, 2021

Like 2

Comment

Best 11 Lemongrass Substitutes

Food Substitutes

With its dıstınctıve taste, lemongrass can be difficult to substitute. However, if for some reason you can’t find any lemongrass or you’ve just run out, there are some herbs, fruit...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

June 16, 2021

Like 1

Comment

Best Rosemary Substitutes. No Rosemary left? Here’s What to Substitute it with!

Food Substitutes

Aromatic herbs are so important in cooking. Mediterranean cuisine uses basil and rosemary, Mexican food is known for the use of cilantro, Oriental recipes are enriched with mint and parsley....

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

June 16, 2021

Like 1

Comment

Think Romania and everybody thinks Dracula and Transylvania. But this Eastern Europe gem has plenty to offer besides those with a fascination for vampires. For instance, did you know Romania’s...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

December 20, 2020

Like 2

Comment

Amazing and Surprising Feta Cheese Substitutes You Can Add to Your Dishes

Food Substitutes

You probably know that feta cheese originates in Greece. It is actually Greece’s favorite cheese and it’s a component of the famous Greek salad. It’s even mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey,...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

November 30, 2020

Like 1

Comment

Best 20 Basmati Rice Brands

Product Reviews

We love it fluffy. We love it because the grain remains straight and the texture gives the perfect bite. We love it because it’s non-sticky and the grains remain separated...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

November 25, 2020

Like 3

Comment

Best 6 Bottled Teriyaki Sauces (+ Homemade Teriyaki Recipe)

Product Reviews

In the mood for some foodie travelling? Missing the good old days when you could hop on a plane and try out the best flavors a country has to offer?...

Iulia Claudia Dumitru

October 26, 2020

Like 1

Comment

African Recipes by Professional Chefs	American Recipes by Professional Chefs
Asian Food Recipes by Professional Chefs	Australian Recipes by Professional Chefs
Austrian Recipes	Belgian Recipes
Brazilian Recipes	British Recipes
Bulgarian Recipes	Canadian Recipes
Caribbean Recipes	Chinese Recipes
Colombian Recipes	Continental
Croatian Recipes	Cuban Recipes
Czech Republic Cuisine	Danish Recipes
Dominican Recipes	Dutch Recipes

All posts by Iulia Claudia Dumitru

Iulia is a creative writer who is passionate about exterior beauty regardless whether its fashion, people, art, cuisine, or interior design, but also about inner beauty surfaced through culture and psychology.