The first time I had this salad was on Easter in Poland, with my now-only platonic dining companion’s family, and brings back a memory of a wonderful, comforting meal. Since I was initially worried about finding veggie foods, I was delighted by this dish. Packed full of veggies, it’s much lighter than the mustardy American... Continue Reading →
Despite being a kiełbasa-loving country, Christmas dinner in Poland is basically vegetarian, a tradition with roots in the Catholic church. It’s also traditional to leave an extra plate setting on the table for an unexpected guest or people who don’t have family nearby. (Think of an inn keeper offering a manger to a certain family.)... Continue Reading →
For the holidays at my grandmother’s house, it wasn’t ham or turkey served up on the special heirloom china: it was a rich casserole of rice, beans and vegetables. This dish will always remind me of the holidays, and sitting around the table with family, Christmas tree lights twinkling in the background. Inspired by some... Continue Reading →
All my flatmates have colds, so I’ve been asking my students about Polish home remedies for coughs. One of my students mentioned garlic mixed with hot milk. Which sounded gross at first, but then I realized it reminded me of a childhood cold remedy: milk soup. While it’s very simple— just warm milk and a... Continue Reading →
Cumin is a key spice in one of my favorite dishes— red lentil köfte. But it’s a bit trickier to translate, unlike sol and pieprz, the Polish words for salt and pepper. When cooking red lentils recently, I’d bought what Google Translate said cumin was in Polish: kumin. Hooray for easy to remember Polish words!... Continue Reading →
Detroiter in Poland 