As a birthday present to myself, I decided to go to Lviv in Ukraine. I'd never been, and what better present to oneself than a new stamp in the passport? Lviv reminds me of Belgrade, as it’s a fantastic yet unappreciated city, with a rich history and culture to explore. Like Belgrade, Lviv has just... Continue Reading →
This has been an ongoing search for me: gluten-free pierogi in Poland. I love pierogi, but finding proper wheat-free ones has been difficult. So far, I’ve only found two restaurants that have them on their menus, sadly. However, I have found that Polish brand Bez Gluten makes a gluten-free version. I’ll update this post if... Continue Reading →
An autumn walk in the forest turned into something unexpectedly delightful— my introduction to mushroom hunting in Poland, a tradition here. Occasionally, I’ll see folks on the tram with baskets or shopping bags heaped with mushrooms, the result of a great haul. Also, I completely understand now when my students ask me about different words... Continue Reading →
Cooking in summer can be a dilemma. I want lunch, but I don’t want to be in a hot kitchen— and salads can get repetitive. A solution? Cold soup, full of fresh veggies and herbs, with a rich yogurt base. While some chilled soups are more like glorified salsa (I’m looking at you, gazpacho)... Continue Reading →
Recently, I had beautiful moment in Poland that really struck me. It was also the first time I’d really started to appreciate the Capital of Culture. Each year, two different European cities are selected as “capitals of culture,” and they celebrate by holding different cultural events, highlighting literature, art, music and other performances. I was... Continue Reading →
Poland’s spring break for schools work a bit differently than in the US, as I’ve learned. Called Feria, they’re two weeks long, and they’re staggered at different times for different areas of Poland. To prevent a flood of Polish tourists across Europe, I suppose? During a recent break at my school, I decided I needed... Continue Reading →
I’ve changed my mind about borscht, which used to conjure up images of a bright red Russian soup with sausages. Now I’ve come to love the vegetarian Ukrainian-style borscht, or barszcz, as it’s said in Polish. The word is friendlier to my midwestern accent and the soup is absolutely delicious. Beets are naturally a touch... Continue Reading →
I discovered the reason why Polish pumpkin soup is so savory and delicious— it has cheese in it. Not just any cheese, but melted brie. I had a bowl of this delicious soup at a pensjonat near the Czocha Castle in southwestern Poland. (A pensjonat is like a bed and breakfast, and a great way... Continue Reading →
Painted Polish pumpkins and finding a baker in Wroclaw that makes deliciously sweet gluten-free cakes: now that’s what I call a Sunday afternoon. A few blocks from me is the Botanical Gardens (Ogród Botaniczny) and this past weekend, they had a pumpkin festival. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was delighted— painted... Continue Reading →
To do: 1. Buy a ticket to Croatia. 2. Pack a vegetarian lunch. While Croatia is absolutely lovely— gorgeous coastlines, ancient Roman ruins, mixed with the bustle of southern European nightlife— it does have a dearth of vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants. Fortunately, Croatian food, particularly along the coast, is very influenced by Italian cuisine, as... Continue Reading →
Detroiter in Poland 