I’ve already settled into the pleasant routine chez Malgorzata and Andrzej: work (in my case on talks) punctuated by walks, cat petting, and delicious meals. Here are some photos from yesterday.
Lunch: two kinds of Polish sausages, ham, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, two kinds of cheese, and bread. I brought the “Reserved for Jerry Coyne” sign (made for me by reader Su Gould to sit on a post-talk dinner table in South Carolina) as a joke.
Post lunch walkies: Andrzej and Malgorzata in front of their house, with the second crop of large roses in bloom (I’m told the first was much more copious). Malgorzata is wearing a University of Chicago tee shirt I brought:
All the beasts go for a walk to the river:
Can you spot the cat?. It’s not hard given Hili’s white bib and paws:
More work after walk, and then dinner: a delicious chicken dish cooked in coconut milk with peanut butter and orange juice, served over rice and accompanied by a salad, all washed down with Zubr beer. There was also cherry pie after dinner, but I’ve already shown that. Malgorzata promises me that I’ll have cherry pie every day, which is fine with me, for how often do you get as much cherry pie as you want?
For a few hours I got some quality time with the Princess, who was sleeping on the couch behind my back. It’s only when Cyrus can’t see her that he doesn’t come over, stick his nose in, and tempt her to go sleep with him. I think he’s trying to protect her from a stranger (me):
But more often, Hili is sleeping with Cyrus, which makes me very jealous. Here is her usual situation, having a big yawn next to the Giant Hot Water Bottle:
I just had an egg roll 🙁 & now I feel hungry again!
The local Polish store opens at 9am. I think I need to head over and get some kabanosy (the skinny sausage). And stop at the farm stand for some fresh veggies.
I have been inspired! But no cat to snuggle up to.
And beer!
Wow, that knife is well used, sharpened to within a millimetre of its life.
Here is a picture of Iron Chef Morimoto’s knives. They all are the exact same model. As you sharpen the blade and sand the handle, over time they look very different.
http://imgur.com/gallery/EiQnGu3
Earlier this year a little Polish restaurant opened up just down the street from my house. Of course I had to check it out. Run by a sweet lady named Eva who speaks English with a heavy accent. I’ve only worked my way through about 1/4 of the menu, but so far everything has been great. My favorite so far was the Wild Forest Mushroom Soup.
All that was background for a complaint. Damn it Jerry, your posts about your trip to Poland have me jonesing for some good Polish food and Eva is on vacation for the entire month of September!
The chicken dish sounds quite fascinating. Any chance Malgorzata would share the recipe?
Cyrus and Hili look very good together on their little bed, but I too would want Hili to fall asleep on my chest.
My d*g is very attached to his puppy bed even though it is now much too small for him as he has outgrown it. He still curls up very tightly in it, and it looks adorable.
Looking at that pic I thought, “Typical cat – the owner of the bed is pushed uncomfortably to the side while she takes over, making it impossible to move without disturbing her, causing major guilt feelings when you finally have to move because your body can’t handle it any longer.”
Man, do M and A prepare such elaborately delicious lunches every day, or just when J is visiting?
Actually, that is a typical, simple Polish lunch. Some cured meats, bread, cheese and fresh veg. Quick, easy and tasty.
Reminds me of my time living in Germany. I think a lunch like this is similar in many European countries.
Yep! And if you have the big meal midday, it’s “Abendbrot” in Germany, lit. evening bread. Cold cuts, cheese, veggies, pickles were the staples of my childhood Abendbrot.
Sometimes we would have only cheese and drink real cocoa. That’s surprisingly good together.
I lived with a family in Freiburg for a month when I was 16. I loved Abendbrot…it was my favorite meal. It was my first introduction to Blutwurst, and I still love the stuff; but hard to find good quality in the states. And I must also mention Frühstück with buttered nutella French bread. Damn that was a treat!
Lots of good blood sausage in the US. Go to a Polish deli and get kiszka. In Chicago, go to the Abbey Pub and get an Irish breakfast which features black and white pudding. White pudding is black pudding without the blood.
I’m in Washington and we don’t have a lot of European delis that carry blood sausage. There is a polish deli…I’ll have to see if they have kiszka. Thanks for the tip.
Our family does a similar thing in NZ in summer – maybe from the farming background, no idea how common it is. Bread, cheese, selection of condiments, cold sliced meat (ham, chicken, mutton, beef), lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber etc. It’s basically leftovers, but quick, easy, and delicious.
Ah the good life!! Living vicariously through Jerry.
+1. I always get very envious of Jerry’s trips to Hili’s home.
To Merilee and Ken Elliot.
Jerry gets more or less the same food we normally eat. However, when we feel bone lazy, we order a pizza. We are not going to expose Jerry to it as our local pizza can’t compare with those from Chicago.
And the recipe for the chicken dish:
2 chicken breasts
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons corn flour (JAC: cornstarch in U.S.)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
juice from 1/2 an orange
salt, pepper.
Cut chicken into cubes. Put them into a plastic bag and add corn flour. Close the bag tightly and shake. Transfer covered cubes onto a frying pan with little margarine and fry until golden. Transfer into a pot, add coconut milk and boil for 5 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add salt, pepper and orange juice. Serve with rice and something green. The red spots in the dish are goji berries. I’ve added them because it looks nicer.
This is a very easy to make and quick dish (it takes about 30-35 minutes from the moment you walk into the kitchen to the moment you can sit down at the table and enjoy).
This sounds really yummy and easy too! I think I’ll try it next weekend.
Sounds thai-inspired…looks delicious. I thought the goji berries were strange looking peanuts. I haven’t had those in a while, I’ll have to pick some up for snacking.
Thank you, Malgorzata! Have passed it on to hubby (he cooks, I commute) as a subtle hint that it may be time to upgrade the mushroom soup chicken recipe. (o;
Sub 2
What a cute Hili ball!
Cyrus probably likes having Hili to sleep next to. My dog doesn’t like to go to bed alone either.
Thanks, Malgorzata! What are the red things sprinkled on the chicken?
I wrote it in the recipe – they are dried goji berries.
Cherry pie all the time? I don’t know if I could take that!
Yeah, it’s tough, but somebody’s gotta eat it!
The laws of physics are being very kind to PCC. Cherry Pie every day!
When I was a kid I wanted Cherry Pie instead of cake for my birthday.
I’m very jealous
Thanks for this installment Jerry, it’s morning and now I feel like some kielbasa.
Now that’s what food should be like!
b&