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Sunday 28 April 2013

Groan..... I ate toooooo Much!!!!





but not enough that i didn't take a plate home for Ron (LateR ON). 

Today i had the pleasure of being invited to my friend Ella's for her birthday lunch.  Shouldn't it have been the other way round?  Anyway joy Oh joy, her mum was also invited and so i got to eat generously from the combined cooking efforts of both.  Don't we all wish we had a polish matka (mum) that arrived with bags of good wholesome polish food.  Ive told her before that she can adopt me any time she wants and turn up every Sunday lunch time.  


OK, starter was "barszcz" or beetroot soup (borchtz in polish).  This is usually a clear red soup (beetroot) or clear white soup (potatoes) but today ours was not clear and had pieces of beetroot in it to give it texture.  I enjoyed it with a dash of cream.


Confession - I don't like beetroot.  Its not the flavor its the memories of self-sustained living in childhood and during the season being faced with too much beetroot and mushrooms for that matter.   I'm going to have to get over it because i seriously enjoyed this soup.  The sour component was lemon (rather than vinegar) and it just takes the sweetness off the beetroot. 

Mains was a cheese bake with tuna, macaroni, cauliflower, broccoli etc made by husband, Rob.  It was lovely but not as good as his seriously good cauliflower cheese (I've bagged this for the next feast).  My polish Mum made Golabki(gaw-WOHMP-kee),  served with tomato sauce and cream.  

These are naked Golabki - without the sauce. 

Golabki is stuffed cabbage rolls.  Ours were made from beef mince, onion and garlic, and buckwheat, and of course cabbage leaves. 

OK, now hang onto your stomachs because its desert time.   One must remember, that we were not feeding 20 people, only 7.  

Ella truly outdid herself with a new Greek recipe (we are very multicultural with our stomachs) - Creamy Custard Pie (Galaktompoureko).  see recipe


Then because she was given a bag full on cumquats she made Cumquat Liquer Cheesecake.  This was seriously good - the marmalade tang on top of the cheesecake with Grand Marnier and walnut and biscuit base.  I do have the recipe for this but its long and i cant find a link to this recipe from an old Women's Weekly cookbook.  Leave a comment and i will post.




Did i mention the Paczki - (POHNCH-kee) baked rounds of yeast dough similar to a light doughnut brushed with melted butter and icing sugar straight out of the oven.  Sometimes they are filled or sprinkled with sugar & cinnamon but ours were not.  I couldn't fit anymore in so i forgo the delight but the others were putting jam on them with much ummmming and oooinnng so i guess they tasted great too.  


Oh, and lets not forget the freshly baked almond macaroons that were perfect.



So who is Ella, the wicked queen of deserts and over feeder of friends.  She forced me, honest!

See that evil grin as she serves another piece. 

Happy Birthday for Tomorrow Ella 


For all these polish dishes - search here
 
So what did i give her for her birthday.  A huge bunch of flowers, perfumed soaps, fragrant candles  etc.  No.  I went to the local fruit market and went out the back and got a car load of Styrofoam boxes for her new glasshouse.  I also went through the waste bin and filled two boxes full of veggie scraps for her chookies "the girls".    I'm such a good friend, aren't I.  NOT

Thanks for visiting Living In The Land of Oz  (& Gluttony, only sometimes)  



10 comments:

  1. Only the best of friends go dumpster diving for presents ;-) I love Greek and Polish food. The other night I made cabbage roll casserole...it was amazing. I'm already planning on making it again this week!

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  2. Dumpster diving for friends gifts! What a revelation! Is that acceptable now? ;) Ella I love you! Your food is amazing and happy birthday to someone who knows how to cook to delight the soul :). Cheers for the custard pie recipe. Custard is Steve's favourite of the 3 U.K. male food groups (custard, chips and mars bars) so he is going to adore this one. Glad you all ended up belly up after this feast, it's not a real feast unless Mr Creosote explodes ;)

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  3. (When is Jessies birthday...I know a GREAT skip outside the Woolworths near my daughters house in Launceston... ;) )

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    1. Narf, I will come and dumster dive at the woolies near yours as the trip over would be a great gift in itself. :)

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  4. What a fantastic experience...glad you enjoyed it ALL!

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  5. The Paczki are baked, not fried - but you wouldn't know when you get one fresh from the oven - so light and tasty smothered in melted butter and dusted in icing sugar :)
    All that talk about food - think I'll go have some leftover tuna/cheese bake for brunch now...

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  6. It all sounds wonderful...even if it was a little belt-busting. Glad you enjoyed it. As to your comment over at mine - never feel guilty....just feel grateful :-)

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  7. It was a great afternoon Lynda, glad you liked what we had.

    You, Lynda are a true friend, this is how you know you've got a true friend if they dive into a dumpster for you. I mean, who would do that? Having scraps for my chickens is so important, and you Lynda know that - that's why I'd rather that (the scraps) than anything else. My house is cluttered as two years ago we downsized into a smaller house and I don't need
    "things". I prefer a garlic that I can plant "next weekend!" and scraps. I don't need much.

    The Galaktompoureko - the Greek Custard Cake has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I just you-tubed it. I love you-Tube.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPDMjZ6TBs0

    "TheRoadToSerendipity" you can't say that my food is amazing until you've tasted it. I could just be good in making it presentable. Ha Ha.


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    1. Nope, its amazing. All the time. Looking good or not. So are you for that matter. Not that you are not looking good. Did i get out of that one?

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  8. Oh Yum! Good food (even if a bit naughty), and good friends, what more would you want? Looks like a lot of FUN!

    x

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