Iron Woman

A chemist's type joke recently found on Facebook:

Iron man = Fe-male

If you are not familiar with chemical symbols,  Fe=iron in Chemistry. Well, I find the wordplay funny, but I guess not everybody does. Anyhow, I join the Iron Woman club quite frequently - almost every week, when I do the ironing. What fun!

Any other Iron Woman club members here?

 

Well, some people do battle reenactments, I do the ancient art of ironing.

Ć jak Ćwikła

The idea for this alphabet post series comes from ' The Alphabet of My Emigration' by Dee Dorota L., member of The Polish Ladies Abroad Club, who has relocated to England.
I have also decided to join the project and write about My Texas Alphabet twice a week.

"Ć" is the letter which comes after "C" in the Polish alphabet. I am not skipping the letter though. Since the Polish alphabet is the alphabet of my native language (and my life is a Polish-Texan mix), I am going to write my Texas Alphabet partly in Polish also. That is why posts connected with Polish letters will be in Polish only.

To your knowledge: 'ćwikła' is a Polish side dish made of cooked and grated beets, seasoned with (among others) horseradish. Pickled beetroots are another popular side in Poland. Beetroot soup (barszcz) is part of traditional Christmas Eve dinner in many Polish homes.

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Po namyśle zdecydowałam, że nie będę omijać polskich liter w moim Teksaskim Alfabecie. Język polski jest jak najbardziej moim językiem i nic tego nie zmieni. A skoro moje życie jest mieszanką polsko-teksańską, posty związane z polskimi literami, będę pisać po polsku.

Ćwikła jadłam ostatni raz kilka lat temu, jeszcze w Polsce. Buraki nie należą niestety do popularnych elementów Kuchni Południa USA. Dlatego też bardzo ucieszyłam (i zdziwiłam) się na widok marynowanych buraków, serwowanych w bufecie sałatkowym jednej z lokalnych restauracji, którą odwiedziliśmy niedawno. Zarówno owe buraki (na zdjęciu), jak i sałatki były 'wyrobu domowego'. Rzadko mam okazję jeść tutaj marynowane buraki - te były przepyszne, delikatnie kwaskowe, trochę słodkawe - super! Cieszyłam się nimi, chociaż nie bardzo pasowały do smażonej ryby (restauracja serwuje dania z ryb).

Tak właściwie tytułowe ćwikła są symbolem tego wszystkiego, co wiąże się z moimi ulubionymi potrawami i smakami polskiej kuchni, i których czasami brakuje mi w Teksasie. Na co dzień mamy dość urozmaicone menu - lubimy kuchnie różnych narodów, w tym tradycyjne potrawy Południa. Jednak, nawet jedząc najpyszniejsze potrawy różnych nacji i kuchni świata, i tak po jakimś czasie przychodzi mi ochota na coś typowo polskiego. Niestety w naszym rejonie nie ma polskich restauracji, ani polskich sklepów. Jest jeden, mały, z dość ograniczoną ofertą produktów spożywczych. W zupełnie innej miejscowosci, za daleko by robić w nim zakupy. Poza tym ceny są w nim raczej wysokie.

To prawda (co napisała Sylwia w swoim poście na C), że polski chleb smakuje najlepiej. Dlatego też, na początku mojego pobytu w USA, często piekłam różnego rodzaju chleby i bułki, w tym do hamburgerów. Teraz już wiem, który chleb dostępny w sklepie warto kupić. Najczęściej chleb taki ma w nazwie 'europejski' przymiotnik: włoski, francuski ale także np. żydowski. Są też 'English muffins', które nie mają z mufinkami nic wspólnego - wyglądają jak przecięte na pół, spłaszczone bułki i 'Kaiser buns' - bułki kajzerki. Część z nich smakuje najlepiej po 'podgrzaniu' w piekarniku. Pieczywo to, oprócz tego, że wyglądem i smakiem przypomina polskie wyroby, ma jeszcze jedną wspólną cechę. Nie jest słodkie - w przeciwieństwie do większości gatunków pieczywa amerykańskiego.

Pierogów robić nie umiem więc to sobie odpuszczam - próbowałam kilka razy, z miernym rezultatem. Poza tym, wykonanie ich jest dość czasochłonne. Dlatego też, gdy nachodzi mnie ochota na 'polskie smaki', robię sobie np. sałatkę warzywną lub coś co ją przypomina. Ostatnio zatęskniłam za kisielami i zupami owocowymi. Przyrządzam je z mrożonych owoców - łatwe i szybkie do zrobienia, a jaka uciecha z jedzenia! Poza tym, już wiem gdzie serwują dobre buraki marynowane. Za jakiś czas znów się tam wybierzemy. :)

moja zupa wiśniowa

'Ć' alphabet entries by Polish Ladies Abroad:

Dee / Ć jak ćwierćwiecze
Anna / Ć jak ćwiczenia

Taste of (Polish) Summer

Summer in Poland means, besides warmer weather, fresh fruit based dishes. At least to me.
Strawberries served with cream and sugar, blueberry pierogi, plum knedle, blueberry soup and cherry soup made by my mum. All so very tasty and refreshing at the same time!
I enjoy having and making various kinds of food: Southern, Tex-Mex, Asian, Italian or, generally speaking, European. But, sometimes I do crave the meals we had at home in Poland. The familiar/favorite tastes of the cuisine not available here. Since I am not good at making any type of pierogi (I have tried a few times but the results were rather miserable), I do not even attempt to cook anything like that these days. That is why, missing the summer Polish dishes, I finally cooked cherry soup. Easy to make and so enjoyable! All you need is the fruit, water, sugar and some cornstarch ( I used Polish potato flour instead). Some time ago I bought a bag of frozen, pitted cherries - I thought I would make a pie. Later I forgot about them. When the crave for the fruit meals came, I had the key ingredient in the freezer, ready to be cooked.

What I used (for two servings):

• 1 bag (12 oz) frozen (pitted) sweet, dark cherries  - I used about 99% of the bag content
• water,
• 3 TBS sugar,
• about 1 TBS potato flour (cornstarch),
• 2 qt pan.
• And: 1/2 cup elbow pasta.

 

What to do with it:

1. Cover frozen cherries with water and cook (at 4) to boil, add sugar (the soup should be refreshing, not too sweet). 
2. Mix potato flour (or cornstarch) with a bit of cold water, add this mixture to the soup, to thicken it (do not make it too thick!), stir, cook for about two minutes. If it happens that the soup gets too thick, add some more cold water.
3. Remove from heat and chill.
4. Cook the pasta according to the instructions provided by its manufacturer.
5. Serve the chilled soup with pasta.

I had not eaten this kind of soup for about four years, so I was quite happy when I made it. It was sooooooooo good! Next time I will make blueberry soup - soon!

Moje Miejsce w Polsce

Poniższy post jest częścią wakacyjnego projektu Klubu Polki Na Obczyźnie

(English version of the post - soon...).

Moje miejsce w Polsce, miejsce, które najbardziej lubię, za którym tęsknię najbardziej to

Gdynia – moje miasto.

Gdynia i jej liczne dzielnice zajmują dość rozległą powierzchnię, jednak centrum miasta jest najbliższe memu sercu. Zbudowane na planie prostokąta, nie jest ani za duże, ani za małe. Jak dla mnie w sam raz.

Gdynia - budynek Urzędu Miasta

Mijając po drodze liczne sklepy, bary i restauracje, wszędzie łatwo dotrzeć „na piechotę”. Dla tych, którym nie za bardzo chce się chodzić pieszo są trolejbusy. Jednym z nich można szybko dotrzeć z jednego końca centrum Gdyni na drugi.

Linie trolejbusowe łączą centrum Gdyni z jej licznymi dzielnicami, a także z Sopotem

Jeśli zmęczy nas wycieczka po ulicach miasta i oglądanie jego zabudowy (większość domów w tym rejonie powstała w latach 30 XX wieku), wystarczy kilka kroków i jesteśmy w sercu Gdyni, na Skwerze Kościuszki. Można tam odpocząć na jednej z licznych ławeczek, podziwiać fontannę miejską i kolorowe klomby kwiatowe lub udać się do pobliskiej przystani jachtowej. 

Gdynia to również marynarze i Marynarka Wojenna

Skwer Kościuszki - Pomnik Marynarza Polskiego

Przy nabrzeżu znajdującym się przy Skwerze cumuje okręt muzeum ORP „Błyskawica” i żaglowiec szkoleniowy Akademii Morskiej „Dar Młodzieży”. 

ORP Błyskawica

Dar Młodzieży

Skwer Kościuszki i budynki Sea Towers

Stamtąd odpływają statki Żeglugi Gdańskiej, które zabierają turystów na wycieczki po porcie gdyńskim i Zatoce Gdańskiej. Statkiem możemy też wybrać się do Gdańska lub Sopotu albo popłynąć (promem) na Półwysep Helski.

Idąc alejkami Skweru Kościuszki dojdziemy na plażę gdyńską (przysłowiowy „rzut beretem” ze Skweru).

Dla nielubiących plażowania jest Bulwar Nadmorski, jedno z  popularnych miejsc spacerowych Gdynian.

Jeśli chcemy podziwiać panoramę Gdyni, delektować się widokiem na morze, plażę i port wystarczy wspiąć się schodami (lub pojechać kolejką) na szczyt Kamiennej Góry.

Panorama miasta - widok z Kamiennej Góry

Schodząc w dół, z powrotem do centrum, warto zatrzymać się by zobaczyć jak pięknie zagospodarowany jest teren – park, usytuowany na owej Górze w środku miasta. Latem, w niedzielne popołudnia posłuchamy tam koncertów muzyki klasycznej w wykonaniu różnych grup instrumentalistów.

Przy Skwerze Kościuszki znajduje się także Akwarium Gdyńskie, w którego zbiornikach (oprócz innych gatunków stworów morskich) pływają i rekiny.

W tle budynek Akwarium

Jest tam również Muzeum Gdyni (dla tych, którzy chcą bliżej poznać jej historię) i Muzeum Marynarki Wojennej.

Inżynier Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski był budowniczym portu gdyńskiego

Ekspozycja Muzeum Marynarki Wojennej

Gdynia jest bardzo ciekawym i ciągle rozwijającym się miastem – władze Gdyni dbają nie tylko o jej estetykę, ale zajmują się także organizowaniem i promowaniem życia kulturalnego. W Gdyni zawsze dzieje się coś ciekawego: odbywają się tu liczne festiwale i koncerty muzyczne, wystawy, turnieje sportowe, pokazy żaglowców itp. 

 

W dzień świętego Jana, główną ulicą centrum (ul. Świętojańska) maszeruje wesoła parada.

Reprezentacja Akademii Morskiej w Gdyni

Orkiestra Marynarki Wojennej (gra najlepiej)

A to już całkiem inny dzień i inne święto..

... gdyńska procesja Bożego Ciała

Nie wszyscy wiedzą, że Gdynia ma swoje molo. Trochę krótsze niż to w Sopocie, ale też drewniane.

Widok z mola - Gdynia Orłowo

Poza tym wszystkim, brakuje mi powiewu morskiej bryzy, orzeźwiającego wiatru od morza, który nawet w największe upały sprawia, że w Gdyni „jest czym oddychać”.

Plaża gdyńska ma swój urok nie tylko latem...

Jest wiele pięknych miejsc na świecie, ale dla mnie Gdynia zawsze będzie jednym z najpiękniejszych. Dlaczego? Odpowiedź krótka: bo to jest „moja” Gdynia.

My Decorated Boards - Wall Decor Pattern #6

This time the board is decorated with a folk pattern (only) of Kashubia - region of northern Poland.
It is a wall decor item and cannot be used as as a kitchen cutting board of course. Actually it is displayed in our kitchen.

 

Pattern #6

Check our other patterns here.

Little Texan - Wall Decor Pattern #5

Here is another board (pattern #5) with my Little Texan character.
The design contains 'a boy' - one of the characters which I created long time ago and a flowery folk motif of Kashubia region. Another board by myself - displayed in our kitchen of course. :)

You can read about the meaning of the flowery patterns and the story behind the character included on the board - here.

Little Texan & My Pattern #5

 

Check our other patterns here.

 

Wall Decor - Chef Pol-Tex 2 : 'Sashie in Texas'

I have decorated another board - with  a new pattern (#4 so far). The design contains 'a girl' - one of the characters which I created long time ago and a flowery folk motif of Kashubia region.  In a way, it is my self-portrait. In a way. So do not bother yourself with a question - whether I have five teeth only :). Anyway, the board decorates one of our kitchen walls now.

You can read about the meaning of the flowery patterns and the story behind the character included on the board - here.

Pattern #4

  Check our other patterns here.

My Decorated Boards: 'God Bless Texas' - Wall Decor Pattern #3

Here is another pattern of My Decorated Cutting Boards. This one - with 'an angel' a character which I created long time ago - is called 'God Bless Texas'.
You can read about the meaning of the flowery patterns and the story behind the character included on the board - here.

Pattern #3

Check our other patterns here.

'Little Texan'. My Decorated Cutting Boards - Pattern #2

Here is Pattern #2. The design contains a character of my own design ( I call it 'a boy') and a flowery folk motif of Kashubia region. With another character of the little picture 'family' I created long time ago.

You can read more about them and my boards here.

MORE PATTERNS TO COME!

Check our other patterns here.

Banana Bread from Aldi

Of course, banana bread made from the scratch is the best but the one we have found at Aldi's is quite good too. Especially considering that the bread comes 'from the box'.

The bread mix contains real bananas. You only need to stir it/combine  with some water, oil and eggs. No mixer needed, just a spoon. I also add some raisins and chopped pecans to the bread mixture.
When baked, it tastes really nice so it can be served as a party treat (with no risk of being ashamed of its quality). If you prefer muffins, you can bake them using the mix and a muffin tin.
The bread is very easy to make and it is inexpensive too. We like to have it from time to time.

My Decorated Cutting Boards

I created my first decorated cutting board when I was 13 or 14. Then, there was a long 'no board' break. After quite a long time, I painted some more and another break came. I was busy with work and other projects. Recently, I have decided to decorate wooden bread boards again but, this time, in a totally different way.
The cutting board you can see in the picture below is just a sample of what I intend to do/make.

Let me explain what the paintings are:

1. Chef Pol-Tex. Since I moved to Texas, I have been the chef of our Polish-Texan kitchen (I am Polish, my husband is Texan). I make Texan and Tex-Mex dishes, cakes, and pies with a touch of my Polish soul. Or the opposite: I prepare Polish meals, seasoned in a Texan/Southern way. We call it Pol-Tex food. 
2. The character painted on the board was created by myself when I was around 16. Since then, the little 'girl' and quite a band of similar characters have lived in my notepads and on pages of my notebooks. In a way, the drawings are part of me. Inspired by my husband, I thought it is time to show them/myself to the world. 
3. The flowery motifs are symbols of our Polish-Texan home. Some of them are elements of the traditional Kashubian folk pattern (Kashubia is the region of Poland I come from). Bluebonnets are, of course, the State flowers of Texas. 

MORE PATTERNS TO COME!

Things I Learned from My Mum

In quite a few countries Mother's Day is celebrated in May, however, not on the same day of the month.
My mum has always been a friendly, straightforward and  an open minded person, liked by most  people whom she meets on her way. Her life has not been easy but she never complained or got bitter. When she came back from work, she did all the housework, cooked, spent time with us, sewed and so on, and so on. The older I get, the more I appreciate all the things she did for us and what I learned from her.
Below you can read about some of them.

Standards

1. 'Want' means 'can' = if you want to achieve something means you can do it. If you do not succeed at once, do not give up, try again. It is one of mum's sayings - when I was younger I heard it often. It sometimes sounded annoying, especially when I was upset because I did not manage to do what I wanted. On the other hand, it encouraged me to move on and look for other ways to achieve my goals. 
2. Being responsible and reliable - you do not promise anything if you know you cannot keep your promise, if you promise something you hold your word.
3. Duties first, pleasures later - first do what is needed to be done (including paying bills), rest and play when you finish it. 
4. Looking good/nice means feeling good, looking untidy means feeling miserable. Mum has always taken care of her appearance, without any exaggeration though. She has never used much makeup (it is usually a lipstick only) but always found a nice look (hair/clothes) important and uplifting.
5. To look nice you do not need very expensive clothes. The key to success is the ability to match styles, colors and patterns.
6. A high price not always means high quality. Nevertheless, it does not make sense to buy cheapest stuff, if its quality is low/ something does not last long. Then you have to spend even more money buying things again and again.
7. Think positively. If you close that positive 'door', what else is left?
8. An intelligent person never gets bored - another of mum's sayings - there are always many interesting things you can do or learn. Mum has always been a very creative and resourceful woman who also enjoyed learning new things. At present, she attends computer classes among others. Anyway, I am not sure if it is a result of what I was taught, but I do not get bored. Just the opposite - I wish I had more time to do everything I would want to!

Home

1. Home is a place on Earth where you find love, peace, understanding and support of your family, no matter what has happened at school or at work. Just no matter what.
2. It is important for a family to have meals together, especially dinners - it gives an opportunity to talk and share what has happened during a day. It creates bonds and makes the family members be together, not next to each other.
3. The importance of dinner in general - when I started to work but was still living at mum's, coming home after a busy, tiring day was like coming back to a safe port. Dinner was waiting on the table, we talked, and all the annoying and stupid things which happened earlier, were no longer that important and upsetting as they had seemed to be. The meal was calming my hungry stomach whilst our talks and mum's presence was a balm to my soul. These days, when in a restaurant, it is sad to see people (also families) sitting at the same table but actually not really being together, as they do not talk to each other at all - they are busy dealing with their iphones instead.
4.  Money is important (we all have to pay bills, buy food, clothes etc.) but it is not more important than people. Mum has never said 'I am too tired/busy to talk you you'. She was always there for us when we were younger. Mum knew it would have meant: 'I do not care'. And she has always cared - even now, although we are all grown ups.
5. All family members take care of home - everybody has their duties to take care of. When we were little, we also had little things to do such as watering plants, dusting, taking the rubbish out or tidying our room. We were never paid for doing those things though, and we did not expect any money either. Some things need to be done, even if you are not paid for it.
6. The way she took care of us, our clothes and our home. When we were little, mum mended our clothes in the night, while we were asleep. In the morning we could find them next to our beds, refreshed and ready to be put on again. I was always amazed when I woke up - how it was possible that my tights looked brand new again. Mum used to say that a sprite had come during the nighttime and fixed them. Guess what, I believed it!

Skills

1. Reading.
Mum used to read us books when we where small which triggered our interest in reading. Later, when we got old enough to do it on our own, we did enjoy reading a lot. When we started elementary school, mum assisted us while we were doing our homework. She also explained us different topics and helped with learning things by heart (including the multiplication chart).
2. How to organize housework to make it efficient - since mum worked professionally, she had little time to do all the housework. However, it did not mean she could not do it well or do it at all.
3. How to do cooking and baking without turning the kitchen into a messy place.
4. How to style my hair on my own.
5. How to knit.
6. How to make clothes and sew.
7. How to redecorate things/walls, etc. at home.

I was very proud of the results of my work - redecorating our home and later my place too. It was quite a tiring job, not easy to do. But we always helped each other as much as we could, and that was how I learned painting the walls and ceilings, and doing quite a few other things too.

Other

Music. Mum has always enjoyed listening to music. A radio was most often on at our home. More often than a TV set. While listening to the radio you can do many other things, including eg. talking, reading books or working. Nowadays, I also listen to the radio most of the time.