Monday, July 27, 2009

A good ethnic weekend

Had an absolutely "offal" weekend. How so?

Well, the family went to Kolacky Days, and tried a very interesting Czech sausage--jirnice (don't ask me how it's pronounced). The guy serving us wrinkled up his nose, but the family definitely preferred it to the kielbasa (Polish sausage) they also served. Didn't actually buy any kolacky--they were just store made in a bag, not at all like the treats my dad remembers from growing up in a Bohemian neighborhood (ethnically, not behaviorally) around Chicago. He could get a meal just by walking around the block and accepting a kolack from each mom who offered, more or less, when he was a little guy.

Also had chitterlings for the first time at a Chinese restaurant--pretty good, but a little bit salty and greasy. A fun bit for the Muckraker; one of the suckers given to my kids at this (very good) restaurant said "Maricopa County Recycles." Evidently you can buy labeled candies for cheap when the original buyer doesn't come through.

2 comments:

pentamom said...

Chitterlings at a Chinese restaurant?

That Bohemian comment struck me funny. I was just explaining the other day to my highly literate 18 year old daughter that Bohemian really is a historic nationality, not just a lifestyle. Should have made her read My Antonia sooner.

Gino said...

growing up on a farm in war torn calabria, with all food confiscated by the german army, my dad can vouch for that last comment.

he'll also say some of it was damn tasty.