Aimee’s World Tour

On Sunday I hopped a three hour train from Poznan to Warsaw to visit Babcia Hanna and her friend Teddy.  Learn it now: Grandma = Babcia.

Unlike my last venture on public transport this train screamed Total legroom!!!  I managed a seat with no places in front and no one next to me.  It was heaven… that ride could have lasted 10 hours and it wouldn’t have mattered.

Babcia greeted me the moment I got off of my “wagon”.  She was just as I’d last seen her which was… crap… I have no idea… either high school or college.

Babcia Hanna – I’ve come to the conclusion that the last several days have been an attempt on my life.  The woman will not stop feeding me.  We have breakfast around 8 am and then head to Teddy’s apt. for breakfast around 10:30 am… followed by lunch at 1pm.  And then um… dinner at 4 pm and… supper at like… 6 or 7 pm.  I called in Portion Control but he was no match for Babcia Power. 

My first day I thought I might literally break her heart if I didn’t have another dill potato.  I’m dead serious.  I stared at the ball of carbs, smiled weakly and ate it up.

The first couple days I tried to think of ways to tell her I didn’t want to eat everything that was offered but honestly it’s extremely hard to get that message across.  As a guest in Poland you have to eat or… well no, you have to eat. 

So even though I tried to limit my portions, which wasn’t going to fly on the first day anyways, I’m afraid some serious damage has been done… say a few kilos. 

Polish breakfasts are fat and carbs, only slightly compensated for by veggies and juice.  White sourdough bread with butter AND cheese AND ham or kulbasa (sausage) with tomotoes and cucumbers are the norm.  Lunch is more like dinner… maybe turkey, dill potatoes, chicken, kapoosta (this cabbage thing), soup – whatever.  Dinner can be more of those sandwiches – it varies. 

I made the mistake of naming my favorite polish foods: nalishneekies, pierogies, – well let’s just stop there as those two are like the tastiest things on the planet… and give cinnabun and McD’s a run for their money in the nutrition dept.  Nalishneekies spelled phonetically are these polish pancakes, deep fried a la version Babcia, with either jam or cheese or fruit in the middle.  They are to die for.  And I might.   Pierogies you may be familiar with… basically a Polish ravioli but so much more… they can be boiled or fried and like nalishneekies can have an assortment of fillings from potato and cheese to mushroom and cabagge.  It’s hard to eat just 5. haha. Our second night of pierogies I ate but 3.  “I am superwoman…yes I am yes I am.”

Of course I’m going to enjoy the cuisine but I really have to be aware because if I go for a second helping, Babcia urges me to dump the entire plate or bowl onto my own.  I’ve learned to say Ja yestem ni ya zon-nah – I’m full.  No thank you wasn’t making a dent. 

So while the turkey and potatoes or kasha and barsch aren’t so bad, the surprise nalashnkee takes it over the top. Nalasheekies after every meal… I may have to start looking for new jeans.

(google the words… I’ve not the time to explain right now)

I’ll be back to finish!

 Aimeeschoo

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