We went to the National Polish Center in Washington DC last night for a cocktail party. They have started hosting an event once a month featuring a different Polish food. This month was Golomki (stuffed cabbages) so we went. I asked before hand if the kids could come and practice their polish and were told sure, it would be great.
The golomki was great. They had the typical meat/rice filled golomki and then a vegetarian version with buckwheat and mushrooms. Alissa loved the meat/rice ones and ate four. Yes four - they weren't small ones either. She wasn't thrilled with the buckwheat version and just ate the cabbage. She would get a bit upset if I put a bite in my mouth and would say, "Ja eating". People kept stopping by to see if the kids liked it. Her happy face was answer enough.
Everyone was also so impressed with the great Polish Alissa and Mason spoke, considering their parents didn't speak so well. Someone even remarked that Alissa's "Tak" responses were just so natural...... Mason learned that he could make his way through the crowd to the peanut and pretzel bowls if he said, "excuse me" in Polish. So he was pretty happy. (Mason really is doing a great job continuing to speak Polish with his sister.)
At the end of the night, I was watching Alissa walking down the stairs of the townhouse holding dads hand in her woolen dress, while the photographer was snapping her picture left and right. I thought, just 3.5 months ago this child was in an orphanage and didn't talk to anyone. Just a short time later she is here in the US at a Polish cocktail party with everyone swooning over the cute American/Polish kid that speaks such great Polish:) It just blows my mind, I can't imagine how she is processing it all.
Cooking Tip - For those of you that attempt to make Golomki, I learned that you should put the head of cabbage in the freezer first. This makes the cabbage limp enabling you to fill the cabbage without breaking it. (Since Alissa ate so much I was told I needed to learn to make this:)).
October is Peasant Food and Vodka (not sure this will be a good one for kids). November is Bigos! Yum.
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I just read through your previous two post and I love to hear the progress that Alissa is making! It is mind boggling how receptive children are! Thank you for keeping up with the updates. I love reading them!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun night!
ReplyDeleteThat is really heartwarming!
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