Smacznego (or "Bon Appetit")

Before coming to Edinburgh, I would think about all the different, new experiences I expected to have.  I wondered whether haggis really would be as unappealing as everyone made it out to be (turns out it is actually quite nice). I wondered if I would be able to make friends with Scottish people or if there would be cultural barriers that would prevent it. Among the things I wondered about, there was also a fair amount I expected to experience. For example, I expected going to the supermarket would be even more loathsome than it is was with a car (this indeed turned out to be true). I anticipated that it would be hard to find a lot of the ingredients and foods that I am used to cooking with (this has been the case sometimes but not always*). Etc etc.

One of the great things though about exploring a new place though is that there are loads of things that are great which you don't even expect. One of the biggest ones for me in the Edinburgh chapter of my life is getting to know Polish people, culture and food. When I first interviewed for my housekeeping job, I was asked very matter-of-factly if I knew how to speak Polish. "What a random language to know", I said. "Why no, I don't know if I have even met a Polish person before." The duty manager, a kind but humourless fellow, followed up by telling me that there are a lot of Poles in the Edinburgh area and that half of the housekeeping team was Polish and a handful of the kitchen help were as well. At the time, it didn't matter to me one way or the other (I just cared about getting a job). I had no idea what a cultural adventure I was about to have.

My second day on the job I was paired up with this spunky, wee Polish lass who in spite of having learned English only a couple of years ago could chat it up more than anyone I had ever met. Ever. From the start, we "got on like a house on fire". I don't know how you couldn't with this girl Aneta. Within the first couple weeks of work, we were already swapping favourite cultural dishes with each other. I made her chile con carne and cornbread. She brought me potato dumplings, meat stuffed cabbage, and Polish herbal teas (she is fascinated with me not drinking leaf tea as a religious thing). Even today I have come home with a 15 bags of "Malina + Granat - Herbata Owocowa" (Raspberry and Pomegranat Herbal Tea judging by the pictures on the box) and a handful of Polish biscuits and wafer candies. Her teas and biscuits have yet to disappoint as they have an unrivaled grasp on how to best espouse the wonders of marshmallow.

Last night sealed the deal for me though. For a couple of weeks, Aneta and our Latvian co-worker/friend Agnese and I have been talking about going to Kleofas Cafe, a wee Polish restaurant over on Gorgie Road. It took some scheduling acrobatics to get us all there at the same time but oh was it worth it!

The wonders that the Poles can work with beets, potatoes, cabbage and the like. Never thought to saute pickled beets in butter to make a warm salad but it is one idea to remember.

Though the potato dumplings were unbelievably moist and soft and my pork medallion impeccably savoury with a mushroom sauce they made, the award of best dish would have to go to the dessert cake I got. "Sour Apple and Dark Chocolate Cake". What an inspired combination of  melty bittersweet and sour with the most stimulating texture. I have never eaten a cake that accomplished so much without any frosting. What a delight!

How had I never heard the raving reviews of Polish food before? Surely with the contributions they make to the culinary world, there would be more restaurants around and aisles in supermarkets with their ingredients. I will say though, that this experience is probably a template for something much bigger that I will encounter as I go new places, meet new people throughout my life. I imagine that there are a wealth of people and cultures (and food) I have never really thought about before but has something magnificent to offer.




*Foods I expected would be difficult to find but are not
-Cummin
-Mexican food (there is little variety and not as great/authentic quality but it is there)
-Cinnamon sticks (I didn't expected these to be difficult to find but they are so super cheap here compared to the States)

*Foods I expected would be easy to find but are not
-Ground pepper (they usually only have the peppercorns?)
-Diced green chilis
-Popcorn
-Chocolate chips
-Tofu
-Dried Beans (Black and Pinto beans are the most difficult to find; they can be found but they are quite expensive and only at the biggest supermarkets.)