I am retired so I should have the time, even though these dishes are ridiculously labor-intensive.
If my great-grandmothers could make all this and still have time to milk the cows, darn the socks, feed the chickens, and so on, I should be able to handle this in my 21st century kitchen.
I need something to keep me busy as I wait impatiently for my offspring to arrive for the holidays.
I am bonding with countless generations of strong, resilient East European women.
I suppose this is one way to make myself invaluable to the offspring and to the husband, because they do appreciate all the effort I put into this. I think.
If I don’t make all these traditional dishes, my mother’s ghost will no doubt come to haunt me. (It’s still complicated, you know, all the Polish mother guilt I carry.)
Some of these dishes are good for our health, right? I mean, sauerkraut is pickled and good for gut health, and all the fish has great omega-3 fatty acids. And the sour cream has calcium. And the beets help fight inflammation. And the poppy seeds are rich in antioxidants. Right?
The days-long lingering smell of cooked cabbage reminds me of my childhood, and nostalgia is a necessary part of the holiday season.
At least the vodka is easy to obtain.
I want to pass on the beautiful Polish Christmas legacy to my kids and their partners. (And if they let the traditions die, I suppose I could always come back and haunt them.)
Listed on the menu: Yes, as “Esplanade 1925 Old Fashioned (1960s era).”
Ingredients: Michter’s bourbon, Kilchoman Sanaig Islay Single Malt Scotch, African fruit pepper, orange peel.
The occasion: This was our final night in Zagreb, and our first night of the “official” excursion with our tour agency, who booked us into the most elegant and historic hotel in the city, The Esplanade. Since the restaurant (decorated in shades of pink!) holds a “green” Michelin star, we had to experience it. The meal was superb! What a lovely way to bid goodbye to this charming capital city.
My rating: ***** out of 5. From the start, this drink was out to impress, with “Esplanade 1925”–the name of the Old Fashioned and of the bar!–burned into the accompanying orange peel. Fancy! I am not familiar with “African fruit pepper,” but I assume that it’s an herbal bitter. I am familiar with Kentucky’s Michter bourbon, one of my favorites. The main note of the drink was the smokiness from the scotch, which blended well with the sweet and spicy notes from the other ingredients. The menu stated: “Just like a time machine, it (the cocktail) will take you back to the original experience of New York brokers in the 1960s.” I complimented the bartenders upon departure, and they were eager to show me the bottle of scotch they used. Delicious.
Final thoughts: The hotel website says it better than I can: “Opened in 1925 as a refuge for passengers from the Orient Express, the über-stylish Esplanade Zagreb Hotel is an architectural gem. Located within easy reach of key attractions, the city’s most iconic hotel combines art deco glamour with every contemporary convenience. Long-established as a haven for A-List movie stars, politicians, singers and artists, the hotel’s fairytale exterior and gracious guest accommodation make it easily the most prestigious hotel in Zagreb.” We would happily return!
Listed on the menu: Yes, simply as “Old Fashioned.”
Ingredients: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Muscovado, and Angostura Bitters.
The occasion: This was our first evening in Croatia! We left Venice in the morning, spent the afternoon in lush Motovun, on the gorgeous Istrian Peninsula. For the next two days, our plans were to further explore Istria, and especially the seaside town of Rovinj. Our inn was only a few blocks away from this waterside bar, and we so enjoyed sitting on a bench and watching the sun set over the Adriatic Sea.
My rating: **** out of 5. The muscovado sugar gave the drink a rich, brown sugar sweetness. Woodford is always a good idea, and this cocktail lived up to expectations. I appreciated the orange oil around the edge, which showed me that the young bartender was knowledgeable about this “American” cocktail.
Final thoughts: We wanted to have cocktails in this incredibly-situated bar–it appeared to just hang into the sea–and we will never forget this evening. However, we soon discovered for ourselves that Croatians make delicious and complex wines, so we focused on wines for the next week and a half of our stay. And also, we learned that Croatians will not sit on hard, cold surfaces, for fear of catching a variety of ailments, so every bar provided patrons with ample cushions and lap blankets.
Monica Lists 