Stananya's Polish Wedding

This September, Drew and I had the honor of flying to Lodz, Poland to be a part of Stan and Mananya's big day. We were so excited for this trip, partly because we had never been to Poland and partly because this would be our last trip before parenthood. Some call it a babymoon...and we couldn't be more excited to share part of this trip with Stan and Mananya.

We spent three days in Lodz, Poland and then flew to Krakow where we also got to visit Auschwitz. But let's start in Lodz. We were greeted by Stan and Mananya and quickly got to meet the rest of Stan's family. I can't imagine a more friendly and open group of people. They were excited for us to see their city and for us to experience their culture. Within 15 minutes of checking into our hotel, Stan took us to get some authentic Polish food. What is authentic Polish food? I had the same question. Polish food consists of a lot of soups and meat based dishes. I think it would be very difficult to be a vegetarian in Poland. But it's all phenomenal. So anyway, a great start to our trip!

Drew and I got to experience a beautiful Polish Catholic wedding in a gorgeous cathedral in Lodz. Afterwards, we were served a 6 course dinner which lasted for over 4.5 hours. Even though I was falling asleep at the table, I made sure to make it through to our last course -- chicken stroganoff.

In the following days, we also got an amazing home-cooked meal from Stan's Aunts that lasted nearly as long as the wedding feast! We were shifted from house to house for more food. Needless to say, Drew was overwhelmed.

But it wouldn't be a complete trip without some Thai food. I can count on one hand the times that we have eaten a non-asian cusine with Mananya, so it came as no surprise to Drew or I that she insisted on a Thai dinner. But the fact that her mom from Thailand was there with authentic ingredients made it irresistible. Probably the best home-made Thai food I had experienced. I still dream about that meal.

So as you can see, our time in Poland will be something that we don't forget for a long while. I wanted to share some of this amazing cuisine with you and also some memories. Of course...read on for more about our European adventure...but what a way to kick things off!

Revolutions don't just come in the form of tea bags...

My friend, Woody, is a connoisseur of good beer. So it came as no surprise when he recommended a new place called Revolution Brewing. It's close to the corner of Milwaukee and California and you can't miss it...because it's the only newer looking sign in the area. They have windows that open to the street to give you and outdoor feel and when you walk inside, it's a brick and beam interior with the bar as the main focal point, though the brewing tanks in the back will be noticed as well. We went there on a Friday night and had about a 40 minute wait. The boys didn't seem to mind however as they all ordered some beers to try. I hear the Whip is quite tasty if you like an IPA. They also do a tasting size for $2 on any of their beers.

Once we got seated, we dug right into the menu and started with the bacon fat popcorn. It's was popcorn with bacon bits and grated parmesan cheese. While slightly original in the concept, the flavors didn't really come together for us and we all decided we probably wouldn't try it again. The sweet potato cakes with curry on the other hand were quite delightful and we were all scraping the plate.

We then moved onto our entrees. I got the beef stew and Drew got the pork chop. The beef stew was everything you would hope for in a stew. It was hearty, comforting, and filling. The veggies weren't over-cooked and there was enough for left overs for lunch the next day. The garlic cream mashed potatoes were a nice touch and were pretty addictive. Drew couldn't stop eating his stuffing and he thought the apple cranberry compote was amazing.

Woody copied me (of course) and got the beef stew, while Matt went back to his London roots and got the fish and chips which are hand-battered with their iron fist ale and thankfully served with balsamic vinegar (how could they not?).

We ended the night with the chocolate chunk bread pudding and never regretted a spoonful of it. I failed to mention that Drew is a connoisseur of bread-puddings and it met and exceeded all of his standards.

Would we go back? We already have....3 times...and one time was the day after the first trip.

It's Time for a Revolution

For anyone who is a food network junkie like myself, you probably recognize the name Jamie Oliver. And if anyone is into changing the world, like my husband, then you probably recognize the name Jamie Oliver. Jamie has been in the news most recently for two things: His new show on ABC called Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, and for winning the prestigious TED award. The TED award is given annually to one person who has a wish of gigantic proportions to - yes really - change the world.

Jamie's vision to make our world a healthier place, started many years ago in his home country (the UK). But he has recently focused his sights on the U.S. and our HUGE (no pun intended) eating problem. His focus is on education and empowerment of today's youth especially. His new show is situated in West Virginia in the country's "fattest" city. He works in the local schools to try and find healthy alternatives for the students and tries to change the mind-set of the school's administration, all while trying to understand and navigate all of our federal red-tape. He even had to ask what the FDA was all about. The show documents his struggles with the local lunch ladies and radio DJ, but also shows the small victories with some of the families in the town. He works closely with the local pastor as well and is distraught when the pastor goes through the amount of funerals he performs each month.

This city is not unlike many other cities in the US where fast food reigns and people think frozen meals are just as good as a home-cooked one. It's time for our generation to step up and start caring about what we're putting into our bodies. It was one of the most depressing things to me to see Jamie go into a classroom with a basket full of vegetables and as he held each one up, the kids kept getting it wrong. They didn't even know what a potato was, but they sure did know what a french fry was. It can start small, you don't have to go organic in one day or even at all...but here are some ways I would encourage our generation to make a change:

1. Go to more local markets to get your produce. Most cities have a variety of outdoor markets where local farmers sell their produce. You know it's organic and fresh and instead of your money going to a corporation like Walmart or Dominicks, you're supporting local businesses.

2. Start buying free-range, grass-fed meats. Pharmaceutical companies are having to come up with new anti-biotics because our bodies are consuming so many from the meat we eat, that we are becoming immune. Whole Foods has an amazing selection of meats and you always know what state and even city and farm the meat is coming from. It's not cheap, but you don't have to buy your entire week's worth of groceries there, but start with the meat.

3. Host a supper club for your friends. Four of my closest friends in Chicago do this and not only do we get to enjoy a home-cooked meal, but it's an excuse to hang out every week. It forces you to learn to cook a few recipes (with no fear of judgment, since we're all friends) and gives you the inspiration you need to cook more often, even for just yourself!

4. Take a cooking class. The Chopping Block (http://www.thechoppingblock.net/classes.html) in chicago as well as Sur La Table (http://cookingclasses.surlatable.com/) offers a wide range of classes from beginner to chef. Instead of a movie or dinner date...get your friends to save up the cash and do this once every couple of months...you get to learn something new AND you get to eat the food you've just learned how to cook!

These are just some of my humble suggestions, but it might just start the food revolution our generation needs. We need to be a generation that cares. Apathy comes easy to people my age, but the differentiator is going to be the people that take action and inspire others to do the same. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in America today and it's such an simple thing to avoid. If we could just get this one thing right, then a lot of other things would come easier.

A blog that might (or might not) have popped in response to Jamie's revolution is a blog called Fed Up With School Lunch. It's about a teacher who has committed to eating her school's lunches for an entire year...there are photos and guest bloggers, but it's so amazing to see what the younger generation is eating on a daily basis in our public schools.



Things need to change, so please, check out Jamie's website: http://www.jamieoliver.com/ and figure out what part you're going to play in this growing revolution. I leave you with a quote of Jamie's from his TED award speech:

"I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity."

20 degrees to 90 degrees in 17 hours

Slums of Mumbai

Me, Neha (the bride), and Gargi before the wedding





Trying on my first sari...



A little girl in Yerpedu showing Usha her aids treatment booklet.

The art called "Kalamkari." They hand-print and color sari cloth.

A street vendor selling us our chai masala

India is a lot like Chicago in many ways...it's a metropolis where you will find many different kinds of people, it has great shopping, great eats, and you can catch a cab on nearly any corner. But the differences are clear. No where else in the world, will you find slums like in Mumbai. They are expansive and heart-wrenching. The abject poverty that is staring you in the face in India, makes you thankful for the small luxeries we have in our daily lives...such as consistent electricity, clean water, a comfortable bed, food at our disposal, air-conditioning...all things that we take for granted, daily. People in India can survive for a mere salary of $5,000 a year. And many survive on much less. So next time you open your mouth to complain about your raise...consider the above.

Drew and I travelled to India for two reasons. We have family friends that are missionaries in India and they run an AIDS and Leprosy hospital. We have always wanted to visit and learn more about their work there. We stayed with them in a small south Indian village called Yerpedu for five days. We got to visit some of their patients and experience south Indian life. We also discovered the joy of south Indian cooking! Mylama was the most amazing cook and I miss her cooking, even today. Usha and Emerys truly have a heart for the Indian people and have devoted their lives to trying to give hope to their patients living with HIV Aids and spreading the fact that God is love...even to those with this life threatening disease. How could anyone look into these children's eyes and tell them that they don't matter? That a disease that they had no control over, has made their lives insignificant? Usha and Emerys show them this is not the case, that their lives DO matter and that they should be making the most of it. God's grace is evident in India and the people there are ready to tell you about it.

We then left our home in Yerpedu and travelled to Mumbai...the Indian epicenter for everything Bollywood. Our second reason for visiting India: Our friends, Salil and Neha were getting married and Drew and I were fortunate enough to get an invitation. We gladly followed Salil into a big, shiny (air-conditioned) mall to buy some traditional Indian clothing and eat our first Indian fast food feast. We then left the mall and the traffic in India is not something I can easily describe, but I will no longer complain about Chicago traffic. It's pretty bad though when an ox and cart pass you on the interstate...After our shopping spree, Salil took us to Neha's house where she was having a Mehndi party. I got some beautiful henna on my hands and arms (which is still there as I write this) and was exposed to some of the most beautiful (inside and out) Indian women. We spent some time exploring the city and trying to take everything in. There were so many firsts for Drew and I....at one point, our cab driver pulled over and yelled at us to get out...when we tried to explain that we weren't at our hotel, he starting yelling at us in Hindi and then proceeded to open our doors and tell us to get out (or at least we thought that's what he was saying...). The smells in India are unrivaled by any other country I've been in, both the good and the bad. But again, everything made us very thankful for our small, creature comforts waiting for us at home. The wedding was probably one of the most beautiful events I have ever witnessed and was sad when it was all over. The Indians really know how to party, and they really know how to make their guests feel welcome.

It's safe to say that our time in India, while short, was very humbling. It's a beautiful country that I think everyone should try to visit in their lifetime, but go prepared to be taken out of every comfort zone you have ever known. Go prepared for your heart to be broken. Go prepared to experience their simple joys. Go prepared to understand that we are blessed beyond measure.

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12

Chicago Restaurant Week - David Burke's Prime House

It's restaurant week in Chicago! And because this only happens once a year, I have to take full advantage. Several restaurants in Chicago participate in this wildly popular - one week - Chicago event. You can get a prix fixe, $22, 3-course lunch or a $32, prix fixe dinner. While still pricey, it's much cheaper than if you were to go there any other time and eat three courses. My favorite spot this year was David Burke's Prime House. It's located in the James hotel on Rush and Ontario.

I started with the surf and turf dumplings and the Kobe Beef Sashimi. Both were excellent. The dumplings had a lot of flavor. On the left are the lobster dumplings and on the right are braised short rib dumplings with a balsamic reduction. The only negative was that the wrapper of the dumplings were somewhat dense and bland. You could tell they weren't fresh, unfortunately. The Kobe Beef Sashimi was perfection achieved in six bites. It was served on a Himilayan salt block and was seasoned perfectly. It was served with black truffle mayonaise, mini-toasts, and mushroom chips. I could have eaten this as an entree.

My entree was the 40 day, dry aged "burker." It had sauteed spinach and bacon mayonaise on it with fried shallots. I think there's a limit to how good a burger can be, but it definitely was one of the better burgers I've eaten. The asiago and truffle fries were quite tasty as well and very fresh. I would have expected home-made ketchup to go with such tasty fries, but no such luck. Heinz 57 would have to do. Not much else to say here. It was a burger.

For dessert I got to try the "slice of prime" and "the king." The slice of prime was basically a s'more in cake-form. Tasty, but very rich. Great for chocolate lovers! The King however, was creative and tasty. It was banana-bread topped with ice cream with bacon brittle. The banana-bread was superb and very comforting. But the bacon brittle was something special. You could definitely taste the bacon in the brittle, but it wasn't a bad combination of sweet and savory. If you like the Vosages bacon bar, you would like this brittle.

So ends my journey to Prime House...it's safe to say I would go back, but next time, I'll get a steak.