TALKING POLISH AGAIN, NIX THE PUPPETS

Happy Tuesday Guys and Dolls:

Let me start off today on a sarcastic note just because it’s “PUPPET DAY.” I hated puppets as a kid and I still do. I’d like to have a long pair of scissors and snip those strings as they are bouncing around in front of that curtain yelling with those high pitched voices. There I said it I hate puppets now give me a good ventriloquist act and I’m ready to go.

Now here is a holiday I can really relate to “PIGS IN A BLANKET DAY” or golabki as us Polish people like to call them. In the US the term “pigs in a blanket” refers to hot dogs or those Vienna sausages wrapped in biscuit dough or other dough and baked. There are a number of variations on pigs in a blanket from around the world but to me the one and only is the Polish golabki. My two grandmothers made complete opposite kinds of golabki, both I imagine used the same meat a combination of beef and pork. Granny O’s cabbage was a softer texture and covered with tomato sauce as a topping. Granny Z’s cabbage was firmer and no sauce on top more of a drier golabki but as good. Now my mother of course followed Granny O’s recipe and I have to admit made a good pig in the blanket. Our son Jeff tried making them a couple years ago as he dabbles in cooking and to our surprise created a great golabki dish. I’ve been told the secret is in the type of cabbage to use by my sweet Polish friend I work with. Roe and I located a Polish restaurant here in Florida and had lunch one day but were disappointed in the food very bland and lacked the right zip as I call it. Our search will continue as it is still going for the closest thing to a Trenton Tomato Pie.

I’m getting hungry now and it’s not even close to lunch think I’ll snack on some pretzels till then. Have a great day Guys and Dolls and as always be careful out there.