What I did yesterday…

First of all, I put this post in “Trips” because I’ve realized that even if I was still in Łódź, it was actually outside the city somehow.

The Western part of the city is actually cut off from the main city. There are lots of busses and all, but they have been “enlighted” themselves even before the revolution. That the living should be done somewhat outside the city, since there’s no gain to be 5 minutes away from your work, but live in a noisy environment. We (Romanians) haven’t understood that! Nor did we understand a simple fact - that many things nowadays can be solved just by sitting on your computer, in your home!!! And we are supposed to be good IT people… aycks!

Good idea/Bad idea but still… heaven! =)

Good idea: buy & bring beer! Don’t forget the cheese chips!

Bad idea: put it in the freezer to “chill” quickly. This is what George had instead of beer =))) Half beer, 1/4 beer ice and another 1/4 beer foam!

Heaven: always have beer around you ;) Especially when you cook! It will make the cooking such a much nicer experience :p

Liver

I’m sure that Xavier will remember this =) And it is Cătă’s finding, not mine. But I cooked it :p

1. Take as much liver as you want to it :) We have chosen “cow liver” but I’m sure it would be the same with other types as well. Cut it into pieces, the size of two spoons. The following will be sized for 3 people!
2. You will need 3+1 average-size onions that you could chop in half and then slice the halves, so that you get onion-sticks.
3. You will also need a “family” of garlic beans =) (very poetic expression). Chop the garlic as you want, but not too small.
4. Put the 3 onions in a pan, with oil and cook until the onions are glassy - just before they get soft.
5. Put a cup of water, and then the garlic and the liver in the pan. Put the cap on the pan.
6. When the water if half done (like after 10 minutes), add any spices you want. We added parsley, mixed pepper and dill. Do not add salt yet!
7. Let it cook for some more time, without the cap on (some more 15 minutes), add some salt and the other onion.
8. In about 15 minutes, it should be ready. Do not throw the onions or the garlic - they are perfectly eatable :) enjoy!

Recipe(s)

Ok… I may not be a master, but I think I can manage when it comes to food.

And, if others are really in a hurry, or are simple confused about what to do, then I’ve decided to be there for you :P

No, I won’t act like the super-hero who comes to the rescue… I’ll just share my crazy/stupid ideas of cooking.

I will start with the last one, and then continue with future and past ones (I’ve taken photos of each :D ).

Oh, and there will be no names for them =)

This one on the right goes like this:

1. 1/4 of one paprika, and 125g of pasta (I’ve been using Barilla no. 5 - I know, very picky). When the pasta is half done (almost after 4 minutes), you put the chopped paprika in the same water with the pasta, and let it boil along. During and after the boiling, you can add any spices you want, but do add salt and a bit of oil (any type) while boiling. Afterwards add some olive oil and salt.
2. Take 100-150g of whatever semi-prepared meat you have (that is… not raw meat. I have used some sort of veal bacon - hard to tell with all of this Polish around :p ). You take a spoon of butter, and you warm it up in the pan, then you add the chopped “meat”. You add basil, oregano and pepper as you wish, and you cook until the oil has vanished. Then add two full spoons of tomato sauce (concentrate) and put one cup and a half of water. Add more spices as you wish, and cook until the sauce has the desired consistency.
3. You can slice some cucumber as well - it will blend well with the spicy sauce!
4. Enjoy!

Feminism in Łódź

Yesterday we’ve been to Ramzes. AGAIN! =)

But it was a very very long time since going there, and we decided to treat ourselves :p I think we all agree that the place has the best food for us. It’s not that expensive, and the food is almost all the time very tasteful. The only thing that we disliked was their Pizza. The other stuff was from “good/tasty” to “just perfect” and it didn’t go bellow that.

With all their poultry/beef/pork cousine and the French fries/grilled potatoes/rice as side-dish, and always with a cabbage and red beetroot… Yummy! And when you add two Tyskie or Pilsner to that… Perfect! :)

Now… we were sitting at a table, and not for the first time… On weekends, but most probably on Sunday evenings, the restaurants are almost empty. The streets as well. Just some “extreme-sports” people that were going to some clubs on a Sunday night, and, as always, getting back home drunk! :D (I just couldn’t help but mentioning that).

Ok, ok… I’ll get to that feminism that lies in the title!

Today’s Dinner/Supper

• Rice with olive oil, oregano, bazylica and real salt (not salt for vegetables :D )
• Krakowska salamy (quite good, I like it)
• Vegetable mix, cooked in a bit of oil, not olive oil cuz we don’t like the smell of olive oil in a hot pan
• And a tiny piece of Camambert cheese (Sini inspired us)

Patio Restaurant

We’ve been trying out the Patio Restaurant, which would be like a cafeteria inside the university, where they also serve some hot meals.

But, I really don’t think that we will go for anything else, other than pizza.

So far we’ve had some cabbage with mushrooms and macaroni, in the same dish!!! Quite Ok, yet yucky! Then a snitzel with some smashed potatoes. Again, just Ok. Then some cooked mushrooms, with “frykydelka” - freaky! :p

But anyway… it’s not that the food is horrible, but if you take some meat and a bottle of water as well, you reach about 15 PLN. With 15 PLN you eat better at Ramzes, or at least the same!!!

So… until another pizzeria we’ll be tried by us, I think I’ll have pizza just at the Patio Restaurant on Wednesday, when I have a window between two courses, and on Thursday, after we meet with Piotr.

(Grand)mothers

=) (Grand)mothers in Poland have the same Russian/Slavic attitude!

You are studying or just listen to some music… then… knock-knock… “Here! Some fruits… a cake…” Remember? It happens here as well.

And I guess we all had problems because we got so much food when we’re away, at studies, in other town!

And not just cooked food, maybe some dishes that you cannot cook yourself or something. But also bread, fruits, butter. Things that you can get at every supermarket.

Not only this, but in quite large quantities. I just cannot help to remind myself how things were in Cluj, when I was going to the train station and get the package with food that my mom was sending from 700 km away =)

 

Home Dinners

OK. This is getting too weird.

For a week, after we came here, we ate almost every day at Ramzes Restaurant, paying around 20 - 25 PLN for a full dinner (first course/main course/desert/drinks - every time 3 of these).

Hmm… might I say that 6 EUR for a chic meal on the main street, in a cosy atmosphere, is not at all that much?!

But for an every day meal, it can get to you.
So we decided to start cooking indoors. Bought a pan, a pot, etc.

Two days ago… we had chicken with rice and vegetables
- two chickens - 18 PLN
- rice and vegetables - 4 PLN
= 22 PLN divided by 3 ~= 7 PLN ~= 2 EUR each

Today we had some French fries with some fish fingers. All in all 9 PLN = 3 PLN each = LESS than 1 EUR each.

And I say… what the fuck?! Pardon my French!

Official “party”

This evening we were invited by the Erasmus office of WSHE to a restaurant and a pub.

Let’s see if the restaurant beats Ramzes =)

Ramzes so far has proved marvelous, except for their pizzas. I don’t know where they learned that pizza should have bitter cheese, but this is how they do it. Plus the vegetables are quite raw, not cooked.

Other than that, you can have my favorite - chicken breast in horse radish sauce, with salad and grilled potatoes. And 1L of Tyskie ;) All in all 25 PLN

Unfortunately, beer is not as cheap as in Czech Republic :( But we can manage :p Debowę is also quite good. We haven’t tried the other ones so far, but there’s a lot of time to it.

And, the trick to all this official party restaurant -will the waiter speak English?! :D