So Friday, I went to school in a semi food coma having eaten so much the night before. And Fridays tend to be a long day for me: 6 classes plus a separate session with an incredible student (Nick Mitiș) who is going to attend university in the U.S. and who is going to be a great writer (but I digress). In the meantime, Victor Croitor (see my previous post) called me and said, "My mother says you are coming over today to cook the turkey."
Uh... I was at a loss. "We need to cook it," he continued. "I hate to put you to work..., but..."
I explained that I had other plans, but he was insistent that his family could wait until later.
After all my lessons I headed home. I was so tired, I could barely keep my eyelids open, but I knew I was heading over to the Spataru family for a discussion about a large ecological project that Domnul Spataru is working on. What I didn't know is that they were going to prepare a large meal for us to enjoy while we were discussing said project.
Moldovan cooking is really tasty, and each house puts a little different spin on the various dishes. Doamna Spataru who works as the administrative secretary at our school rushed home and prepared some incredible chicken and rice pilaf, fresh marinated cabbage and other delights. It was impossible to say no, and this is a wonderful family with whom I like to spend time. Their son Lucian was a student in the 12th grade last year and is a gifted photographer. Their daughter Doina plays the sax and sings up a storm -- so I've written a couple of songs for her. And their son Mircea is a fascinating philosopher with the soul of a poet. Both Doamna and Domnul Spataru attend my evening classes for adults. Great conversations and wonderful foods were to be had.
As if I was Cinderella at the ball, however, at 7:30 Victor called me and I had to rush out because he was outside the Spataru gate to escort me to his house.
So, with a rucksack full of spices, brown sugar, freshly bought carrots and a chocolate bar for Doamna Croitor, I was off to cook a second Thanksgiving meal. Doamna Croitor had made potato placinte and a potato and mushroom soup. I contributed some incredible (if I do say so myself) turkey, gravy and sweet carrots (a modified recipe from my friend Sharon). The whole time I was cooking, Doamna Croitor was very skeptical. "This will have too much cholesterol," she said. "You put sugar in your carrots," she asked. "That's how you cook turkey," she wanted to know.
As we sat down to a very laden table and an incredible Croitor house wine, Doamna Croitor watched as her sons (Victor's younger brother Vlad is also a student) dove into the food with abandon. So she decided to try a little of everything and then began to dive into the food herself. For dessert there was cherry placinte.
All in all, except for the stretch marks on my stomach and the extreme pinching of my belt, I felt pretty satisfied with the work I had done. Not to mention that I had the opportunity to really enjoy being with two great families in Ialoveni and share the meaning of Thanksgiving.
So for those of you counting the tally is 4 huge meals for the weekend, and I'm only up to Friday.
More to come.
Uh... I was at a loss. "We need to cook it," he continued. "I hate to put you to work..., but..."
I explained that I had other plans, but he was insistent that his family could wait until later.
After all my lessons I headed home. I was so tired, I could barely keep my eyelids open, but I knew I was heading over to the Spataru family for a discussion about a large ecological project that Domnul Spataru is working on. What I didn't know is that they were going to prepare a large meal for us to enjoy while we were discussing said project.
Moldovan cooking is really tasty, and each house puts a little different spin on the various dishes. Doamna Spataru who works as the administrative secretary at our school rushed home and prepared some incredible chicken and rice pilaf, fresh marinated cabbage and other delights. It was impossible to say no, and this is a wonderful family with whom I like to spend time. Their son Lucian was a student in the 12th grade last year and is a gifted photographer. Their daughter Doina plays the sax and sings up a storm -- so I've written a couple of songs for her. And their son Mircea is a fascinating philosopher with the soul of a poet. Both Doamna and Domnul Spataru attend my evening classes for adults. Great conversations and wonderful foods were to be had.
As if I was Cinderella at the ball, however, at 7:30 Victor called me and I had to rush out because he was outside the Spataru gate to escort me to his house.
So, with a rucksack full of spices, brown sugar, freshly bought carrots and a chocolate bar for Doamna Croitor, I was off to cook a second Thanksgiving meal. Doamna Croitor had made potato placinte and a potato and mushroom soup. I contributed some incredible (if I do say so myself) turkey, gravy and sweet carrots (a modified recipe from my friend Sharon). The whole time I was cooking, Doamna Croitor was very skeptical. "This will have too much cholesterol," she said. "You put sugar in your carrots," she asked. "That's how you cook turkey," she wanted to know.
As we sat down to a very laden table and an incredible Croitor house wine, Doamna Croitor watched as her sons (Victor's younger brother Vlad is also a student) dove into the food with abandon. So she decided to try a little of everything and then began to dive into the food herself. For dessert there was cherry placinte.
All in all, except for the stretch marks on my stomach and the extreme pinching of my belt, I felt pretty satisfied with the work I had done. Not to mention that I had the opportunity to really enjoy being with two great families in Ialoveni and share the meaning of Thanksgiving.
So for those of you counting the tally is 4 huge meals for the weekend, and I'm only up to Friday.
More to come.
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