We leave for Serbia in three weeks and reisefieber is slowly overtaking my life. The girls have already started packing. Their new passports arrived yesterday, along with the confirmed itinerary from our travel agent in Ohio. I have started my main list which will, in time, branch out into several subsidiaries, all necessary to facilitate planning and organization.
It has been three years since I went home, and I am filled not only with excitement, but also with apprehension. My parents are getting older, and it will break my heart to see them weaker and more fragile than before. At the same time, I am sure that they will find a wrinkle or two on my face that was not there last time they saw me. We won’t stay the whole summer as we used to, and a month does not seem sufficient for everything I want to do and everybody I want to see, but I am elated that we are going at all.
My heart fills with enormous joy at the thought of my girls seeing their Baba, holding her hands, and giving her the little kisses that she misses so much. She is not well and she is mostly alone, Father leaving for his “ranch” shortly after sunrise, not to return until dinnertime at about 3:00 in the afternoon. But every summer, the house on the edge of the city park fills with family and friends again, and for a couple of months it seems like old times.
But before I leave, I decided to stop stock-piling the food and empty the freezer and the fridge of their contents instead. Husband will continue with his diet while we are gone, and I do not see him rummaging through the box freezer and making the stock from frozen asparagus ends and broccoli stems. That kind of frugal fanaticism is completely my domain.
After taking an inventory, I made a tentative meal plan for the next three weeks. A few days ago I used the last three sauerkraut heads to make a Serbian dish with smoked bacon and pork country ribs. Half of a chicken breast, enough for the three of us now that Husband has his own dinner alternatives, went into a quick stir-fry. I roasted one of the two remaining pork tenderloins and paired it with mashed potatoes. I pulled out a package of English muffins which will be toasted and served with soft butter and strawberry rhubarb jam in the morning as the girls are out of school.
I was doing so well for several days that I was bound to succumb to temptation. I went to Tustin farmers market yesterday, and brought home a lot of produce, comforting myself with the excuse that I was just practicing for the summer in Serbia when I’ll go to the market every morning. And because of that, I have to think of the ways to use the vegetables and fruit that I purchased, in addition to all of the items hiding in my fridge, pantry, and the freezer.
I am feeling guilty when I state that Husband’s diet makes it easier to plan these weird meals because I don’t have to center my dinner around a big chunk of animal protein. He will argue, telling me that he can do meatless, but my experiences are different. Sure, he will happily finish his vegetarian meal, only to go hunting for snacks after an hour or two. Another perk of his dieting is that I can indulge in all the foods to which he is allergic. For days now, cucumbers have been on the table in several incarnations to the delight of my girls.
After I came back from the market, I put everything away, playing with different ideas and loving the challenge. In the end, I decided to make pasta to use several squash blossoms that the vendor included as a gift when I bought kale and beet greens. I defrosted a roasted acorn squash to make a hearty soup. And Dorie’s salad would make a perfect accompaniment.
I have been remiss with my French Fridays with Dorie posts for several weeks and my guilty conscience has been haunting me lately. This week’s assignment was a salad made of fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and strawberries, dressed with a small amount of balsamic vinegar, some olive oil, salt, and pepper. The combination of strawberries and tomatoes intrigued me, but I did not doubt for a second that the flavors would meld together and present a satisfying and light side dish.
The strawberries I bought that morning at the farmers market were small and sweet, just like I remember from my childhood in Serbia, and the mild flavor of silky mozzarella let them shine. The tomatoes offered a bit of texture, playing nicely with their own sweet note, pepped up by the balsamic vinegar and basil. When I was finishing the last bites, I felt a slight pang, as the strawberry season is coming to an end. I loved this variation of the classic Caprese salad and don’t want to wait another year before I taste it again.
But I will not be going to the market next week and will not buy more strawberries. I will find delicious ways to enjoy kale, fennel, roasted beets, red cherries, new potatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and the first zucchini of the year which are eagerly waiting to be a part of our dinner. I will keep on cleaning the freezer and feeding my girls creative and nutritious meals for the next three weeks, dreaming of future happy moments at the market in Serbia. And I will be looking forward to the next spring when this salad will appear on our tables again.
There really is no recipe for it, but is an amazing book that swept many awards this year. For more alternatives and different approaches to this simple, yet elegant late spring dish, visit our French Fridays with Dorie group.
Lana – have a great trip back to see your family.
Glad you could be induced to pull out one more FF before you go!
Cher recently posted..Associations (Strawberry, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad)
So happy you get to spend time with family and I love love making food out of the odds and ends of the fridge and pantry! xoxo!
Nelly Rodriguez recently posted..#mangomadness
How wonderful that you will get to spend so much time at home this summer. And before you go, enjoy eating down your pantry. After all, that’s why we have good pantries in the first place!
Your freezer sounds like mine… I’m glad you’re back this week. Your salad looks delicious. I’m jealous of your California farmers market. We do have them here, but seasons are so short. I love to go and browse, and buy. I think I would totally enjoy the European way of shopping for what you eat at the market every day. Enjoy your trip home.
Betsy recently posted..French Fridays with Dorie: mozzarella, tomato and strawberry salad
I am so excited for your trip home. A month will fly by. Your family must be anticipating your visit with such joy. Family and heritage are so important…it’s great your girls will go too. I look forward to reading about your experiences. Have a great time and be safe. As always, I love reading your blog.
Your parents will love having you and your children with them again after 3 long years…and the markets you used to frequent will also have missed you! It’s great that those strawberries you bought reminded you of your childhood days, food has a way of triggering the memory like that. I also like your tips on using up freezer items, as I seem to forget what’s at the bottom of the pile most days
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SO good to have you back with us, Lana. Your salad and gorgeous, tiny strawberries look amazing! Enjoy your trip to Serbia~~~
Liz recently posted..Mozzarella, Tomato and Strawberry Salad~
I have been remiss with French Fridays as well … so much to cook, so little time. I am excited for you that you’re going to Serbia, I would love to visit there. I cannot wait to see what you eat and do while there (I hope you will be posting, pretty please???)
Your trip sounds so exciting! I have not been back home to Serbia since we arrived in Australia.
Hope you have a wonderful time Lana!
Your salad looks amazing!
Have fun in Serbia!
We are not going to Chile this summer, instead we’re going to Vermont and Maine for the first time. I’m excited.
I don’t have Dorie’s book yet and tis sounds so good.
Lana,
How wonderful that you will have some time in Serbia this summer!! Safe travels.
In the meantime, this is a beautiful FFWD contribution.
How did you like the Tustin Farmers Market, compared to others??? I haven’t been in awhile since it’s in the middle of the week when I’m usually at work.
[K]
Kim recently posted..Shrimp and Pork Wonton Soup | Appreciation for The Dirty Life