Transplant in a WA Winter Wonderland

Somehow we’ve managed to stumble into December and the full-blown beginning of winter. As I write this, there’s a rare crust of snow covering the skylight in the Northwest History Room, and I’ve got the space heater going at my desk. This time of year turns my thoughts to home; not my relatively new home out here in the PacNW, but the home and family I left behind in Chicago. This year will be the first year I don’t return for any of the holidays, so my efforts have been aimed at bringing a little bit of home to myself.

What comes first? Well of course the answer is food. Despite my best efforts, I’ve yet to find a source for Polish food out here. I’ve had tasty Russian and Hungarian food, but nothing that tastes like Grandma’s kitchen. On the days when I’m not feeling lazy, I’ve begun trying to make some of my favorites at home. I’ve perfected my fresh Polish sausage recipe and several versions of gołąbki, but have yet to tackle the pierogi. I’m thinking with all this leftover turkey, mushrooms, assorted berries, potatoes, and stuffing, I might have some great fillings to give it a try this week. To help me along the way, I’ve grabbed two great Polish cookbooks from the stacks:

From a Polish Country House Kitchen by Anne Applebaum & Danielle Crittenden is a very posh take on Polish cooking. There is a lot of emphasis on fresh, high-quality, farm-raised ingredients. This book is full of lush photographs of caviar canapes, fruit soups, and rich desserts, perfect for helping you select a menu for a dinner party. There are several pierogi recipes to play with and dozens of other dishes to try.

Polish Classic Recipes, by Laura & Peter Zeranski is a humble little book that looks more like something you’d find in grandma’s kitchen. The photos are no less enticing but the presentation is more down-to-earth. It’s comforting to see foods I love being served in the same kinds of Polish crockery that I inherited from my Mom.

I’m looking forward to taking both home to do some heavy winter meal planning.

Another great way of bringing a bit of home out here is getting outside and playing in the cold. Right now I can do that in my own backyard but once the temperatures rise a bit and the snow goes away, I’ll be heading up into the mountains to enjoy the winter wonderland. At home my winter activity of choice was always pond hockey; with the relative lack of safe and reliable natural ice here, I’ve had to pick up some new hobbies. This year there will be a lot of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The EPL has a great variety of books on these sports and where to enjoy them locally. Here are some of my favorites from Mountaineer Books:

Cross-Country Skiing, by Steve Hindman. As a book buyer for the EPL, I’ve come to recognize that there are certain publishers that reliably release high-quality books. Mountaineers Books is a great example. This title is a well-respected guide for beginner and more experienced Cross-Country or Nordic skiers. Readers learn about the different kinds of equipment available, as well as different techniques that will come in handy on the trail. The author includes step-by-step photos to help illustrate the different topics being discussed.

Cross-Country Ski Tours: Washington’s North Cascades. This one is an oldie but a goodie. If you’re looking for good recommendations on local trails, this is an excellent resource.

Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes by Martin Volken. While this book probably won’t be in my bag at the end of the day, I thought I’d offer up something for the more-seasoned local readers out there. The routes in this book were vetted and compiled by a seasoned team of backcountry ski and snowboard guides. Routes vary in difficulty from beginner to expert skiers and snowboarders, so be cautious and honest about your skill level if you decide to try some out. Readers are treated to information about elevation, permits needed, directions to the trails, and detailed trail descriptions.

So that’s the plan for this winter – eating great food and getting outside to explore the winter wonderlands of Washington State. A PacNW spin on home away from home.