A Target and Polish Deli Day

Since my dad passed away in June, we made our first trip back to Florida to visit my mom to see how things were going. Here in DC, there are no Polish restaurants. In Rockville, there is a Polish grocery store. In Milwaukee, there were not only Polish restaurants, but grocery stores too. My mom's dad owned a grocery store, and they were very Polish. So whenever we go to Florida, we take her to the Polish deli to load up on kielbasa, pickles, veal loaf and kishka, along with cakes or breads, or whatever else she may like. A few of the housewares were not working, so we also stopped at Target to get a can opener, toaster, and extra coffee pot, along with some other stuff for the house. It seemed strange that this time we didn't have anything to do for my dad, as all the last many visits always did. It seems my mom is doing quite well for her age and her outlook is bright in spite of her physical disabilities. We even found some shoes on line and ordered up a pair, and we took her to the doctor to get a flu shot and fill out some papers. It is difficult to live far away at times like this, but we are glad we are able to get around and spend time with her. She is a real inspiration. Maybe it has something to do with being Polish!

The Polish Deli - Pierogi, Kielbasa, and Head Cheese?

There are no Polish restaurants in DC. There were several in Milwaukee and Chicago. While in St. Petersburg visiting my parents, we try to stock them up with Polish delights since they no longer drive. There is a Polish Club somewhere that I know we went to a few times when we were kids, but I'm not sure about any sit down places. So we went to the Polish Deli located several miles away and looked around. There was a good selection of pierogie, and different kinda of kielbasa, cookies, and cakes. But what took me by surprise was the head cheese. Apparently my mother used to eat that! Actually her dad had a grocery store in Massachusetts and made all this stuff and more. I think I'll pass on it, but I'm glad she was able to find what she likes. And wouldn't you know the pierogie came from Chicago. What's with DC? I guess we'll have to make due with Mrs. T's.