Refreshingly Cool North African Herbata

The aromas of fresh mint, combined with a touch of citrus orange peel, sweetened with a dash of honey, makes this an excellent herbata ( tea ) for the months ahead.
Mint has been used in Ayurveda as a pan-remedy for stomach ailments, breath refresher, anti-oxidant and various other health benefits. In almost every part of the globe it is used in some form or the other to enliven our sense of taste and smell both in cooking and even in perfumes and essences. The Parsis in India, attribute their longevity due to drinking almost every cup of tea laced with fresh mint i.e fudno

Fresh mint with hot boiling water and a bit of sugar is consumed in vast quantities in the Middle East and is widely known as Zulep.
Here is a wonderful twist to the centuries old Zulep tradition that will keep you and your friends asking for more. This is also a wonderful substitute for sipping something hot and refreshing if you get overdosed with caffeine through the day. Be careful its is addictive :-)

All you need is :

2-3 large sprigs of fresh mint
1 slice of orange or orange peel
1 tsp or more of honey

Put all the above ingredients in a heatproof glass tumbler and fill up with hot boiling water. Allow to brew for 2-3 minutes and enjoy. You can add more hot water to the glass to make yet another cuppa !

Our Easter Break in Zawada

So friends it is the time of the year again when everything blossoms into new life in Poland. Yes ! it is Spring, and  as if in response to a secret signal conveyed by mother Nature, flowers seem to appear overnight, and the barren trees, that stood solemnly all winter, now suddenly burst to life with branches laden with fresh buds.
Easter is a great time of celebration in Poland, not only to welcome the return of Jesus, but also to take a well deserved break after the long winter.
For the Poles, it means spending the time together with their families, and of course indulging in good tucker !
Preparations for the Easter Sunday  festivities are done on Friday and Saturday itself, as there is no work or cooking to be done on the Sunday; being a day of Sabbath and day reserved for visiting the Church. Now that is a rule that my Jagoda will not change.

As a rule, us city folks in Poznan try and get away to the fields and forest if one can, so we too decided to spend Easter at our country house in Zawada. This tiny village consisting of only  10-12 homes lies about 70 kms. from Poznan and is a peaceful heaven with plenty of wildlife and migratory birds to observe during the early hours of the morning.

 Easter celebrations commence on Saturday  with a visit to the local church, and each family carries a small basket of food to be blessed by the priest and consumed the next day at Easter breakfast.
The big day i.e. Sunday starts once again with a visit to the local church, where the priest blesses the fire , and everyone is looking forward to the Easter Sunday Breakfast, which is a very important tradition. At breakfast usually lots of eggs in various styles are served, a hot soup called Żurek with ham, sausage and eggs is a must. Finger thin sausages spiced with herbs and garlic called, White Kiewbasa are eaten with a pungent horseradish dip called Chrażan, lots of other cold ham and varieties of sausages are served at the table, and this breakfast is truly a king's feast. Bread and eggs are usually shared from the blessed food basket, brought from the church the day before. The family usually wish each other Happy Easter and seek blessings for a good start to a new season and new events in life.
Later in the day, families spend time sitting around gossiping or enjoying the change in weather with long walks, or bicycle rides in the forest. It is truly a day of indulgence and no work. Enjoy the pictures, and wishing you all a Happy Season ahead.  Regards Jagoda and Me :-)