For some reason, ever since I visited the Frontier in Abilene, I've felt a little homesick. Maybe its the history and pride of Texas that has made me feel proud to be Australian and it has once again hit me that I've been away from home for an entire YEAR!
Since I'm married to the world's best person, he took it upon himself to find me an Australian dinner; but when he couldn't, he reverted to the next best thing... Dallas has a very large Russian population, so tonight Will has given me a very "homey" one here in Texas. We visited a deli that has the largest variety of international food anywhere in the city. The Eastern European section here is bursting with my Russian favorites including homemade meals that taste every bit as good as mama’s!
After stocking up with traditional pastries, salads, juices and candies, I passed away the evening watching vintage Russian cartoons and sipping kvac. Ironically, these traditional Russian things remind me of Brisbane Aus and our old backyard gazebo, palm trees and pool! So in a way, it sort of is Australian food.
It seems strange that here in the heart of west Texas, home of America’s cowboy, I’m enjoying a Russian banquet! And it’s funny to think that my heritage, multi-linguistics and cultural diversity are today some my most prized assets, yet these things about me gave me such a complex growing up. I now often tell Will that I plan to raise our children the same way my parents raised me: by forcing them to attend Russian school, or ignoring them until they speak to me in Russian! Got to be cruel to be kind and I see that now - so thanks mum and dad! xo
What is kvac?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have started working on the Russian alphabet! Can't wait to start my first lesson!