Pass the Pirohi, Please
Plus, An Exotic Fresh Produce Experience in LV
During these holiday times, our thoughts naturally turn to food, especially traditional foods such as turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed and sweet potatoes, pumpkin and mincemeat pies, and hot rolls.
However, if you live in our Linda Vista environs, your thoughts may turn to more ethnic food choices such as Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Philippine delicacies—food choices that reflect the respective “old country” roots of many our residents. We are lucky enough to have a plethora of restaurants serving these types of food. That’s one of the great things about living in such a diverse neighborhood.
But what if your roots are in the other “old country” – Europe – and specifically Eastern and Central Europe? What if you long for Kielbasa, pierogis, or baked goods you remember from your childhood? Or what if you just have a longing for some different cuisine? Well, we think we have found one place that may satisfy your longings, and it may surprise you to find that the place is a church.
Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church, located at 2235 Galahad Road, a beautiful church in the Serra Mesa neighborhood, boasts an ethnic foods kitchen where many delicious ethnic foods are prepared, and sold frozen. We have been purchasing items from this church for many years, but are still surprised to find that not many people know about it.
You can check out their menu by clicking here. Some of the items that they carry and the donation price are listed below:
Kolbasi (Sausage) – fresh or smoked, mild or spicy. $9.00
Holubky (Stuffed cabbage) - $10 for a package of 6.
Kolace (sweet pastry roll) – apricot, raspberry, poppy seed, walnut or prune. $9
Rozky (crescent rolls) – same flavors as kolace, 12 rolls per package. $7.00
Pirohi (filled dumpling) – potato with cheese and onion, sauerkraut, prune, or farmers cheese. $7 per dozen
Smoked Ribs - $25 per rack
Easter Bread (seasonal) – one small loaf $4, One large $7.
These items are all prepared and frozen on site. They practice social distancing and a mask is required for customers. It is best to call and order ahead so your order can be ready for you to pick up. They only take checks and cash. The phone number is 858-268-3458. Hours are generally Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10 to 2, and Sunday 10:30 to 11:30, but call ahead to make sure.
Although we have not tried the meat products, we can vouch for the Kolace and Rozky. The Easter bread (of which they may still have some available) are delicious as is; it can also be used to make bread pudding or French toast. It is a rich egg bread.
When you get to the church, drive through the parking lot down the road to the back of the church. Park your car and walk to the social hall door to pick up your order. While there you can enjoy the great views of Mission Valley.
A Fresh Produce Adventure in LV
Did you know that one in 10 Americans do not get enough fruits and vegetables in their diets? Did you know that a quarter of all Americans claim to have never eaten a vegetable? Are you in a vegetable rut eating the old favorites of corn, carrots and tomatoes (these are supposedly America’s favorite vegetables)? Are you stuck on fruits such as apples and oranges? Well, we thought we would give you some ideas on how to up your produce game and experience some vegetables and fruits that you might not even know existed.
In order to try something new, we decided to spread out from the familiar confines of such grocery stores as Ralph’s and Food for Less, and headed to Thuan Phat the Asian supermarket in downtown Linda Vista for what amounted to a fresh produce adventure. We walked around the produce section and quickly became fascinated by what we saw. There were some unusual shapes and sizes that caught our attention. However, we realized that we did not know much about many of these fruits and vegetables. Accordingly, we decided to enlist our trusted young intern Nicole P. and amateur chef and LV Update Reader Eppie, to help us identify this exotic fare and give some hints on their use. Here we go:
Jackfruit This is a very strange looking, very large fruit. It looks like you might need a machete to get into it, or a chainsaw, but were told that you need to oil a very sharp knife and have hot water ready. The fruit is buried in sap and is a pain to cut, but worth the effort. It is actually a member of the fig and breadfruit family. It has a subtlety sweet and fruity flavor and tastes similar to a combination of fruits including apples, pineapples, mangoes and bananas. A jackfruit can weigh as much as 80 lbs. You can also eat the seeds after boiling. Jackfruit is very nutritious and full of fiber, vitamins A, C, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. It also contains more than 3 grams of protein per cup, as well as antioxidants.
Cabocha This is a cousin of the orange pumpkin. Its rich flavor can be used in vegetable stews or desserts. Cabocha is a squash with a texture like a chestnut and sweet flavor reminiscent of sweet potato and pumpkin. It is very healthy and somewhat similar to acorn squash.
Pomelo The pomelo is from the citrus family and an ancestor of the grapefruit. It is native to southeast Asia. In some places, it is eaten with sugar sprinkled on it, and in other places it is eaten raw and sprinkled or dipped in a salt mixture. The juice is sometime mixed with pineapple and made into a pink beverage.
Dragon fruit This is undoubtedly the strangest looking fruit you have ever seen. It looks like something from outer space. It has been likened to an exotic kiwi, but with not so much taste. It is rather expensive and some think it is overrated. It’s called dragon fruit because of the resemblance to a dragon’s skin. Can be sweet or tart. Mostly eaten raw, but can be used to flavor and color juices and alcoholic beverages. Flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea.
Singqua This is sometimes called a Chinese okra. Also known by other names such as patole and kabatiti, it is a ridged type of squash. This vegetable is from Southeast Asia and used in such dishes as soups and stews. Pictured below is a Filipino miswa soup. It is high in fiber and is thought to have anti-stress effects, and help lower cholesterol. It can grow up to 9 feet long.
So if you want to break out of your own produce rut and take a walk on the wild side of fruits and vegetables, we suggest you visit Thuan Phat and experience their interesting produce section. A recent survey indicated that 67% of Americans say they feel guilty when they don’t eat vegetables with their meal. Don’t put yourself in the position of feeling guilty. And remember, there is no rule that says you must limit your healthy eating to corn, carrots and tomatoes. Live dangerously—in a healthy sort of way—and check out what’s available.
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