Just yesterday, I wrote about how much I love getting unexpected phone calls from old friends. Today, my friend Eugene paid me a surprise visit.
He just got back from Ukraine and of course, brought presents. Ukrainian presents.
First up, vodka. I know, you’re not surprised.
I especially like the seductive Ukrainian man on the bottle. I’m in, if he’s in.
He also brought another precious gem of Ukrainian culinary culture:
Now, it’s illegal to bring this across the border. Against the law! But hey, so is jaywalking.
What is it? This is pure, homemade Ukrainian salo. It is a piece of salted lard or animal fat. It is different from bacon because it’s not rendered or processed. It’s just a hunk of salted fat. Eugene’s grandmother slaughtered her pig and made it.
Sorry U.S. Customs, but sometimes, ya gotta do what ya gotta do:
Salo can be eaten just as is, on a piece of bread with some garlic. Or it can be fried and added to different meals as a fat base. My grandma loves this stuff.
It makes me want to gag.
Nevertheless, I can’t deny it. It’s in my fridge. Maybe even in my blood, lingering from the time when I was too young to make decisions about what I ate. [I don't want to know]
Vodka for dad. Salo for grandma and mom. Luckily, Eugene got something that I can enjoy too:
Chocolate. The packaging is a case of “sex sells,” if I ever saw one.
Who called you last?
[...] is salted lard, usually cured, but sometimes raw. I didn’t try any, but Olga’s fam knows what’s up… [...]
While it may be gross to look at, I bet it does make some tasty soups! And also, huge props to Grandma Eugene for slaughtering her own pig! At least you know it’s homegrown.
Love the chocolate packaging! Now if only chocolate really tasted that good.
I wish I had a friend Eugene who would bring me back lard and sexy-time chocolate from Ukraine. It’s time for me to find some new friends!
Sure salo might not be all that good for you and sound really gross but god damn it you’re Ukrainian! So take a big bite, grin and bear it!
lol
that is the most scandalous chocolate I’ve ever seen… talk about food porn, daaaaang.
Haha, Mama Pea–”food porn.”
I can’t believe that lard got across customs! Well, maybe I can… I definitely brought some very sharp knives from Japan.
haha that vodka bottle cracks me up! Very nice of your friend to bring back gifts for you and the fam, and they’re pretty unique gifts if you ask me
My good friend who I haven’t seen over the break called me and left a voicemail..errr I should probably get back to her!
Hahaha that’s such a funny picture on the vodka!
That is literally food porn. I love it.
errrr…that is a huge block of fat. yikes!
but that chocolate looks yummy!
Mmm … chocolate! Ha, that is a funny picture on it, isn’t it? ha!
EW! reminds me of little house on the prairie! where they ate salt pork….also reminds me of some taiwanese dish called 7 layer pork. 7 layer pork where 2 layers are meat and the rest is…fat.
last person to call me? MOMMY.