I had friends for lunch today, just a simple affair of pulled-pork sandwiches with cole slaw and rhubarb applesauce. I never expected the Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie would steal the show!

Grandma would have been proud. She had little time for double-crust pies. Rustic open-face pies were more her thing. But every once in a while, when she had a few extra minutes, she'd wow us with rhubarb and strawberries nestled between two flaky crusts.

Photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

Actually, rhubarb is a vegetable. Payback for tomato being a fruit. Rhubarb is a harbinger of spring and is usually married with fruit -- apples, strawberries, oranges -- so guilt by association, I guess.

Now is the time to avail yourself of young, tender, less stringy rhubarb. Look for brilliantly colored ribs that are crisp and don't bend easily. You'll be rewarded with a tangy-sweet flavor not unlike tart apples.

While most people are familiar with cooked rhubarb, try it raw in this creamy Polish Rhubarb-Carrot Salad. It's refreshing and a great change of pace.

Photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

Have you ever longed to visit Eastern Europe but worried all the creature comforts wouldn't be in place?

Kerry Kubilius, About.com's Guide to Eastern Europe Travel will tell you Old World charm coexists quite contentedly with modern conveniences in today's Eastern Europe.

She, however, believes in being prepared. This blog post is indispensable if you intend to tour Eastern Europe. Check goeasteurope.about.com for maps and photos to help plan your trip.

When I was growing up, my "dziadzia" would get up early on fall mornings, fortify himself with a little liquid persuasion and head off to his mushroom-hunting spot so secret not even "busia" knew where it was.

He'd come home with overflowing bushels of wonderful, woodsy mushrooms, the pride of Eastern European cuisine in dishes like savory mushroom strudel.

We kids had the unenviable job of cleaning the mushrooms while "busia" toiled over the canning pots. Not surprisingly, they never had the same flavor as when freshly picked.

Well, I'm happy to report Eastern Europeans no longer have to wait until fall for these jewels of the forest. Golden Gourmet cultivates them year-round. This full review gives the details.

Photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

It's a rare day Lou and Donna Mladenovic close Taste of Europe early. Their Crown Point, Ind., specialty foods shop is a mecca for all things European -- homemade sausages, breads, pastries, roasted peppers, cheeses, barbecued lamb and more.

But May 6 is the the feast of St. George, the Mladenovic family's patron saint. That means "Krsna Slava." So promptly at 1 p.m., the Mladenovics finished their long day of preparing "cevapcici," "slavski kolac," barbecued lamb, "sarma," "burek," and nut roll for other people's slavas, and headed home to greet their own guests.

To my knowledge, Slava is a uniquely Serbian custom and not every family takes St. George as their patron saint. In addition to being a time for pride, tradition and religious ceremony, feasting and entertaining hundreds of guests throughout the day figure prominently.

"Slavski Kolac" photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

Stumped for something new and different for dessert? Try Hungarian Stacked Pancakes known as "rakott palacsinta."

The dessert is made with paper-thin, "crepe"-like pancakes, known as "palacsinta" and layers of fruit fillings and, in this case, sweetened nuts and whipped cream cheese. But the sky's the limit. Hmm. Wouldn't this make a great Mother's Day dessert? These steps make it easy.

If you're into savory foods, try "palacsinta teszta hushoz" filled with scrambled eggs and mushrooms, or creamed meats, seafood and vegetables for breakfast or brunch. Here are more ideas for the gypsy in you!

Photo © Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

It was a chilly day for the 117th Polish Constitution Day Parade in Chicago Sunday. But that didn't keep more than 250,000 people from attending this nod to pride and tradition. The theme was "Polonia’s Youth: Our Pride and our Future."

The Polish Constitution, written in 1791, is the first democratic constitution in Europe and second in the world to the United States Constitution.

It seems fitting Chicago, with the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw, holds the largest Polish Constitution Day parade outside of Poland!

After the festivities many parade-goers stopped at restaurants along North Milwaukee Avenue in the city's Polish enclave for steaming plates of "pierogi."

Try making these filled dumplings at home. They're easier than you think. Just follow these steps.

© 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

Who can resist cheese or pie? And when you combine the two, well, talk about being in hog heaven!

The Croatian / Serbian community doesn't have the market on cheese pie, known as "burek." The Armenians call it "boreg" and Yugoslavians, Bosnians, Bulgarians, Greeks and the Middle East have their versions, too.

This particular recipe has definitely been Americanized with the substitution of Jack and cottage cheeses in place of feta, but that flaky filo dough is still there. It's a wonderful combination that makes a great meatless meal or appetizer. And you can freeze them unbaked and pop them in the oven frozen whenever you want hot hors d'oeuvres. Follow these easy steps.

If you're a traditionalist, try this burek recipe.

Photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

Chef Gale Gand, co-owner of Tru Restaurant in Chicago, shared this recipe for Hungarian Sweet Cabage Strudel. It's delicious and the back story makes it all the more tasty. Follow these easy steps.

If you're looking for a wowzer dessert for Mother's Day, check out these other ideas.

© 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

What a dizzying array of new products and old standbys at the 2008 Fancy Food Show in Chicago's McCormick Place.

Here's what caught my eye. Hearty Hungarian Lentils Divine -- a 6-ounce package of black beluga lentils with a blend of Hungarian herbs and spices. One package serves four and takes only 20 to 30 minutes to cook. The icing on the cake? It's certified organic, loaded with antioxidants, and satisfies a vegetarian's Old World flavor cravings.

There were Eastern European 90-calorie Honey Wafers, all-natural Bilinski's Polish "kielbasa," Mrs. Miller's Homemade Noodles straight from Ohio Amish country, cheeses from Serbia, Rain Organic Vodka, Frank's Sauerkraut, and so much more.

I'll introduce you to many of these products in depth in the coming weeks. By the way, did you know sauerkraut originated with the Chinese?

Images courtesy of © 2008 Berhanu Enterprises LLC, © 2008 Honey Wafer Baking Co. and © 2008 Frank's Sauerkraut