Back By Popular Demand – My Childhood!

At Cheleas's BDay party in 5th grade

The list is endless when it comes to things that I was embarrassed by beyond belief as a Croatian American kid living in San Mateo, California.  All I wanted was to be like the other girls who were wearing pink sparkly cowboy boots, with divorced parents, and able to sleep at friends houses over the weekend. 

The sparkly pink cowboy boots were out of the question because western wear was beyond comprehension to my family, and cowboys were reckless and easy, not to mention the boots themselves were way too expensive (a whopping 12 bucks at Payless.)  My alternative was knee high white socks with white keds.  There are endless photos of me wearing this quintessential outfit; white socks over my black leggings with dirty keds, a 49ers sweatshirt, side pony, with a look on my face saying “watch out cowboys!”  How I made friends in school is still beyond me. 

But it’s the food that my dide (grandfather) made on a daily basis that hit a “just shoot me” nerve once I turned 10.  As a little girl I loved my grandfather’s food.  He had been a chef for years so he knew what he was doing, and made the most delectable things.  One of my favorites was fried Girice (a small white fish).  I would come home from first grade to a plate full of these little deep fried fishies, eat them, bones and all, while watching after school cartoons such as Inspector Gadget.  He also made the best goulashes (rich meat stew) with polenta, and fish brudet (fish stew), all things I adored before I realized they were not as cool as tuna casserole and cheeseburgers. 

Fried Girice

Friends would come over after school (shout-out to Chels, Pam, Carol, Renee and Nicole) and my Dide was more than happy to serve up a plate of his fried little fishies.  I of course was more than willing to eat them, but played cool for my friends.

I will never forget the day I came from school to such an amazing Dide feast, telling him I was not hungry and secretly snatching a bag of chips to watch my cartoons with.  I would do anything to have one of his famous Dalmatian homemade meals today.  He was such a good cook, but more importantly he loved to eat, and to share his delectable creations with others.

Love you my Dide!