Czech Anniversary

(Here is just a minute portion of missionaries who served under President Winder.)

The Czech Republic found a place in my heart 17 years ago, when I served there as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Last weekend we celebrated 20 years since the country has been opened to missionary work. It's history goes back even farther before communism and has some amazing history to go with it.

I arrived in the Czech Republic in April of 1993. I served for a few months under the direction of President Richard Winder. He and his wife, Barbara Winder, were true examples of faith and good works. Still today, you can sense their own deep affection for the people of the Czech and Slovak people.

It wasn't difficult to love the people and I had some wonderful experiences working among them. I also grew to love the Czech food. I am fortunate to have a close Czech friend who helps satisfy my addiction of their food. (She even helped me make this cake. Okay, so I helped her make this poppyseed cake for the reunion.)

Here's a Czech recipe (in case you were begging to try something Czech after reading my blog) I tried this recipe this summer. It came out successfully (*note: Czech desserts are not sweet) and can be used with just about any fruit:

Fruit Kolache

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons cocoa powder (for color)

2 1/2 cups white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together to form a dough and spread into a greased 9X13 pan. Randomly place choice of fruit on top and sprinkle (optional) with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes.

I Love Zeli

I'm sure you're wondering, what is zeli? It is the Czech version of sauerkraut. They make it a little sweeter and add caraway seed (same flavoring used in rye bread). You're probably also wondering why I bring this up now? Saturday I cooked 1 1/2 gallons of zeli for the Wallace Toronto Foundation Family Event. (By the way, this Foundation I'm talking of donates its time and resources in helping the people of the Czech and Slovak Republics. If you would like more information please visit http://www.torontofoundation.org/about.html.)

When I volunteered to help I was counting on my husband to be here, but he ended up having to go to the 11-year scout's adventure camp. So, I was on my own. Thanks to some kind neighbors and my oldest helping with the youngest I was able to do it! I was even more shocked when...by a stroke of pure luck...native Czechs complimented me on a job well done. They wanted the recipe and everything. I can't take all the credit since I was taught by a wonderful Czech cook. Here's the recipe if you feel brave enough to try it:

ZELI

1 12 oz. can sauerkraut (drain, if desired; leaving liquid makes zeli more tangy)
1/2 large onion (sweet or vidalia)
1 tsp flour
1/8 cup water (alter amount if leaving sauerkraut liquid)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
caraway seeds to taste

Simmer all ingredients together until onions are clear and tender.

Serve with brats (bratwurst), smoked sausage,

pork loin (see picture below), and other meat dishes.
Try substituting this sauerkraut for the traditional kind used in Reuben sandwiches.

One of the best things about eating zeli is the great memories that come flooding back from the time I spent in the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia). I served for 18 months as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I learned to love some amazing people and was able to share with them the greatest blessing in my life--the gospel of Jesus Christ.