Day Twenty Eight...tastes like home...

I had to make a trip to Costco today - Ugh, how I dislike shopping at Costco. 

Think its the huge shopping carts, and the enormity of the items sold there. Everything is huge, like I'm shopping for a giant or a household of 20. Then you have to figure out where to store all that stuff, and after your 20th can of beans you probably don't even want to eat beans anymore. Plus its almost always crowded, I just don't like maneuvering my cart through throngs of people. Weekends are the worst, I swear most people go there to eat the free food.

But there are a couple things I do go in for so I try and make my trip quick.

Luckily today was relatively quiet, so I spent a little time perusing the isles just in case I came across something I didn't know I needed. Down the refrigerated section I came across these Gyoza Dumplings. OMG! YUM!

Straight away it made me think of my favorite little restaurant back home, near where my mum lives. Pins and Noodles, affectionately called Pins...

The fun thing about restaurants back home, especially in older neighborhood areas, a lot of them are old houses converted into restaurants. Pins and Noodles is one, with tables and chairs throughout all the "rooms" and a kitchen built "down the hallway". I love it! It has so much character. Its basically a pasta and asian inspired restaurant - odd combination but totally works, and they have the best Gyoza dumplings.

I took home the Costco version and fried some up for lunch - I could close my eyes and be back in Pins, that's how good they were. They also remind me of a Russian dish my Oma made, very similar, called Pelmini, one of her famous recipes when we were kids and one that has gone with her. Gosh I miss those days.

So, I savory the taste of the gyoza and smile at my memories of Oma - and also many dinners with my parents at Pins.