Implume, you seem very informed about that part of the world. Where are you from/where are you. Me, I'm right in the middle of the U.S. The south eastern part of Missouri, right at the top of the boot heel (just look at a map of Missouri and you'll know what I mean).
I’m from far off, exotic Ohio.
My grandparents now, they came through Ellis Island from what is now Slovakia. At the turn of the last century it was still part of Hungary. Grandpa was an ex Hussar. In those days cavalry regiments all kept units of fancy trick riders for parades and such. He was one of those trick riders. My mom said he used to demonstrate one of his tricks, using three kitchen chairs set in a row. He’d stand on his head on one chair, with a hand on each of the other chairs. Back in the day he used to do the same thing on three horses galloping side by side.
He came to America and worked the West Virginia coal mines for seven years, saving money to bring his wife to join him. When she finally arrived she started a boarding house. The family had moved to Cleveland by the time my mother was born. Grandma taught my mom to cook, and my mom taught me. Cleveland had and has a big Hungarian section, so a lot of the exotic ingredients were available locally. Not so much in Washington state.
