My Russian Sister

Thursday's CSA day--I walk up 6th Ave to the CSA pick up house & fill my canvas bags with produce. (Today: rome apples, sweet potatoes, potatoes, grapes, collard greens, lemon verbena, romaine lettuce, cucumber, & red onion. No photos, night time light in the apartment makes for bad, bad photos.)

A stop at the corner store has become an essential part of the CSA pickup routine--I pick up a bottle of wine or some flowers, but really I stop to talk veggies with my Russian sister. I would call her my Russian aunt, but she started the sister thing. . .

In her late 50s, wearing a uniform of faded pastels adorned with faded apron & bandana to match her light skin and silver hair, my Russian sister holds court at the corner store. The first time I stumbled in with my CSA veggies she got so excited: where did you get them? where can I buy them? what did you get?

The second time I came, she greeted me with another barrage of questions: "Hey Sister. What you cooking for dinner? What you got this week? Where can I get them?" No matter how many flyers I bring her on the CSA veggies, she still says the same thing: Sister, this is a good deal, where can I get them?

Tonight was the best though, I got a recipe. I love when people tell you favorite recipes known by heart--eyes closed, remembering taste first, you can almost taste it too...My Russian sister was so excited she reached over the counter and started to pull vegetables out of my bag "what you making for dinner?" The greens came out first.."Oh I cook this..." then she taught me how to make stuffed chard leaves, just like dolmas. I could taste it too.