Bella's Coleslaw

Author Notes

Bella was my grandmother, she was raised in a Shtetl in the Ukraine, came to America at 16. She met my grandfather at a meeting for the Communist Party on the Lower East Side of NYC. Her English was not great, but she knew the word party and so she went to The Party, as it were. She was a fabulous grandmother, a fervent though not always successful cook, an insistent forager, and an ardent feeder. Eat, Eat My Darling Eat was her Mantra.

One the best meals at Bella's was Schnitzel, which she fried with garlic- oh how I loved those slightly burnt bits of garlic that would cling to the cutlets, Cole Slaw, signature Pink Applesauce (made with Plums) and Apple Cake.

She pretty much made cole slaw for every meal, she had a hit and she knew it. Chanuukah, Thanksgiving , Passover, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter always there was cole slaw & apple sauce.

And rightly so because her coleslaw was the best I have ever had, ever. The dill & scallions lend a distinctive Eastern European flavor that I love.

She never wrote down a recipe and after much trial and error I hit it, and it was a proud moment, when mine finally tasted like hers.

This does have mayo in it, so it is best for picnics that include a cooler. If it concerns you, you can use a tofu mayo, I haven't so I can't attest to the results.

It is great as a side with Fried Chicken or Schnitzels ( My favorite picnic or anytime meals involve chicken that has been breaded, battered or floured and fried) and super fantastic on a fresh Turkey Sandwich on Rye with Russian Dressing. —Aliwaks