Beetroots were known already in the ancient world. This vegetable was mentioned for the first time in a Babylonian document from 722 B.C. Three hundred years later they were grown in Greece. The first references to beetroots in Poland come from the XIV century, but mass cultivation started at the end of the XV century. Nowadays our country is the leading producer of these vegetables in Europe.

Beetroots are a real treasure trove of mineral ingredients (i.e. magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, potassium, and zinc), vitamins (folic acid, vitamins C, B2 and B6), dietary fiber, vegetable phytosterol  and antioxidants. These ingredients lower blood pressure, help prevent cancer, aid hematopoiesis, strengthen the body's immunity and lower the level of so-called bad cholesterol in our blood.

Above all, they taste great and have a beautiful intense color. Today I would like to propose cream of roasted beetroot soup. It is very simple and almost ascetic in the number of ingredients it has. It is served with blotches of cream and minced green chives. It is a real feast for the senses.

When packing for a holiday, apart from clothes, tons of toys, billions of useful and less useful things, one of the biggest piles contains books. Nothing is better at the end of the day than an evening of collaborative reading.

Therefore, we went back to our favorites books and discovered a few new ones.

Together with Muminek's friends in "Moominvalley" we have ridden clouds, we have survived the storm on Hatifnats Island, we have been hunting for Mameluk and got to know the wizard who was looking for the big ruby.

Later on, thanks to Dorota Sumińska, we met the amazing "Jerry the Hedgehog" and have accompanied him during his meetings with insects and many little creatures. We have befriended a little mouse and viper, we have listened to the mother spider's story, we have comforted a cockroach that nobody liked, we have got to know a grass snake who is very often taken for a viper and we have held our breath meeting a wasp and hornet. "I believe in hedgehogs" is a very wise, good-natured book about animals, which punctures some common but false myths and shows in a very straightforward way some titbits about our little neighbors. We come back to this book every summer and every time we find something new in it.

What exactly is a vacation? For kids it is carelessness, fun and lack of any duties. And what about parents and, in particular, mums? From my perspective, apart from a higher than usual need for creativity and a little more free time there is no difference.

Additionally, if we are travelling to places where vacations are not organized, I have to take care of the cooking. At home where I have everything close to hand, where I have my favourite (and sharp) knives and all my seasonings, cooking is no problem. It is a simple daily task. When on vacation it is not so easy any more.

Because of this I really appreciate places where I can find well prepared cuisine at a good price. I seldom go to Masuria, but this year's vacation I am spending with my friend and thanks to her I have discovered the beanery "Under the spruces" in Rydzewo by the Niegocin Lake. Our children have named this place "The Garage Restaurant" and although the name is debatable, there is no doubt that the quality of the place is beyond question. It is clean, the waiting staff smile and are very patient. People say that lots of sailors sailing on nearby lakes come here because due to word of mouth the place is famous. After a few days of visiting it, I am not surprised.

Beautiful weather encourages us to sunbathe and to make use of all that nature has to offer. However, as with everything, a holiday requires thinking and caution. Each holiday should end as happily as it started.

A holiday which has just begun, a trip to the Masuria Lakes, good company and a book. What more could you possibly need? For me, that is definitely enough, all the more so if the weather is nice and the book is mature, measured and full of emotions. "Childhood's whispers" is the next great novel by Anna Sakowicz.