Dora Hiers

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Matthews, NC, and to Taste of Europe, a small casual restaurant specializing in Polish cuisine.

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Dora here. Squeezed in a strip mall, Taste of Europe is small, but not crowded. Intimate, but not like everybody is in your space. The two room restaurant was clean, bright and welcoming, and service was quick and friendly.

I’d already picked out an appetizer, the much-anticipated Potato Pancakes, but unfortunately, the tater pancakes were not available until after 3pm. So we opted for the Bread with Pate and Cucumbers in Brine. The bread was freshly sliced; the pate had a strong flavor and reminded me of potted meat, and the cucumbers were mild with the perfect crunch.

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Bread with Pate and Cucumbers in Brine

Dora here. Hmmm…not a fan. Should’ve opted for dessert instead. Why did we pass up crepes for pate?

For my lunch, I ordered the Polish Sampler Platter, which included stuffed cabbage, grilled polish sausage, and meat pierogis. The meat filling for the stuffed cabbage was firm and packed with flavor and doused with a tomato-based sauce. The sausage had some nice grill marks and just the right amount of char. I ordered the pierogi fried, and they were cooked perfectly. I enjoyed everything on my plate.

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Polish Sampler Platter: stuffed cabbage, grilled polish sausage, and meat pierogis

Dora here. I came for the pierogies, which are dumplings filled with either a sweet or savory component. Since I couldn’t make up my mind, I opted for the Pierogi Mix, a combo of three different kinds: Potato & Cheddar, Russian and Meat. I asked for mine broiled. 

Pierogi Mix

Wow! Like plump ravioli, but every bite a surprise, a different flavor, smooth and creamy. My favorite was the Russian, a little pillow of Farmer’s Cheese, which to me, tasted like Cream Cheese. YUM!

Have you tried Polish food? What’s your favorite?

Which of these dishes would you try?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.
Taste of Europe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Reading: SHE’S MINE by Tammy Doherty

/ Dora Hiers
Amazon Buy Link

The cover story~
Caitlin Harrington has a new job and a new life away from her menacing ex-boyfriend, Adam. Issues with her parents, losing her previous job and the death of her beloved grandmother leave her wondering if God has abandoned her. Two things she is sure of: she’s a lousy judge of character and men just can’t be trusted. Now a volunteer firefighter who has come to her rescue more than once is dangerously close to breaking through her defenses.

And not everyone in sleepy Naultag, Massachusetts is welcoming. Someone is leaving ominous notes on her door.

Sean Taggart likes being a rescuer. But a failed engagement has taught him to be cautious with his heart and Caitlin is a threat. Women just can’t be trusted. Still, he’d like to save Caitlin from whatever demons have her so spooked. If only she’d let him.

Threatening notes. Scratching at the windows during the night. A shadowy figure lurking in her yard. Caitlin must tell the police about Adam, but everything he told her was a lie. Who is Adam? And if Caitlin trusts Sean to protect her, will his life be in danger?

Can Sean rescue Caitlin before the stalker becomes a killer?

Sharing my takeaway~
After reading Celtic Cross (FREE as of the date of this post) by Tammy Doherty, I couldn’t wait to dive into She’s Mine. Settling back with a book by Tammy Doherty is a lot like chatting with a dear friend over coffee. 🙂

Such three dimensional characters with emotional and physical scars! Caitlin Harrington. Math lover, teacher, taking up residence in her beloved Grandmother’s house back in Naultag. She learned from her mother’s promiscuous relationships and avoids egotistical, controlling men. Most men, actually, except a couple friends from her past.

Mom driving away, leaving me behind as if I was nothing more than a piece of furniture. Except Mom came back for the furniture. 


Hero Sean Taggart, firefighter and campground owner. Recovering from physical injuries sustained during the story, he battles depression, insecurity and even jealousy. 

Caitlin was like a late-night fire–you saw the flames but the full extent was hard to judge and there was a high risk of getting burned.


I really appreciated the genuineness of the characters. Both struggled with failures and asked some tough questions, which made the faith thread flow naturally. The pages were filled with flirty, witty dialog, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in occasionally. Awesome descriptions transported me into the New England area of Naultag. More than one person wasn’t happy that Caitlin returned to Naultag. I had an inkling about creepy Adam but never would’ve guessed the actual scenario that played out, a palm-slicker for sure. Be sure to grab your copy of She’s Mine, a perfect book to laze away a rainy weekend afternoon!

Romance, love and marriage–and divorce–had no clean, easily solved equations.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book while it was listed free on Amazon. I was in no way compensated for my fair and unbiased review.