The long weekends and holidays are coming. A lot of us want a change of scenery, some rest and to see something new and interesting. The big Polish cities like Warszawa, Kraków, Poznań or Gdańsk are always attractive destinations. In each of them you can find places which will please our demanding children and areas which will guarantee a nice and reasonably peaceful rest. Every parent knows that there are few things as annoying and likely to rain on our parade as a whinging and boring kid.

Everybody who has been to the Old Town in Gdańsk knows that it is a picturesque place, full of relics, monuments, and charming corners. I think that you should see Długi Targ Street with the Fountain of Neptune, the Żuraw (crane) on Motława – which is the emblem of Gdańsk – and the museum dedicated to the people connected with the harbour. You should also visit Artus Court with the Historical Museum of Gdańsk, the Amber Museum and, in my opinion, the most beautiful little street – Mariacka, where you can find picturesque townhouses and galleries with silver and amber jewellery. This kind of walk is interesting and relaxing for adult visitors, but it may test the patience of even the most resilient children.

To those of you whose children have had enough of old walls and potsherds and can't eat any more ice-cream, I recommend taking a break and going to the Maritime Culture Centre near the Żuraw. Here you can let the children play while visiting the exhibition "People-Ships-Ports".

I remember the sweet-and-sour taste of rhubarb from my childhood. My mum made stewed fruit with it and added it to yeasty or shortbread cake. The perennial plant called rhubarb is apparently a vegetable. The rhubarb are used for culinary purposes, and the redder they are, the sweeter they are. Rhubarb contains a lot of potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, ascorbic acid and beta carotene. Because it is low in calories and high in fibre it is recommended for people who are watching their waistline. You should remember that it also contains a lot of oxalic acid, so it isn't recommended for people who have a problem with kidneys or rheumatism. In the kitchen we use rhubarb until the end of June, because then the petioles become bitter.

Today I used rhubarb to make a tart with a crunchy almond crumble topping. It was yummy, moist, refreshing and excellent for a summer tea party.

Ingredients
dough
250g of flour
4 tablespoons of caster sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
120g of butter
Crumble topping:
50g of butter
3-4 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
8g of vanilla sugar
1 egg yolk

Spaghetti with shrimps is one of my children's favourite dishes. We really like holidays in places where seafood is the main ingredient on the menu. Grilled squids, grilled shrimps, shrimps in sauce, octopus with vegetables – every dish in the south of Europe is cheaper than in Poland, and they are all so fresh that ordering anything else is a sin (as long as you like this kind of food, obviously). When we get back home we are disappointed to see the prohibitive prices of seafood dishes. What a pity that our sea doesn't abound in shrimps and octopuses like the sea in the south of Europe. It is good that at least we can eat fresh fish when on holiday at the Polish seaside.

I think it is because of the price that spaghetti with shrimps is a special dish in my home. This time, to make a more extraordinary meal, I cooked black pasta stained with squid ink. It is an excellent base for shrimps, fresh green parsley and chili-garlic sauce.

Ingredients (for 4 people)
500g of cooked shrimps
4 cloves of garlic
1 chili pepper
100g of butter
150ml of dry white wine
a bunch of parsley
400g of spaghetti
50g of Parmesan
lemon
salt and pepper

The End of May and June is a time for asparagus. I go at it with gusto, just like in the strawberry season. The next day I feel I've had enough and ... at the next opportunity I buy another bunch of asparagus. Fresh, thin, steamed, baked with Parma ham and almond slices, we like them in salads and omelettes – even our children. I also like white asparaguses, but I only ever use them to make smooth, delicate soup.

This time I prepared green asparaguses with smoked salmon, mozzarella cheese and fresh spinach. I wrapped it in French pastry and created a light dinner dish which was completed with cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients (for 2 people)
1 pack of chilled French pastry
1 bunch of asparagus
2 fistfuls of fresh spinach
150g of smoked salmon
150g of mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of nigella
2 tablespoons of milk
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper

Mango - called the fruit of the Gods – has been grown in India for 4 thousand years. We have known them in Europe since the XVI century. According to some people, they may prevent cancer, reduce sugar and cholesterol level in the blood. Additionally, it soothes sore throats and hoarseness. Above all it has an excellent exotic taste, which is difficult to compare with anything else. We like it juicy and ripe raw or as an ingredient of salads and cocktails.

Recently, after cooking I had some French pastry left over and a piece of juicy mango. I added walnuts, white chocolate, a few sesame seeds and made some simple snacks.

Ingredients:
1 pack of chilled French pastry
1 mango
walnuts
white chocolate
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of milk