Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Forsaken

I have been forsaken by my ancestral roots. I assure you that my grandmothers are both rolling in their graves tonight at the sight of their granddaughter’s cabbage roll skills.

See for yourself.

I may or may not need a new casserole dish. I am not sure that baby will ever be the same.

Yes, have cabbage rolls and perogies running through my veins. They are sacred in our family.


You see, I am of Ukrainian or Polish decent. The borders changed frequently and there may or may not be some Russian mixed in there as well. I am at least 2nd generation Canadian but the thing is, the food? It stays with you no matter what.

The spelling of the word perogy is disputed, the filling is even disputed however, no one disputes that if you are Ukrainian/Polish/Russion you LOVE perogies. Cabbage rolls follow the same rules.

Now my mom is the perogy master in the family. I need to learn how, I want to learn how, but damn she makes ‘em good. Someday. No really Mom, I mean it. I really will learn.

I saw that Mom, quit rolling your eyes. Mom, c’mon on., not in front of my friends.

Now cabbage rolls are another story. Mom doesn’t make those. She “claims” she doesn’t make very good ones. Whatever, they would be 99,000 times better than mine so what’s your concern?

Anyway those bad boys up there? I actually didn’t make the rolls myself. No, Mom bought them from a lady she worked with. They are devine. Well if Mom cooks them anyway.

All I had to do was put on the sauce, which is primarily Campbell’s tomato soup, and cook the little buggers.

One of my aunts make the BEST cabbage rolls on the face of the earth and she is always saying me and my two cousins should learn. But this just might change her mind. If I can’t even cook pre-prepared ones properly, what damage would I do making them from scratch? I shudder to think.

I got some bum genes somewhere and I am positive my Mom will not take credit for them.

Who can blame her?

27 comments:

Alex Elliot said...

My mom is Polish and I grew up eating Polish food for all the major holidays. Polish sausage aside, I don't even attempt to cook any of it because I know a call to the fire department would be inevitable!

Laski said...

AAAAhhhh . . . glumpke, right? (I have no idea if that is how it is spelled). My hubby is in love with the stuff (he's Polish as well!). I know that I will never, ever, ever be able to come close to his mom's version. So, why try? Why? Ugh.

Unknown said...

Whoopsie! My ancestors are Czech and I am supposed to be able to make kolaches but I have yet to try. Too scared.

So for your poor little dish there can I say "better luck next time?" or will there be not next time? LOL!

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, even with a cherished grandmother's/mother's/aunt's recipe to work from, particular dishes can never be replicated EXACTLY.

I have never tried either cabbage rolls or perogies!

Ashley said...

MMMM cabbage rolls, the dish may look a little on the rough side but I bet the contents were yummy! So, really, who cares, what your cookware looks like, that's why you let someone else do the dishes. Right?

And when you learn to make perogies, let me know, I'll order some. That's one supper I'm NEVER gonna make from scratch.

Natalie said...

so were they still good even though they didn't look so pretty??? well, all i know is when you learn i expect a step by step recipe post with pictures so this girl with only red neck heritage can learn! (now grits i can do!!!)

Misty said...

Good luck with that. I, my dear, would be no help to you..... none at all!

Anonymous said...

LOL. Oh, Kami - you do give your casserole dishes quite the workout! I bet they will clean up fine though. And hey, you don't have to be Polish/ Ukrainian/Russian to enjoy those foods. I love cabbage rolls and pierogies (no matter how it's spelled). :)

KATE said...

I LOVE perogies, perogys, whatever. We had them when I was a kid. I've never had cabbage rolls tho. Sorry they didn't turn out!
What's in them? I'm so interested now!!

Anonymous said...

I ate my body weight in perogies when I was pregnant with Graham.

Literally.

NOW I AM HUNGRY!

Lori said...

but just think next time you'll be so much better at it... try try and try again... right?

Kellan said...

I think that pot is ruined - HA! I'm sorry they didn't turn out! I couldn't do any better - NOPE!

Have a good day Kami - see you soon. Kellan

Don Mills Diva said...

Mmmm perogies! Luckily my ancesters are Irish so I have very few culinary expectations to live up to...

Cecily R said...

It's a good thing my family has been in the United States for so many generations because I fail miserably at making sugar cookies that don't taste like biscuits with frosting.

If I had to live up to fabulous passed-down-from grandmother-to-grandaughter-for- generations kind of cooking I would be disowned.

Anonymous said...

I knew there was a reason we click. You are probably the only other person I know who hails from Eastern Europe! My mom is all Eastern European. My grammy's parents were from Poland, my Papa's parents were Czech and German.

I ate lots of cabbage rolls, perogies, stuffed peppers, and chicken na prapiko (probably spelling that wrong). That's chicken and cracker dumplings.

And my grammy still calls me a "little schlivah."

Unknown said...

wel...it sounds good anyway. ;)

mamatucci said...

Well,I am half Italian and Joe is 100% and the thing about Italians is if they are from a different region they cook different. So, i dont like his moms pasta but they probably dont like mine.

Anna-b-bonkers said...

Looks good to me. Actually I am drooling, I am so hungry. I need a snack and now I want cabbage rolls, mmmmm.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Good lord. We just had pierogies and stuffed cabbages on Good Friday with Hubby's family. They are of Polish/Slavic/border dispute origins, too. I don't mind a few pierogies as long as they completely covered in their onion mixture my mil makes, but plain? Meh. And anything with cabbage is off limits for me. ICK.

Pitch the pan, hon. It's DUN.

Lizzy in the Burbs said...

Oh, Kami! I do believe that caserole dish has seen it's last days! :o) Don't feel bad, though, we ALL do that once in awhile! My husband's grandfather was 100% Polish, and his grandmother, who is 100% Italian, makes the most delicious cabbage rolls you've ever tasted! She got the recipe from her MIL, and has been making them for years and years, however, mostly on special occasions. From what I understand, they are quite alot of work to assemble, etc.

Not to be a "Debbie Downer", but learn how to make all the special foods you love that only your mom knows how to make, now sooner than later! The reason I say this, I always said the same thing about several dishes my mom used to make, I never took the time to learn the recipes or techniques (which of course were all in her head, she never wrote anything down!). Now that my mom is gone, there are days when I would give anything to eat some of my favorite foods, but I have no idea how to make them!

Have a great weekend Kami!

Lizzy

Kellan said...

Hey Kami - have a good weekend - I'll see ya - Kellan

Karen MEG said...

They look delish!

I love perogies, sausage, cabbage rolls (we actually lived in the part of the city where this food was everywhere!). One of my oldest friends used to dread making perogies with her Polish MIL (now ex); she could not get it right. My friend is Asian.

Unknown said...

Hey there, come see me, I gave you something...

Anonymous said...

I love cabbage rolls and started making them recently. I'm still working on perfecting my recipe. Cabbage rolls are like a work of art, each "artist" has their own unique style and method and in my option all are delicious although some stand out more than others.

Hope all is well with the family.

Colette

KATE said...

So, I'm wondering... did the casserole pan ever come clean?

R Royal Family said...

I have no doubt you can pull off great perogies and when you do be sure to invite me over for some ;-) As for the cabbage rolls lol is all I have to say ;-)

Anonymous said...

Most guys will eat any food put in front of them :) especially if they are hungry enough! - me included. It may not be what my Mom cooks like but it's FOOD!
I tried my hand at perogies a few weeks ago. With sour cherries that is; not the usual potato & cheese variety. We've got 4 boys and there was none left. Conrad