Varenyky / Perogies / Вареники: A Deep Dive

The Stream of Consciousness

6/5/2024 7:24 AM

Gentle people – as we traverse the northern prairie on our way to the largest ball of twine, we need to stop at Wall Drug in SD to see the 80’ brontosaurus. We can discuss whether we go to nearby Mount Rushmore to see it before Trump gets added to the monument.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Drug
UC#3

6/5/2024, 9:01 AM

I suggest that we combine it with a visit to the World’s Largest Perogy, in Glendon, AB (population 338).

Turns out UC#1 lives just 255 km from this famous landmark. UC#1, could you and SU drive over there this morning and take some pictures?
UC#4

6/5/2024, 9:19 AM

Folks,

Thanks for the assignment, but alas, we are busy planting cedars today. If I still had the Goldwing it would be a different story, we could be there in under 2 hours.

Anyway, it appears that there isn’t anything in Glendon that hasn’t already been photographed and put on the internet.

And besides, there really isn’t much to do in Glendon:

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attractions-g4266459-Activities-Glendon_Alberta.html

There is a buffet at the only restaurant in town:
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I noticed an earlier post about an 80’ brontosaurus. Still doesn’t take the record compared to the 86’ T-Rex in Drumheller, Ab.

In fact, I’d bet that our T-Rex loves Brontosaurus Burgers.
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Hope y’all have a great day!
UC#1

Straight from the Horse’s Mouth

(updated on 6/11/24) Today my Ukrainian buddy will be teaching me how to make Varenyky! A bit of a mystery – she’ll be selecting the filling from these choices:

meat
potato / cheese
sauerkraut and mushrooms

She also sent a picture of the Poltava Dumplings Monument:

Well… my buddy didn’t have the recipe ready, but she settled on braised cabbage filling. Next week! But in the mean time, a little about Poltava.

Poltava

Poltava is a city located on the Vorskla River in Central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Poltava Oblast as well as Poltava Raion within the oblast. It also hosts the administration of Poltava urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Poltava has a population of 279,593 (2022 estimate).

It is still unknown when Poltava was founded, although the town was not attested before 1174. However, municipal authorities chose to celebrate the city’s 1100th anniversary in 1999. The settlement is indeed an old one, as archeologists unearthed an ancient Paleolithic dwelling, as well as Scythian remains, within the city limits.
Wikipedia

Semi-Sequitur: More research needed

My ENGin buddy assures me that this is a statue of varenyky, but the where, what, why, when, and how need further research.

UC#1 Rethinks the Goldwing / Perogy Adventure

The Nuts and Bolts of Perogies

Pierogi or pierogies are filled dumplings, made by wrapping unleavened dough around a filling, and occasionally flavored with a savory or sweet garnish, finally cooked in boiling water.

Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Dumplings most likely originated in Asia and came to Europe via trade in the Middle Ages. However, the dish itself dates back to at least 1682, when Poland’s first cookbook, Compendium ferculorum, albo Zebranie potraw, was published. The widely used English name pierogi was derived from Polish. In East Europe and parts of Canada they are known as varenyky, or, in some dialects, pyrohy. Pierogi are also popular in modern-day American cuisine where they are sometimes known under different local names.

Typical fillings include potato, cheese, quark^[1], sauerkraut, ground meat, mushrooms, fruits, and/or berries. Savory pierogi are often served with a topping of sour cream, fried onions, or both.
Wikipedia

^[1] Not to be confused with the sub-atomic particle:

**Lithuania** is really moving up on the WLBOTT world tour destination.

Glendon, AB

Glendon is a village in northern Alberta, Canada that is north of St. Paul. The community has the maiden name of an early postmaster’s mother.

In 1993, the town unveiled its roadside tribute to the perogy. Their “Giant Perogy,” complete with fork, is 7.6 m (24.9 ft) in height. It is one of the Giants of the Prairies. Next to the roadside attraction was the Perogy Cafe, which served “Ukrainian and Chinese Perogies” it is now closed.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Glendon had a population of 338 living in 136 of its 168 total private dwellings, a change of -31.4% from its 2016 population of 493. With a land area of 1.99 km2 (0.77 sq mi), it had a population density of 169.8/km2 (439.9/sq mi) in 2021.
Wikipedia