Eastern European Food

The midsummer solstice has its roots in paganism but when Europeans accepted Christianity, many of the former pagan rituals were "converted" into ones accepted by church officials.

In Poland, and other parts of the world, the midsummer solstice which celebrated the longest day of the year, typically June 23 (although in the United States, June 21 is considered the longest day) became a celebration of the day before St. John was baptized.

St. John's Eve or Sobótka was the officially sanctioned transfer of merrymaking centering around fire and water.

To this day, St. John's Eve is celebrated around the world, but to a lesser extent in the United States, with fireworks, dancing, music and special traditions. Read more about Sobótka in Poland and check out this video of a Sobótka celebration in Poznań, Poland, in 2011.

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When I was in Poland to meet my maternal Durski family, I stayed with my cousin Ela Gotter and her family for three wonderful days in Turek (between Konin and Poznań). What consummate hosts she and her husband, Kazimierz, were! Ela plied us with splendid meals, including kluski na parze. This steamed yeast dumpling is a specialty of the Wielkopolska region and one which my grandmother and mother taught me to make.

Ela coordinated a party for my sister and me that brought 30 of our relatives together, some from as far away as Katowice (near Kraków) in the south of Poland. We were touched by the enormous effort she and cousins Tola, Leszek, Wiesława, Teresa and the Jasiakiewicz men made for us, and their invaluable help in filling in many missing links in our family history.

For the party, Ela made schabowe, zrazy, pork scallops and sauce with just-picked and dried mushrooms, chicken salad with pineapple and corn, tuna-rice salad, baked chicken and so much more. When I saw the platter of kiszka, biala kielbasa, smoked sausage and coldcuts like krakowska, I knew I was in a Polish household.

And now I know where these enormous meals of my youth come from. It's a tradition for the women of my family to each bring a substantial dish to a big party and so it was at Ela's. Cousin Krystyna and her mother Teresa made pasztet (liver pate), cousin Ursula made bigos, and everyone brought their favorite dessert. The festivities were rounded out by Ela's cheesecake with dew or sernik z rosa and her homemade nalewka (fruit liqueurs), cousin Kóba's homemade red wine, and seemingly unending refrains of Sto lat!.

Another thing is now crystal clear -- long Polish goodbyes. Not only do you kiss on the cheek three times before finally planting one on the lips, but the farewells last almost as long as the party itself.

What an incredible experience this was. My sister is the family genealogist and kudos go to her for finding these wonderful long-lost relatives. Stay tuned for more family recipes.

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I was recently introduced to products from Karoun Dairies and I couldn't be happier. The California-headquartered company makes cheese the old-fashioned way -- without thickeners, stabilizers, fillers and non-growth-hormone-added California milk.



They specialize in Russian, Armenian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, European, Hispanic, Greek and mainstream American cheeses and yogurts. That means, you can find labne, kefir and other hard-to-find items like sulguni and brindza cheeses. You can order online or at one of the many stores nationwide featuring their products (check the store locator online). Here are three recipes from Karoun Cheeses.

• Garden Feta Salad Recipe
  
  
• Cheese Boereg Recipe
  
  
• Grilling Cheese Salad Recipe

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I was making Polish Cheese Kołacz the other day, and memories of my dad came flooding back. He loved this simple Polish dessert, also known as Polish wheel cake or wedding cake, but his mother was the only one in the family who made it and she left us before she could pass the recipe on to my mother, so dad went without. I make kołacz today and what I wouldn't give to be able to bake one for him this Father's Day.

In the Roman Catholic tradition, fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day or the Feast of Saint Joseph on March 19, but many Eastern European countries, along with the United States, have made a secular celebration of Father's Day.

In Russia, Defender of the Fatherland Day is Feb. 23. In Romania, Ziua Barbatului is celebrated on May 5. Father's Day is observed on the third Sunday in June in Bulgaria (some Bulgarians observe on Dec. 26), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, and United States. Poland celebrates on June 23.

Remember dad in style with these recipes and gift ideas.

• Polish Wheel Cake Recipe - Kolacz
  
  
• A Tribute to Dad
  
  
• Father's Day Menu Ideas
  
  
• Father's Day Gift Ideas

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Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there and to those who act like dads. The holiday is celebrated in Eastern Europe but on different days. Today, along with the United States, pops have their day of honor in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Here are two recipes that are sure to please Dad any time of the year:

• Polish Hussar Stuffed Beef Roast Recipe - Pieczen Huzarska
  
  
• Polish Grandmother's Cheesecake Recipe - Sernik Babci

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While multitiered white wedding cakes are becoming the norm in Eastern and Central Europe, many Poles, Lithuanians, Hungarians and Germans still serve tree cake at their receptions.

Known as sękacz in Polish, raguolis or sakotis in Lithuanian, and kurtoskalacs or tepsiben in Hungary, this dessert is made by pouring batter over a hot, revolving spit. In the old days, it was done before an open fire. Now, it is done in a stainless steel oven of sorts that is heated by gas or electric.

In Germany, tree cake is known as baumkuchen, and it isn't pyramid shaped but a 3-foot-tall equal-width cylinder. Bakeries will divide these cylinders into 8-inch lengths and sell them, often dipped in chocolate.

See how a tree cake is made at Racine Bakery in Chicago.

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Sweet fried dough is common from the Middle East to India to Mexico. In Poland, chrusciki, also known as faworki or Polish crullers, were traditionally served on Fat Tuesday as a swansong to edible indulgences before the fasting of Lent. But, today, these fry cakes, known as angel wings in the States, are enjoyed year-round, especially at holidays and for wedding sweets tables.

I have fond memories of my grandmother beating the dough by hand with a large wooden spoon until it made a clacking noise, only to turn it out onto a floured board and knead for another 10 minutes until the dough blistered.

Luckily, we have electric mixers to take the labor out of this scrumptious dessert. Follow these step-by-step instructions for making chrusciki.

Photo © 2008 Barbara Rolek licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Roast rack of pork is a showy cut of meat that is moist and flavorful because it contains a bit more fat. It is often compared to standing rib roast of beef or rack of lamb.

French the bones or have your butcher do it, and season it simply, a little garlic and a splash of oil and it's good to go. Just remember not to overcook it. Pork doesn't need to be roasted to death. Just 18 minutes per pound or an internal temperature of 150 degrees should do it. It has to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and the residual heat will continue to cook the meat but not dry it out.

Here are more Father's Day Menu Ideas.

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Polish beef roulades (roladki wołowe) or zrazy (ZRAH-zih) date to 14th-century nobility known as the szlachta -- the perfect choice for the king in your life on his special day.

This zrazy recipe is stuffed with pickles, ham and green onions, and can be prepared on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. But no matter how it is cooked, zrazy always tastes better the next day, so dad can take leftovers to work. Happy Father's Day!

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Lithuanian tree cake, known as raguolis (which means "spiked") or sakotis (which means "branched") is a hoot to watch being made. It's typically not done at home unless one has a special contraption to make it on -- a 36-inch-long spit and heat source, to be exact.

I recently took a trip to Racine Bakery in Chicago to watch this treat, known as Lithuanian wedding cake, being made. Raguolis is also served on special occasions like Easter and Christmas Eve. Dana Kapacinskas, the owner of the bakery, and her staff of 40 make hundreds for the holidays and ship them all over the United States.

Take a look at how Racine Bakery makes Lithuanian tree cake and watch this video of sakotis being made before an open fire in Lithuania.

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