Link to the Show / Show NotesPORTLAND — Many Americans are busy sweeping up tinsel, but Ukrainian, Russian and other Orthodox churches are preparing for Christmas on January 7th. And at the Christmas Eve feast, most of them will eat pierogies. These dumplings are traditionally prepared at home, but in churches across the Northwest, have become something of a parish industry. Food journalist Deena Prichep visited one community that’s come together over dumplings. Myra Petrouchtchak is in the basement of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Church. It’s a small parish of about 50 people in Southeast Portland. She sits with a few dozen others, stuffing and shaping potato pierogies by hand. A lot of pierogies. Myra Petrouchtchak: “It will be around 180 dozen, yes. And when we started, we were making 45 pounds of potatoes, and that was a lot. It took us half of the Saturday. Now we make 100 pounds of potatoes, and by 1 or 2 o clock everybody will be done.” The church has had to increase production — the pierogies have developed a following beyond the parish. Myra Petrouchtchak: “People come here and say that those pierogies remind them about their childhood. Not only Ukrainian people — some German people, Polish [...]
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