I just found the dearest New York Times video of Ukrainian babas making verenyky (perogies). I may go to them for a refresher before my cookbook comes out. If you can imagine what growing up around these feisty, funny women was like...I'm working hard at capturing the experience in my cookbook. It's now at over 500 pages of verenyky, holubtsi, homemade noodles, kozak crabapple pie, several takes on Chicken Kyiv, honey, poppyseed and cheese cakes, dill cream sauce and road kill stew. And stories. Lots and lots of Baba stories. About outsmarting Soviet officials, having wild sex because you know Siberia or death could be around the corner, luring Nazis into the woods to pick (the wrong) mushrooms and foiling passive-aggressive neighbours.
It's on my mind all the time. Yesterday I told Dr. Wong, my dentist, I was thinking of him when I froze a head of cabbage. To make peeling leaves easier. I had a little explaining to do.
I've settled on a title for my book: My Goat Prefer Naked: Ukrainian Soul Food with Stories From the Village.
Let's hope my future agent loves it, too.
Warning: graphic dentistry and offensive driving content:
And by the way, Dr. Wong did an incredible job on my teeth. He froze my head like a cabbage and restored the finish. Because I hate needles so much, we decided to get it all over with in one go. Here's the trick, friends: Get the dentist to swab the entire inside of your mouth with topical anesthetic. Then have him inject each successive needle where it's already numb from the last one. Piece of cake. Much less stressful than several appointments in a row. I now insist on topical anesthetic for whatever needle-related procedure I need. Doctors have it. You should ask for it.
Driving home was interesting, because my eyeballs were numb. What the hell. I drive a steel body GM tank, I belong to a classic car club, and I'm not the one who's gonna get hurt. I am a Vancouverite, damnit. I learned a thing or two about community standards during the recent traffic snow wars. I now practice offensive driving. Survival of the fittest it is, you so and sos. See previous posts about Vancouver Snow
Did I stay up and try to shovel soup into my thawing mouth? Heck, no. I always burn myself, bite my tongue and drool. This time I was forearmed with drinking boxes and a sleeping pill. That's the other trick to surviving a trip to the dentist.
My teeth look teenager-ish. Thank you, Mid-Main Community Health Centre for your combination of caring and professionalism. Despite the changes I moan about, parts of Vancouver are still old school groovy. Carolyn and Cindy made me laugh all through the cleaning and assisting, too. Cindy, I certainly will consider getting a diamond for that tiny old nick in my incisor, the only flaw in my near-perfect smile. You are one wild woman.
Copyright 2009 Reisa Stone
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Now that's a perfect title! I love it, for one. (g)
ReplyDeleteDear Reisa,
ReplyDeleteI've so enjoyed reading your most recent blogs, and I was not sure which one to respond to. But I have a weakness for Perogies. I haven't had decent Perogies since I left the states and moved to Scotland. I loved the video of the Ukranian community women. I can't wait to read your book, and hopefully follow your own recipe for this treat. I don't have all that equipment they had in the video; hopefully a rolling pin and biscuit cutter will be enough. Cheers, Samantha
Oi yoi yoi Samantha, rolling type pin and biscuit cutter is more than enough. You only need drinking glass to cut out shape.
ReplyDeleteAnd Baba has never before seen this kind conniption like in video. Look like some kind Soviet vehicle. It give her nightmare. Baba think maybe these women teeny bit too enthusiastic fundraiser for church. Time to go home and have glass horilka.
Reisa,
ReplyDeleteLove your blog, LOVE your voice! (my goodness but you can sing!!) The NY Times video made me cry--I want a Baba :) Laura (linked here from Compuserve Writers Forum)