Pirogis

[zimmerstutzen]

I grew up in central PA, just south of what is called the coal regions. A place where various ethnic foods sort of overlap. One I truly loved from fairs and farmer's markets was pirogis. Often spelled numerous other ways, including Piroshki. Well, these little fried pies of dough outside and stuffed with various things but usually cheese and mashed potato. South American Empanadas are a bit similar. OK now what does a Polish/Eastern European food have to do with the frontier? Today, I discovered an article about Alaskan frontier food, that indicates that native Alaskans learned about making pirogis from the original Russian settlers in the very early days of Alaska as a Russian colony. According to the article, in 1778 when Capt James Cook visited, he noted that women brought him a pirog to eat. Apparently this eastern European dish was a hit with the natives who adapted it to their diet. https://www.ranker.com/list/what-did-they-eat-alaska-frontier/melissa-sartore

 

[Nyckname]

Outstanding.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well Schlutzkrapfen is the Southern Germanic (Bavarian and Tyrolian) term for them, and they are documented going as far back in places like Russia as the 13th century. Some folks say Marco Polo brought them back from China...well they do look like "pot stickers" sort of so that might be a "reverse legend" (they look like pierogi SO pierogi must be from China ) ...anyway if they are in Bavaria, and Germans immigrated to the colonies, then why not?

LD

 

[Einsiedler]

Meat pies are still all the rage in Natchitoches Louisiana. Dunno how long they been eatin’ em there. Adai Caddo in the area seem to think they do date to the 1700’s. As do some of the townfolk.
Natchitoches was the early terminous of river traffic due to the great log jam in the then Red River channel. Major crossroads area for all sorts, native and euro. Interesting subject.

 

[appalichian hunter]

It seems that all cultures have some sort of dumpling or what I would call hand pies, so I would not think it far fetched these type of food stuffs would be totally off the radar in the time frame we are interested in. I personally enjoy the perogies fried with fried cabbage and kielbasa a loaf of crusty bread sweet butter and a dark adult beverage, this is a meal that lends its self to fairly easy preparation over a hot bed of coals in camp.

 

[tenngun]

Grew up in New Mexico where we called ‘em tamales .
Meat pies in England and calazons in Italy.
I do love ‘em with black rye bread smeared with a stinky cheese, polish sausage cooked with kraut, onion, caraway seeds and mushrooms.... good eat’n

 

[Steve P Peterson]

'Tis true. Russian fish pie is called piroshki, and anywhere the Russians rubbed shoulders with the Natives, they still make it. Most are made like a regular pie, but some are more like a tart. They are delicious! In a piroshki you will find, salmon, egg, rice, onion... maybe carrots.

 

[tenngun]

Townsend did a vid from an English cook book for an ‘Italian salmon pie”. Salmon, onion, dill put in a pasty and baked. It was ‘Italian’ because the pasty was made with olive oil.... oh those cosmopolitan Brits.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Grew up in New Mexico where we called ‘em tamales

I wouldn't group Tamales in with meat pies, pot stickers, or pierogis. Unless you do a Gerald Ford and eat the corn husks.
I'd say Tamales are part of the group where you find Pasteles, Idlis, and such. Food cooked in leaf wrappers that aren't consumed.
But I don't know....

LD

 

[mushka]

How about green chili enchiladas, either beef or chicken.

 

[Carbon 6]

How about green chili enchiladas, either beef or chicken.

No, but I think A Pupusa might qualify.

 

[Gun Tramp]

Unless you do a Gerald Ford and eat the corn husks.

I haven't laughed so hard in a very long time. Thanks for the memory, LD.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

No, but I think A Pupusa might qualify.

Yeah they probably do...except I think they are more like fried liver mush, which is hominy and liver and perhaps other stuff mixed and fried, and pupusas, are masa flour (finely ground hominy) with a meat filling or other fillings, fried.

LD