Yeah, we had Roast Chicken for lunch, and the pumpkin pie and stuffing, etc... But isn't this picture of our supper more interesting? Let's all give three cheers for vareneki and schmon faht.
Distinguishing between the Ukrainian perogy and the Mennonite vareneki is a little tricky. Ultimately, they come from the same tradition with the main difference that Mennonites fill their dumplings with cottage cheese and Ukrainians fill them with potato. (Although my Oma used to sometimes make fruit vareneki filled with cherries or apricots...)
Here in Winnipeg, the typical perogy is a pan-fried potato and cheese filled dumpling served with sour cream on the side. They are strangely ubiquitous in this part of the country - you can find them in diners, in mom n' pop family places, chain restaurants as a regional add-on, fried chicken places... They've become the ultimate starchy side dish for Winnipeg.
However, the perogies I've had at all the Ukrainian fall suppers are never pan-fried - always boiled, served with a cream gravy, sometimes on the side. I grew up thinking that only the Mennonites put cream gravy on their vareneki but I'm starting to realize that it is more of a restaurant vs. home-cooking thing instead. There are only a handful of actual restaurants that I know of that make good Mennonite-style vareneki, and they are all in Steinbach. Seek them out, and you shall be satisfied.
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