The World Concertina Congress Board of Directors proudly announces the nominees for the 2009 Hall of Fame.

ConcertinaMusic.com congratulates all of these fine concertina people on their great achievement and this special recognition. Click Here for more information about the World Concertina Congress and its Hall of Fame.

07/2009 - Back to Top

[Editor's note: This article is derived from a blog post by Christopher in Austin, Texas. We believe that many of our visitors can relate to the story. You can read the original version at SanctusChristopher.Blogspot.com.]

I've been thinking a lot about my family lately. I've been blessed with a large one. My wife and I only have two daughters but I have four much older brothers and sisters, which by today's standards would be considered a lot. My parents had 23 brothers and sisters between them. And including their spouses and the children they produced, the population stretches into the hundreds just counting from my grandparents.

This populous bounty sprung from the Freeland and Shenandoah areas of Pennsylvania - coal country. A part of the nation that was truly developed by immigrants, mostly eastern European. In my case, Polish and Slovakian. Two cultures that worked and fought to become Americans - good ones - without much help from anyone but themselves. They relied on each other. They helped each other. They ate together, worked together, cried and laughed together. And they made it, most of them. And in the case of my family, most never left for long. They stayed close to where their roots were.

The reason I've been thinking about family so much lately is because of a faded blue box that's sitting in my bedroom closet. Not really a box, but more of a suitcase with a piece of twine latched through its top. I just moved it there from the pantry in my kitchen where it's been sitting for three years. You see, my father died from a head injury in November of 2004. He spent a few days in tormented critical care before a final attempt was made to save him under surgery. He never came out of the induced coma. He was 75. The man who spent his life giving and doing for others without accepting anything in return was finally forced to be on the receiving end of our charity. We took care of him the best we could, especially so my brother who had followed him into the Air Force. He died a week later with my scapular around his neck.

The blue case that's now sitting in my closet is my father's accordion. Everyone knew my father by his generosity but also by his accordion. It sat by his casket at the wake. It was one of only a few things I asked to have of his when he passed. A spent shell from the honor guard at his funeral, his rosary ring, his 1955 Missal, a book that was beside his recliner, and his accordion. This accordion wasn't brought out often. Usually at holidays but always when there were family and friends. And he wasn't the best player but that's what made it all the more special. When he played, he was telling us about himself. Where he came from. What he loved. He was playing for us. It was his gift and it unites us all even though many of us are now thousands of miles away. It's part of the family.

When I received the accordion, it was my intention to learn to play it. To honor my father. To keep a tradition alive. I called around and found some wonderful people involved in the accordion community. Who knew there was an accordion community? A young Ukrainian immigrant came to my house to get me started. I had to relearn how to read music. And he pointed me to another older man that lived quite near me who was an accordion enthusiast. When I went to meet him, he had an entire room devoted to his collection - antiques, some of them, but mostly just a large collection of beautiful, colorful accordions. He grew up in Pennsylvania too, same age as my father, just a few more miles away. His wife works in the Bishop's office. It was like meeting another uncle. I showed him the accordion and he pointed out a hole in the keyboard, some broken buttons, and a big tear along the bellows. It was going to need a lot of repair. But the shock came when I learned that my giant of a father had been playing a child's instrument. It was made for kids, a starter instrument. I looked again at the skinny keys and tiny buttons and wondered how in the world did he ever get his fingers over them. He got this accordion as a child, learned to play it without a lesson, and for 60 years he never let it go. So far, I've left it as it is. If this old blue case can elicit so many memories for me, I can't imagine what stirred in my father's head each time he looked at it.

This old blue case is like a magic mirror for what it means to me to be part of a family. My family. It was my father's accordion but it belongs to us all. I look at that old blue case and I don't just think of my father. It points to everything and everyone on that ever-flowing line on which he lived. Because before he was my father, he was a son, and then a brother. He was my uncle's friend. He was my mother's husband. My daughter's grandfather. All those fantastic people he shared his life with and all those who shared theirs with him come pouring out of that accordion box. Like music. And if it was my father's choice, it would of course be polka music.

Finally, I look at that old blue case and I think what I will leave behind. What kind of memories am I leaving for my children? What have I done that my children will tell to their children? Will my children someday have an old blue case of their own to ponder over and make them feel part of something special? I hope so. I'll probably never know, but it's nice to think about.

07/2009 - Back to Top

[Editor's note: Okay, so this has nothing to do with concertinas. However, a musician cannot play music while hungry!

The following recipe is from a pierogi vendor at the 2009 Polish Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were deemed delicious and authentic by the many happy customers.]

PIEROGI

DOUGH

3 Cups of All Purpose Flour
1 Cup of Warm Water
1 TBSP of Oil (Sunflower, Vegetable, Margarine or Butter)
1 Egg Yolk
1 Pinch of Salt

In a bowl, mix all ingredients until they bind together and form a rough lump ball. If the ball is sticky and wet, keep on adding more flour until it holds together well. Move the ball onto the counter dusted with flour, and start kneading. You will end up adding more flour as you knead. Don't worry about this; just keep adding flour whenever the dough starts sticking to the counter. Knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is completely smooth and very elastic.

Roll the dough out pretty thick - about 1/4" thick. Because the dough is elastic, the edges will pull back and end up thicker than the center. To prevent this, once your center is 1/4" thick, just roll out the edges.

Cut circles in the dough with a cup. A smaller circle will make smaller pierogi; a larger circle will make larger pierogi. Pull the remaining dough from around the circles away, and wrap in saran wrap - you can re-roll it out again after you fill the first batch of dough circles.

Place some of the filling (see below for suggestions) in the center of each circle, pinch the edges together and place on a floured surface. My preference is to make one pierogi at a time. Once all the circles are made into pierogi, boil them in a large pot of salted bubbly hot water. Place as many pierogi as fit in the pot (12 to 15 at a time), gently move them around with a plastic or wooden spoon so that they don't stick together, and boil for 4-5 minutes.


FILLING

Cheese and Potato - Boil 5 pounds (about ten medium) peeled white potatoes (baking or russets). Fry three medium, or two large onions until golden brown. When the potatoes are fork tender, drain them well, mash them and mix with the onion. Add salt to taste, and add a teaspoon of pepper. Let the mixture cool. After it's cooled, mix in a pound of baker's cheese. You can use regular cottage cheese, but make sure to drain all the liquid completely, and mash the cheese with a fork, or you can pulse it a couple of times in a blender before mixing it in with the potatoes. You can also use cream cheese, but since cream cheese is sticky, it takes longer to make the pierogi.

Cheese - Boil ten medium russet potatoes until fork tender (about five pounds). Drain and add four TBSP of butter, 4 oz. of cream cheese, four finely pressed garlic cloves, salt, and a teaspoon of pepper. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and cool.

Mushroom and Sauerkraut - Cut a pound of fresh mushrooms (button or baby portabellas) into small pieces, along with 2-3 large onions, and a pound of well-squeezed sauerkraut (no water in it). Add salt and a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Saute the mushrooms and onions in a frying pan until golden, then add the sauerkraut. Saute on medium to medium-high heat, stirring for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Make sure all moisture is evaporated during the sauteing process. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool. Check for moisture at the bottom of the bowl. If there is any, drain and add breadcrumbs to absorb it. The mushroom and sauerkraut pierogi are best served with some fried onions topping them.

Buckwheat and Spinach w/Bacon - Cook a cup of buckwheat in two cups of water. Mix cooked buckwheat with a frozen chopped spinach (well squeezed) and some salt, garlic and pepper. If you wish, you can substitute bacon for the spinach, or simply add bacon to the filling mix. Cut up some bacon and fry it with some onions. The bacon should be tender, not crisp. Mix with the buckwheat.

Sweet Fruit - Pierogi can be filled with almost any fruit. You can use blueberries, strawberries or apple pieces. You should add a little sugar on top of the fruit in each pierogi. You can use frozen blueberries or strawberries. These pierogi are best served refried in a little butter and brown sugar.


TOPPING

Try these toppings when serving your finished pierogis.

Cheese and Potato or Plain Cheese pierogi - A topping of fried bacon and scallions. Just fry the bacon, and an entire bunch of cut up scallions (greens and whites), and pour over the pierogi. Some people enjoy sour cream and chives as a topping.

Mushroom and Sauerkraut pierogi - A topping of finely chopped mushrooms, fried with onions and a little parsley or green scallion.

Fruit pierogi - A topping of melted butter and a little brown sugar.

07/2009 - Back to Top