getting schooled

dad and i were making the polish tradition of golopmki last night.  i was getting schooled in the proper technique of filling the cabbage and folding it ever so carefully.  this is a tradition that i hope to pass down to my son.  Christmas eve is a very special tradition in the polish culture.  this is the night of wigilia, where we celebrate the birth of Jesus by abstaining from meat until Christmas day, we eat this huge meal, which consists of, for us, 2 soups, red and white borscht, pierogi, 2 types of fish, and mushroom cabbage rolls (golompki).  when we were younger my mother would slave a way in the kitchen for days preparing everything from scratch, now my mom and dad take turns each year since they are divorced hosting, traditionally we are not to eat until we see the first star in the sky and we would have hay under the tablecloth to signify Jesus' birth place in the manger.  here are some pictures of last night's cooking lesson after our trip to get authentic polish delicacies.