Vol. 2-Interview-Pertrushka

Were eaten right after blessing was said. Before this, when said prayer, father would take a little old cup without handle with honey in it and would take thumb and make a cross with the honey on forehead of each one, starting with wife. They leaned over the table, standing. After he did the last, he'd put a cross on his own head. That was so you'd be sweet all year and people would love you all year.

The kids would keep this on till the next [?] Think he'd say the words when he did The father of the family did it.

An oplatki was in center of table. Each dish would be placed on the oplatke and be blessed by mother before being eaten. Then a spoonful of each thing was taken and put into the dish. Represented if somebody was hungry he'd have this for Holy Supper.

Then the table was not taken off table. Mother take a clean tablecloth and cover the

rice.

Cook rice till got half done. Add milk & cook & add more till rice was done. Put in a pinch of salt & bit (2 tsp.) sugar. This would thicken. She'd take & put it on a dish. It would get cold.

(She'd have everything on back of coal stove.)

Would make a well in center.

Brown butter (1/2 lb.) & add bit milk & pour it in center of rice.

Serve by taking a tblespn. of rice taking some liquid, too, (browned butter & milk)

Measured rice by 1/2 lb.

She'd take rice pour it on table & pick out chaff & stones. Girls helped. (Some will pour in corn.) She'd wash it 4-5 times (grains) to get out empty (punky) grains. Squish it around a bit. This would wash off the startch [sic].

& dirt. Clean by brushing good ones in a pot off the table with fingers & push bad ones away.

Used maybe half a pound bag of rice--Rice came in brown bags (paper). Would buy by pound.

She'd soak all grains.

She'd put rice in pot & add water--

When make at home, is same, add some milk.

When needs milk again, put in some canned cream (Pet milk) & some margarine, Let it melt & mix it in & simmer.

If it cooks to thicken, puts in [unintelligible word] & make well. Pour in browned butter & milk.

table for the night represented if anyone was hungry, he could come into the house and eat. If anyone came in the door he could sit at the table + eat. There would always be enough.

When you came down on Christmas morning, you'd take one of each + eat, after church.

Had 12 foods - representing apostles. They always made sure there was an even number of foods on table. Mother wanted this.

Oplatki + garlic on plate counted as #1 Garlic had to be on plate - though didn't have to eat it.

When you had an even # was so family would be together another year - so no one would be missing, the the group is complete.

Garlic - so you be healthy all year - to keep you healthy. They'd want you to eat it, even a little bite.

Kids didn't want to eat it. Sometimes they'd stick it in honey and take a little bite. Parents would dip it in honey and eat it.

When end of meal, dad would say a prayer - so God protect us to be healthy and happy for the next year and so we all meet at this table and have a supper in this coming year.

Then, mother would fill apron with nuts and throw handfuls out for the kids in the house.

Foods - You had to take at least a tablespoon on your plate and taste a bit.

1 oplatki 2 honey 3 garlic 4 bobalki 5 pea soup 6 bean soup 7 rice 8 sauerkraut & mushroom soup 9 nut roll & poppy seed roll 10 wine 11 piroghis 12 stove rags rolled with dried sweet cabbage

* Dad would start out with wine after made cross on head.