(White and) RED OCTOBER

As a child, my October was bracketed by the Camden Pułaski Day Parade at the start and Halloween at the end. Halloween had costumes and candy, but Pułaski Day had so much more: a day with Babcia and Dzidek, rosoł, pierogi, kiełbasa, and pączki. The aromas of their Polish kitchen wafted out to the street, … Continue reading (White and) RED OCTOBER →

Babcia Cried

BABCIA’S TEARS OF JOY Babcia cried. I have never met anyone who could shed copious tears of happiness like Babcia could. Babcia cried when Myron Floren performed one of her favorite songs on his accordion on the Lawrence Welk Show. Babcia cried every September when a new Miss America was crowned. I was allowed to … Continue reading Babcia Cried →

A Family Grocery in Polish Camden: Memories of Leona Burdalska

1545 Mt. Ephraim Avenue Camden NJ about 1950 AUDIO INTERVIEW: LEONA BURDALSKA LARGE Leona Burdalska Large, born 21 October 1931. Left us on 2 January 2023. With daughter Deborah Large Fox Audio File transcript 19 APRIL 2017 L: Leona D: Deborah Deborah: This is my interview with Leona Burdalski Large, my mom, and she is … Continue reading A Family Grocery in Polish Camden: Memories of Leona Burdalska →

Holy Kiełbasa, or Why Mrs. D Ate the Butter Lamb

When I was a child, and for many Polish Americans today, having the kiełbasa blessed by the priest was important on Holy Saturday. We ate kiełbasa year-round--with bread for lunch and kapusta for dinner or plain for snacks--but eating the blessed kiełbasa? Only on Easter Sunday. I don’t know if having the kiełbasa blessed is … Continue reading Holy Kiełbasa, or Why Mrs. D Ate the Butter Lamb →

A POLISH CAMDEN KITCHEN

by Deborah Large Fox My dziadek, Watson (Wencel) Burdalski, in his kitchen at 1545 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, Camden NJabout 1950 "Children should be seen and not heard." To use another saying common to my parents’ generation, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that admonishment as a child, I'd be a rich … Continue reading A POLISH CAMDEN KITCHEN →