[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] The tartars

[LynxPoint1 at aol.com]

We have some friends in the Mid-West states who are named Tartarsky.  They 
are Ukrainian Jews. After a little research they were easily able to trace  
their roots back to the Ukraine.  One evening ( I believe it was their  
anniversary when they were much younger.)  they saw steak Tartar on the  menu. They had 
no idea what it was, but since they had the same name as the dish  - what 
could be so bad?.....Ooops  Any guesses to whether or not Steak  Tartar got it's 
name from the tartars of the Ukraine. (If so, somebody give them  a match for a 
fire!!).  Although I must tell you that steak tartar is  extremely popular 
among my relatives and others from that same culture. Usually  only at special 
occasions. You would buy the highest grade of ground beef and  ask the butcher 
to run ti through 2 or 3 times. It is spread on good quality  hearty rye 
bread, add some very very thin slices of sweet onion (like a vidalia  or bermuda) 
and salt and pepper and that's it.  It is a real treat. I've  tried it and I 
must say it is very tasty, I had several small open sandwiches. 
 
  My grandfather was born in Kostopil NW of Kiev. I remember him  telling us 
about the Cossacks. The Frightened him as they rode around in their  horses. 
 
He would have been a teenager or younger. Paul Kruschel was 20 (born  1904) 
when he emmigrated to the us on Sept 11, 1924 - thank goodness it wasn't  77 
years later.
 
I also remember him speaking about the orthodox priests about how they  
always seemed to have enough to eat while others starved. I remember him talking  
about the grease in their beards and how they smelled.
 
So that's all I know. I hope to have more time to  contribute to these  
groups in the future.
 
Andrea
 
 



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