Antonia, my grandmother’s great-grandmother, emigrated from Galicia, Poland to Ware, Massachusetts, in the late 1890s. She was fleeing from a marriage her parents had arranged. Her passion for freedom, work, and cooking was her motivation to find a new beginning. When she arrived in Ware, Massachusetts she was disappointed in the conditions so she traveled by foot with two other girls to Ludlow, Massachusetts. When they arrived they were able to find work at the mills under the supervision of the mill superintendent, James Henderson, who also set them up with lodging with the Tenorowicz family. The Tenorowicz family were said to be the first Polish family to settle in Ludlow.  

         During Antonia’s stay with the Tenorowicz family, she was able to express her love for cooking. The family allowed her to use the kitchen to cook traditional Polish meals for them. Antonia took pride in her family’s recipes, especially her favorite, pierogi. Pierogi are an age-old Poland delicacy that serves as an appetizer, main course, and even a dessert. Pierogi are basically dumplings that are first boiled and then fried with butter and onions. Pierogi can be filled with many different items but the most common filling is cheese and potatoes. Antonia’s recipe was the traditional potato and cheese pierogi, which was passed down from generation to generation. The family recipe that originated in Poland will continue to be important to my family.

– SB

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more