Up until she left Buffalo and moved to Richmond at age 92 in 2007, my grandmother Anna was a key player in her church's Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival at Corpus Christi Church in the East End of Buffalo, N.Y.
From working in the kitchen to participating in the polka mass (yes, you read that correctly), she lived for that festival, which has marked the end of the grain harvest for Polish farmers since the Middle Ages. Corpus Christi's Dozynki has become one of the largest on the East Coast, complete with its own nontraditional pierogi contest.
This year, I will attempt my own backyard mini-Dozynki on Nov. 3. I promise polka music, a little vodka and plenty of pierogi. Who knows? It could turn into something much larger, but I have a little competition with the Folk Festival this month.
Actually, October is turning out to be one of "foodiest" months on record. Here's some of the bounty:
The Folk Festival is holding a Folk Feast for 300 on Oct. 8 for the first time, with nine Richmond chefs (for more details, turn to page 194). That will be followed on Oct. 12 by the Hospital Hospitality House's 30th-anniversary celebration, with Iron Chef Cat Cora cooking alongside a star-studded line-up of regional chefs. Feed More's Richmond Restaurant Week rolls in on Oct. 21, SCAN's Taste of Terroir hits Oct. 26, and Belmont Butchery brings its Beast Feast to Scotchtown Oct. 27.
While Janet Giampietro shares her shame about her festival dodging on page 42, I may be able to get her back into the fold on Nov. 3, especially with the lure of pan-fried dough.
Joining us this month as special projects editor is Emma Coates. She was deputy copy chief for British Harper's Bazaar. Crikey, we are glad to have her, her penciled proofreader's marks and her 1980s music references in our coverlines.
Meet The Statement Makers
On Oct. 23, our 10 Statement Maker honorees will be toasted at the Kent-Valentine House. At the event, former St. Catherine's alumna Landon Slane — co-founder and co-designer of Slane, a New York-based jewelry company — will share her story and discuss her work with the nonprofit DreamYard. The next day, Slane will host a trunk show at Schwarzschild Jewelers in Cary Court from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For ticket information, visit richmondmagazine/statement .
