My Volga German Heritage And The Food That Goes Along With It

I am half Volga German.  My grandparents as well as my father are full Volga Germans which means I have been exposed a great deal to this part of my family history.  In the late 1800's approximately 25,000 Volga Germans fled Russia and settled in the Central Valley.  My great-grandparents were a part of this immigration and settled in "Rooshian Town" in South-West Fresno.  First, I am grateful to my great-grandparents (whom I was never fortunate enough to meet) for coming here, which allowed for the opportunities I, my family and my children have been able to take advantage of.  Second, I am grateful for them passing down the rich Volga German heritage that I have been able to experience in my life.

I have fond memories of German food when I was growing up.  The staples of our German food were Varingas (this is how we pronounce it.  They are also known as Verriniki and many other variations,) "Dag-Grabble," beerocks and of course smoked German sausage.  You could not find these items at local restaurants so we experienced these foods at family gatherings.

Varingas were always a favorite, and as a child I looked at these as a delicacy.  They are a simple egg, flour and water dough, filled with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, boiled then fried in butter and served with melted butter.  As I stated above, I looked at these as delicacies.  However, I later learned that these version of the Pierogi, we made because the ingredients were inexpensive.  Like many immigrants, my great grandparents, and my grandparents were field and dairy workers and did not make much money.  Varingas can be filled with almost anything, however, we try to stick with the original recipe as this is what we are accustomed to.  I do not know of any restaurants that sell these, however, varieties of these are available Fresno Pacific University Relief Sale held every year at the college campus in April.

Beerocks are probable the most well known German food.  Again, in my youth these were usually homemade.  However, the Beerock Shop at West and Bullard now sells these.  In addition, the Edison Social Club and Hope Lutheran Church have sales yearly of homemade beerocks made by member of the Volga German community.

The main staple of Volga German food is German sausage.  It was said when I was growing up that if there was not German sausage at an event such as a wedding or family reunion, the event was not a German event. The making of German sausage dates back to the Volga region of Russia.  However, in the Central Valley the "king" of true German sausage was Ohlberg's German sausage.  Ohlberg started making German sausage in Fresno in 1928.  This tradition stayed with Fresno, and the original recipe, made by the original meat grinder, is still available today through Renna's Meat market at Ashlan and First.  There are two varieties of this sausage, fresh and smoked.  I prefer the smoked as this was what I grew up on, however both varieties are excellent and prepared from the original recipe.  Helmuth's in Kerman also sells German sausage, and though I have not tried them, I have heard from many relatives that it is very good.

Again, I do not know of any Fresno restaurants that sell these items, except in part.  I have to experience these delicacies at family functions, like the one I will happily attend at my cousin's home tomorrow.  However, if anyone wants to know more about these items, let me know.  I may decide to have a Volga German night at my house and include the community, as I was fortunate enough to work along side my grandmother and learn these recipes first hand.