Catherine the Great & the Volga Germans

[@isaacschmitt4803]

So, I didn't know what this was until you said "cabbage burger," and then a flood of childhood memories came flooding in. My adoptive family are Volga German-Americans, and every year we had two big family get-togethers: one on or around the 4th of July and one over New Years. All the moms, grandmas, and aunts would gather in the kitchen and craft the most wonderful food, and among them would be cabbage burgers. I can still taste them to this day despite not having eaten one for for nearly twenty years. I'll have to pull out the family cook book and make some!

[@askelton1551]

thats a great story 🥲

[@micahphilson]

Come to Nebraska, you'll fall in love with Runza!

[@sisterspooky]

@Isaac Schmitt - _”I can still taste them to this day _*_despite not having eaten one for nearly twenty years.”_* IDK why… but that made me giggle. Imagine the taste of something lingering _that_ long on the palette. 🤭 Hey, if you make some let us know how they turn out! If the recipe is better than this one, feel free to share. I’m always up for trying something new. 😊

[@kirbyculp3449]

Do it.

[@kellysouter4381]

Lucky you.

[@sarabian1]

"What do Catherine the Great and the State of Kansas have in common?” - I assumed she had a wayward son that carried on.

[@annamaria9073]

I mean, she had a son that completely hated her guts, so kinda?!

[@valoryj5603]

* snicker *

[@LBrobie]

good one!! 🤣

[@KelseyDrummer]

Ehehehe, nice.

[@willallen7757]

Shes dust in the wind.

[@lasanimasaussies]

I was born in Kansas, and grew up on these. Wonderfully they freeze well once baked. I’m an old man and live alone. I usually make batches of 24, eat a few and freeze the balance for a quick microwave meal. And yes, I’m of German descent.

[@Sven73524]

Greetings from Germany

[@toddjohnson5692]

My mom made these. Her parents were Volga Germans. I don't think she used any sauerkraut and instead of putting the mustard in the rolls, we dipped them in mustard as we ate them. She called them cabbage pockets.

[@merryressler]

My family called them cabbage pockets, too, and dipped them in homemade ketchup (which is also labor intensive, but worth it!).

[@dashiellgillingham4579]

@@merryressler Russian homemade ketchup is the best ketchup.

[@caroleharrington7621]

My grandma would dip in sour cream before eating!

[@mindykepfield4555]

I am screaming with joy. I am a Volga German from Kansas and Nebraska where they are called Runzas. Thank you for honoring the overlooked foods of the heartland. Love you.

[@annemchurchwell]

Same here

[@seth1422]

Also a Nebraskan. I was deliriously happy to see Runza getting a shoutout. But I gotta say, his seemed a lot better. That Brioche-style crust looked goooood.

[@43warriormode98]

Same

[@TheRenwmn]

My family called them Kraut Runzas. It is interesting how they ended up being called different things.

[@Horus_the_Lupercal]

Been too long since I had one. Need to remedy that.

[@susanshaffer8574]

Dear Max, I'm writing to say "You nailed it!!!" Thanks for doing a video on my people. We call ourselves Germans from Russia. My grandparents immigrated from Russia in 1905 and settled in Colorado to farm. Both my parents, though born in Colorado, spoke German as their first language. My father was in the Military Police in the US Army during WWII because he was English-German bilingual. I grew up in California but remember the best days were when my mom made Kraut Burgers for dinner. It was quite an undetaking because she started by making the dough. My dad did not like caraway seeds so asked that she leave those out. She did not use sauerkraut either but just cabbage, onions and meat She rolled out the dough just like you did but brought four corners up over the mixture and pinched them together. Looked like X on top. My husband, a history PhD, and I love your show and watch it all the time. You are a delight. You really brought the past alive for me today!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you for your thoughtful comment, glad history lived today with you

[@richiethev4623]

Just curious do you speak German? Or did your parent's not bother teaching you??🤗

[@susanshaffer8574]

I learned my prayers in German as a very young girl and took German in high school but except for a few words and phrases it didn’t stick with me. My older brother spent his early life with German speaking relatives in Colorado and remembers more of the language.

[@drewapple6053]

Hi Susan. I enjoyed reading through your comment. My grandparents were Volga Germans in Colorado as well. Approximately where did they live? My Grandfather was born near Ault, CO and my Grandmother near Windsor, CO. I believe there were a lot of Volga Germans in this area. I took a look at the recent 1950 census that was released for this area and many of the respondents indicated they or their parents were born in Russia despite having German surnames.

[@susanshaffer8574]

@@drewapple6053 Ha ha! We’re probably related. Both my parents went to Windsor HS. We used to get the Windsor Beacon (the town newspaper) mailed to our house.

[@KB-lr4pi]

"I could eat all of these. Not in one sitting... but in two!" "I might eat all of them - don't judge me." So relatable! And the best endorsement of a recipe I've ever heard.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Those would make great slogans for a food brand.

[@TheOraclePriestessRa]

That could be on a t-shirt.

[@Leonecta]

Volga Germans descendant here! 🙌🏻 From the ones that settled in Argentina. We call these Pirok, and boy, oh boy, are they a trademark of my family's cuisine. Eating this meal immediately throws me back decades to my childhood. Thank you for making this video. :')

[@cioccolateriaveneziana]

And are the piroks the same? The same dough, filling?

[@johnryan6456]

Wow. There's a runza restaurant on Johnson drive here in Mission, Kansas. I had no idea of the historical significance.

[@dmitrynope5215]

Oh, so that's where the name comes from. Пирог (sounds like pea rock) is the Russian word for pie.

[@Gchan86]

Volga German descendant living in germany here! I absolutly love that we love on the other side of the world, but our history and food is so similiar!

[@Contained_enjoyment]

The settlement that hid out ex Nazi Generals, including lots of eye witness testimony regarding Hitler living there after the war? Cool.

[@kahisawheel]

I love how this is a history channel disguised (very competently) as a cooking channel.

[@serenitymoon825]

Well, food as something that's needed for survival would be a part of history, and I love being able to learn how food was made depending on the time and culture. This channel was very much needed I think

[@annacostello5181]

I thought it was a food channel disguised as a history channel

[@chrismanuel9768]

The History of Food or The Food of History

[@Yayme4986]

It's both

[@JockMcBile]

We Nerd out. Then get to eat. My kind of Channel.

[@olegschmidt7171]

Oh shit, I am Volga German! Never would‘ve expected an episode on us! In a book detailing our family history, we have quite a large section on Catherine the Great and her part in us coming to Russia

[@daniellerichardson5900]

Hey cousin! I'm also a Volga German Schmidt (or German Roosians as we are called in the Central Valley of California)! My grandfather did lots and lots of genealogical and historical research and wrote a few small publications about our history. I'm so excited to see us featured by Max!

[@olegschmidt7171]

@@daniellerichardson5900 Yeah, the book I mentioned is my grandmothers side of the family, I believe an uncle or some such is currently working on my grandfathers side of things. Very interesting to see what a journey your family took a hundred years ago! Ironically, my parents moved back to Germany from Russia, and now we live one state from where we originally left

[@ritz_o7]

I am also a Volga German, from the Mennonite branch. My family settled in south-central Kansas. It's very cool to learn more about our history.

[@peggymason7438]

So am I!! I never expected a video on this either . My ex mother in law from hell made them and called them groutburgers. Isn't that just charming? 😵‍💫

[@JustinBarak]

This finally completes my grandpa’s incomplete explanation of why Germans were in Russia and how we ended up in the US.

[@Hephesus]

I am Argentinian of Volga German descent and there is a "sister" town to our village in Kansas. I was surprised to find someone covering our history in KZbin.

[@Dr.ZoidbergPhD]

Argentinian of German descent 👁👄👁

[@charmingbeast7738]

@@Dr.ZoidbergPhD I was waiting for a German in Argentina joke

[@WarisAmirMohammad]

@@Dr.ZoidbergPhD lol

[@yoo571]

Aguanten los pirok

[@Justanotherconsumer]

@@charmingbeast7738 the Nazis went to Argentina because there were already a lot of Germans there, so the jokes are only funny to those who don’t know much about Argentina.

[@clairevandenberg8204]

Tomorrow, September 22, I am serving Bierocks for 35 elderly resident if St Marks senior living facility in Keuka lake. Thank you, Max. The ingredients were a gift from local farmers. We have onions fresh from the muck field, cabbages from up the hill, beef from Charley Ancestral French cattle that are creamy white, and spices from the Mennonite folks up the road. I added garlic too, because it speaks to me. It is a local habit to have mustard and horseradish with beef dishes, so that will be available in the tables.

[@laurairving8285]

When you asked, “What does Catherine the Great and Kansas have in common?” I was (internally) jumping up and down and raising my hand high!!! Volga Germans! My people! Thanks so much for an excellent overview of their history! And I agree, Bierocks are excellent!

[@mrtrollnator123]

@@jestice75 to where?

[@mrtrollnator123]

@@jestice75 why?

[@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus]

Yeah people forget about the strong roots of German, Russian, polish etc in fly over country, wonder what those home lands think if they even are aware of these communities and cultures? A Scotsmen KZbinr I followed got proper impressed by the little enclaves of the Scottish in America and was equally impressed and sad that these American splinters knew Scottish history better than most folk back home do these days.

[@SIC647]

​@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus I am a Dane, and I recently learned about Solvang, a Danish-ish village in USA. I looked it up and the houses, the food served at the restaurants, rhe costumes, and generally the vibe was Danish... but in a Twillight/Stepford wives kind of way: At a first glance everything look fine, but you feel like you are in a horror movie, because it is all just a bit off (like them serving pickled herring and æbleskiver for breakfast. The first is a lunch dish, the second a dessert).

[@MidoriOfTheShuinsen]

​@@SIC647I used to live an hour south of Solvang, and I can tell you that the dessert-for-breakfast thing is because the restaurant in question kept having people ordering the æbleskiver for breakfast, and just went with it. It's a cute little town, and I've been there several times, but sadly in order to keep businesses afloat, they have had to "touristize" a bit.

[@bjwingster]

I just made these and have a few notes for others who would like to try: 1. Max's "large head of Cabbage" is considerably smaller that my "large head of Cabbage"; I ended up with way too much filling for 15 'rocks. Judging from the leftover filling, I estimate the correct amount of shredded cabbage is 700-750 g. 2. If you'd like to divide up your dough into 15 even blobs by weight instead of by eye, each blob would weight about 100 g. 3. These are wonderful. You will not regret making them.

[@christopherbaby3842]

The hero in the comments.

[@TheBottegaChannel]

So what your saying is in order to use up all the excess filling... you need to make 30 some odd 'rocks. Right? 😆

[@sweetdesignink]

Bierocks are excellent to freeze. We would make a big batch to cook then freeze to enjoy later on.

[@Zeptyche]

My dough was not watery like his

[@PokhrajRoy.]

“What do Catherine the Great and the State of Kansas have in common?” - You know this is going to be a fun adventure which is like a Tuesday on this channel lmao

[@jayhom5385]

Sounds like something you would have heard in James Burke's "Connections" series.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@jayhom5385 I’m a relatively new subscriber so I have a lot to learn.

[@selalewow]

I just can't figure out what Magnemite has to do with it LOL

[@mantunes339]

they are both full of horses?

[@aSandwich.13]

I was gonna say inbreeding

[@jdechant930]

I am soooo excited to have found your video! My father is 100% Volga-German, born and bred in Kansas, and even though I know the history and have eaten the food, it's so exciting to see someone else talk about it! Thanks for promoting our ethnicity 😊

[@marceloescamilla8867]

Max voraciously eating a childhood comfort food is such a mood

[@sonipitts]

One of the best moods, tbh. I am 100% here for "warm fuzzy childhood feels"

[@TheBottegaChannel]

To be fair, they are crazy amazing, heckin' addictive, and absurdly warm fuzzy inducing all in one delicious package.

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

That’s foodie paradise for sure 😂

[@jasong6027]

Such a mood? Please speak english

[@tonex1080]

@@jasong6027not that big of a deal bro

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I'm far from the first to say it, but I just love how every culture has their own take on dough wrapped around a filling. Even a subculture as specific as the Volga Germans in Kansas.

[@TripleA_Battery]

You’d be surprised how many meat-in-dough recipes Russian Germans eat

[@kilotun8316]

It's a nice, compact, efficient and relatively clean thing to eat making it ideal for lunch or if you're on the go. Kind of a confluence of necessity, laziness and efficiency all rolled into one. And deliciousness. That too.

[@razumihin3605]

@@kilotun8316 laziness and efficiency...? 😅 There's a reason they're only served on special occasions in quite a few countries, they're really a bit of a pain to make compared to other traditional meals like soups and stews, cabbage rolls or roasts. I can only assume in your part of the world you often eat something more complex? 😅 But back to the point, I think what has made dumplings so widespread is the enjoyment of two separate foods/textures as one meal. I think Chinese bao are the perfect example, since there is an emphasis on fluffy sweet dough as well as the delicious filling. I can't help but also feel they are formatted a bit like a gift or something precious that must be wrapped for protection, which could have a psychological effect on us? Definitely agree with the cleanliness/ease of eating factor though

[@tomfields3682]

Anyone remember the Leutonians on SCTV? Josh Schmenge and Stan Schmenge. Cabbage rolls and coffee! Mmm-mmm good!

[@therood1644]

As a Volga German who lives in Kansas this certainly made me smile and miss my grandparents all at the same time.

[@Toad-In-A-Puddle]

Runzas were a frequent lunch offering from our school cafeteria in the 70's. (Colorado...close to Nebraska). That was always our favorite day to buy hot lunch, as we usually took a sack lunch. Runza day at school was definitely a treat!

[@dawnmichelle4403]

This video brought tears to my eyes. I haven't had a bierock in over twenty years! My late grandma used to make them. Her family came from Russia and settled in Kansas before moving to California. So many memories! And I've never made these myself. I guess I have no excuse now. Thank you, Max! ❤️❤️❤️

[@TastingHistory]

Yay, hope you love

[@kirbyculp3449]

DIY!

[@j-ro]

I believe the Bierock Shoppe in Fresno, CA will ship them!

[@walterbrunswick]

Do you speak Russian?

[@dawnmichelle4403]

@@walterbrunswick no, I don't.

[@shibalikchakraborty5344]

This is the only food channel I have come across that actually explains the taste of the food in detail instead of saying "Mmmmmmm, it's good" . Major kudos for making such great recipes & explaining how they taste with such good detail .

[@kammymarie13]

Take a look at Emmymade! She also does a fantastic job at describing tastes and textures 🙂

[@melanieortiz712]

Townsend does pretty good job on food.

[@jesebsp]

like giadda who turns out wasn't even tasting her food. never trust a skinny Italian cook.

[@theConquerersMama]

I love that about Max. It is such a fantastic channel.

[@brocabe]

In the beginning he didn't even try the food and everybody lost their minds about it. (Including myself) He definitely learned from it though.

[@tjr5081]

As my high school history teacher always said, “Runza! It’s a meal in a bunza!”. Definitely one of my favorite fast food restaurants!

[@catygen]

Runza discontinuing their veggie runza is a shame. But I forgive them because they gave us frings.

[@АлександерПлотников-х1т]

I am a Volga German from Russia, but now from Switzerland :) it was a great episode, thank you for reviewing part of the story and a great recipe)😅

[@elizabethalexander9983]

When you mentioned Kansas and Catherine the Great in the intro, I got so excited I shouted, "Volga Germans!" and startled my husband. I don't think I've ever seen a history video about them, and I certainly didn't expect to learn about my heritage and a food that's a staple in my family. Thank you so much for this.

[@dicksanders8206]

Cool!

[@AJHill-wi2vy]

As a historian, a foodie, and a homesick Kansan this REALLY made my day. Reminds me of home.

[@zanleekain117]

As a Mennonite (my great grandparents where all born in Prussia) whose family when the Germany-Prussia-Canada-Mexico-Belize route, I really loved this. I really can't remember anyone outside of one our own historians know anything about this part of history. Catherine the Great was seen as a hero, and both my grandmother's where named Katherine, it's a very common name within my community. As for the recipes books, sigh, it's unfortunate. One of the reasons for it is, Germany tried to force everyone one into one common Germanic language, and so had massive book burnings, where even family bibles (which where used to record family genealogies) were destroyed. Our mother tongue of "Plautdietsch" (low german) was nearly lost, and only partially saved as an oral language. I am a fluent speaker, but there are less then 500,000 of us native speakers, but you are right about a large percentage of Russian words added to it. We also have adopted a lot of English words too. There are now some who are saving our language and I have several books in my own language now. All the recipes I learned as a girl where handed down from mother to daughters for generations, and I cook many of them by heart. My mother used to say a good Mennonite housewife could measure everything with a ladle, or her apron strings. I was cooking a "somma borscht" for supper while watching this video, and thought I would mention a great cookbook you could check out "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" for more detailed recipes then a typical Mennonite cookbook. LOL Great content, and I've been watching since the Sally Lunn buns episode.

[@TastingHistory]

I love this, thank you for sharing this story. This one is a bit of a full circle moment then, these remind me of Sally Lunn buns

[@cthulpiss]

As for Catherine the Great - perception of this person is different in places destroyed / ruined / mutilated and robbed by her actions.

[@mamaliamalak7825]

@@cthulpiss For us, she was a savior who aided us in the time of need. I come from a group that faced extreme persecution. I have ancestors who were burnt at the stake by the Catholics. Others were drowned by the Protestant. Children were stolen from their parents to 'reeducate' them. Emperors and an Empress would imprison us, if they didn't hunt us down. Chased from one country to another. Raided by the Ottomans where women would be taken off as prizes. Then Catherine the Great offered my family sanctuary, and respected our religious beliefs, and gave us the one thing we wanted. To be left alone and live in peace. So to us, she is a hero.

[@cthulpiss]

@@mamaliamalak7825 Sure thing. It is just worth mentioning that "Volga valley" was full of serfs (both peasants and indigenous tribes ) that rebelled under Russian rule, and that rebellion costed the lives of tens of thousands in that region. Common people, you know....

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

She also heavily taxed and physically and legally restricted the Jewish population! Religious freedom and civil liberties are for Christians, doncha know. The same sort of extreme persecution was overlooked or even encouraged for those who "deserved" it.

[@berzerkab.5099]

Never thought I'd see a popular youtube creator make a video about Volga Germans, but here we are (and I'm thrilled!). My grandmother is from a small town in Kansas, and her family were the ones that settled there. Thank you for sharing this!

[@EyreAffair]

Fun fact: There's an entire town in Kansas named after Catherine the Great called "Catharine". Volga German immigrants founded and settled Catharine in April 1876, naming it after Katharinenstadt, the town they came from in Russia. Katharinenstadt was the economic center of the German colonies in Russia, and home to many Roman Catholics.

[@cianakril]

It's called Marx now. Guess why.

[@DerekWitt]

My great-great grandparents settled in Munjor. Another great-great grandfather was mayor of Gorham around 1903.

[@legion_prex3650]

@@cianakril and the neighbour town of Marx is called Engels. No jokin

[@paul-davidalmond716]

I’ve been to Katherinenstadt! Beautiful church.

[@DerekWitt]

@@paul-davidalmond716 I heard how beautiful Katherinenstadt’s church is. I’ve been to Liebenthal’s church too. One of my relatives is also buried at St. Fidelis Basilica’s cemetery in Victoria. I would love to visit that church someday.

[@Embarblaze]

Literally made a batch two days ago, the freeze fantastically. Recipe was passed down from my aunt, apparently my grandfather loved his with almost only cabbage because that’s how they usually got them during the Depression.

[@brucetidwell7715]

Thank you! I was looking for this. I'm single and, unlike Max, I don't think I want to eat 15 buns in one sitting. How do you thaw them out/warm them up?

[@ian3314]

Can I ask at what point do you freeze them? Before or after baking? Thanks

[@Embarblaze]

@@brucetidwell7715 pop them in the microwave for about a minute

[@Embarblaze]

@@ian3314 after baking as freezing would kill the dough, especially if you try freezing them uncovered. Drys them out

[@niseplank4527]

Do you have a toaster oven or air fryer? I put mine in there for a few minutes.

[@barlazyjj7872]

My Mom's side of the family is Volga German, and my Grandma made these quite frequently. Our family called them "Cabbage Burgers". Thank you for the video, I'm gonna share it with them!

[@bucknunley359]

I’m from Texas and my family were German/Dutch immigrants from Tennessee. We have had what we call Krautrunza as long a I can remember. Cool to learn the history of a strange food I grew up with. They are delicious.

[@Cinemaphile7783]

Interesting, in Nebraska they call them Runzas.

[@joshs.761]

My family are Black Sea Germans (the western brothers of the Volga Germans) and I just want to say thank you for sharing the history of my people so well.

[@rafaelthielmann9782]

Hey Max, wow! I'm a Mennonite from the descendants of the Wolga-Germans, I wanted to add that many of those who left founded new colonies in the small country of Paraguay (where I'm from), keeping themselves isolated in the harsh Chaco-Region. As the world keeps advancing forwards they've kept the language, recipes and many traditions of their ancestors, and it's really great to see some of these acknowledged in a channel I love. The local museum has great data on the migration of these German-speaking people and their trials, and even though I have moved away from the community I still enjoy the great food and history it's left me with. Great vid as always!

[@alejandroperaltanunez2030]

Los alemanes dle volga eran catolicos. Los mennonitas no.. los alemanes del volga se asentaron en hohenau. Independencia. Caaguazu, asuncion, san bernardino, altos. Etc. Los otros se aislaron y fundaron colonias propiaa fuera de la sociedad paraguaya.

[@WastelandBard]

I grew up eating these! My great-grandmother was Volga German and her recipe for these is almost exactly like this. Thank you for reminding me of my childhood!

[@TastingHistory]

Now you’ll have to make a batch to honor your great gram.

[@WastelandBard]

Absolutely! I'll even try to share them, though they may not last that long! 😅

[@jameseglavin4]

I grew up in suburban Kansas City and while these were a regular on the lunch menu at elementary and middle school, I never knew they had any historical or geographical significance! Great video and much thanks!

[@jamesmuhr]

As a Nebraskan, I am glad to see Runza got a small mention as most locations are in Nebraska but spill out into Iowa, Kansas and Colorado. Although you can have a dozen Runza Sandwiches delivered but the cost is 165 bucks on their site. My mom and dad used to make bierocks, we called them cabbage burgers growing up. I do remember them being a bit of a chore to make from scratch and very tasty!

[@dawne6419]

I'm told there's one or two in NW Missouri as well.

[@erin.stitches]

Also, Sehnert’s Bakery in McCook is a James Beard Foundation Award winner and they ship their bierocks!

[@alyssarawlings4420]

I used to eat at Runza in Fort Collins, Colorado. I've never seen it elsewhere or met anyone who knew what it was!

[@rochelle1117]

A few years ago my son packed a dozen on dry ice and drove them to me in Utah. It was an awesome birthday present.

[@HopeRock425]

As a Ukrainian I'm glad you've finally done Slavic food, I know these are technically German but they don't much differ from our Piroshki. I love these though my favorite are potatoe, you can also use cherry jam or any other jam but cherry is most common here. I recommend covering them in egg yolk instead if melted butter at the end as it gives a dark rich colouring.

[@poweredbymoonlight9869]

You might be interested in our finnish two pirogs/piirakka's. One: our Karelian piirakka/karelsk pirog rice porrige as filling and the second being a meat pirog. The one with porrige filling you can eat as any kind of snack or meal, any time of the day/morning/evening. You can eat it as room temperature bt nothing better than as roasting it (like you can do in a toaster if you want), just put them in the micro oven or put them in the usual oven to warm them up, put on an eye of butter, or better! blend butter with minced/mushed hard boiled eggs to an eggbutter slap a big chunk on it and it's sooo tasty 😋. You can put alternatively (nordic bluebverry-ones, not the weird ones you are used to in usa!It' a different blueberry species that can't grow in such warm regions and countries as america!)blueberries (forgot in what form). Or some other things too more like it is as a sandwhich. Most typical is butter on or making eggbutter to put on it. -The meat one is i thin k fried with (i think, usually don't east them) minced meat and onion inside. Both of them looking different. The meat one looks more like a fried bun while the karelian looks very different ans is partly open and oval in its form. Especially Karelian piirakka/pirog is a finnish national dish that is not allowed buy finnish law to be sold outside of Finland. And karelia is a place somewhere superclose to russian border so. (I'm finlandsswedish, thereby i used both the finnish and swedish names for them.)

[@Li_Tobler]

@@poweredbymoonlight9869 how cool, thank you! Definitely want to try the meat one 😋 I'll look up the "piirakka" and will attempt to make it at home to honor Finland's solidarity and unwavering support of my country (also Ukraine☺)💙!

[@SydSyd1024]

I come from the Volga Germans and the recipes passed down to us recommend the egg, too! I'm not a huge fan of egg, so I do butter. Do you have a sauce/dip for yours? Somewhere along the way, we started putting ketchup on ours!

[@Li_Tobler]

@@SydSyd1024 my grandma adds some tomato sauce (in our country it's similar to ketchup, but more intense in flavour and thick) on the stage of sauteeing the cabbage. I swear it's delish!

[@poweredbymoonlight9869]

@@SydSyd1024 No no such thing as dip or sauce at all. But it's more like you can put lightly stirred (i think? if i'm using the right word?) raw berries on top of them if you want to. To the karelian one. -The meat one; the most cliched & noncreative thing ever - ketchup 🙄. Also, talking about things like karelian piirakka/pirog: the seemingly neverending of missinterpreting by foreigner seeing and eating karian piirakkasd for the first time for some reason always seem to think that it's a SWEET DESERT! Dear lord, it can be any other thing than that! It can be the main course, or ONLY meal/dish without anything being he side dish to it as well as it can be as side dish in itself to whatever you eat as a main meal. -I truly do not get where they get that it would be a sweet thing to it?? 🤦‍♀🤷‍♀ Rice porridge that's their filling (the pirogs) has never been sweet anyway in itself, nor in this case!😅

[@kirstenpaff8946]

When I saw the thumbnail for this video, my first thought was "Those look like what I ate at Runza". I admire your attempt to read the old recipes. Older German can be tricky to read, even for native German speakers, because the spelling, word choice, and even to some extent the alphabet/font used are different from modern German. I can only imagine how confusing it would be once you throw in Russian and a century of cultural drift. You also have the added complication of dialects. Germans can't understand other Germans once they start speaking dialects from different regions. It's weird how being able to speak German sometimes lets me read languages that I have never learned (Dutch, Yiddish, Afrikaans, etc), but other times I have no clue what my own family members are saying, because I don't speak that particular dialect. I hope you have a great trip with your brother.

[@uncledave8857]

I thought Runza as well. I had one once, thought it was the most disgusting thing ever created. haha My friends love them. To each their own.

[@13374me]

@@verycreativ233 this specifically is plautdietsch, and honestly it has it's own dialects depending on which colony in what's now Ukraine your family was from. He's wrong saying it's "older" German, honestly it sounds like Dutch, not German, which isn't surprising since a lot of the Mennonites he mentions were from the lowlands originally before moving, and it's kind of a mixture of dutch, high-german, english, russian, and probably more thrown in.

[@niseplank4527]

My father spoke Pennsylvania Dutch, and my mom plattedeutsch. They couldn't understand each other, and there were many meal time arguments.

[@rochelle1117]

I really wish Runza was nationwide. Nothing beats a fresh Runza on a cold day. If I ever win the lottery I'm getting Runzas delivered regularly.

[@buffewo6386]

Academically, part of the reason you are able to read these languages/dialects better than you can their spoken versions is that the written word is less succeptable to phonetic drift. Also, writing and reading being far less universal, written words tend to change less once consistent spelling conventions are established. For example, a Roman Governor in the 1st Century AD Gaul would probably have issues understanding a French Bishop of the 14th Century because of the diffrent (postulated) pronunciations of Ecumenical/Ecclesiastical Latin and the dialect in use then. (And they would probably have better common discourse in Greek.)

[@Neidzwiedz1]

I grew up smack dab in the middle of Kansas and beirocks were a staple of school cafeteria food. When I moved to Michigan 30 years ago I brought the recipe with me and my Irish mother in law fell in love with them. 😊

[@dwaynezilla]

"As they stared upon each other as though they were half-dead persons" As a person living somewhere with an overall-comparable climate as these settlers, this really fills me with thoughts of spring for some unknown reason!

[@meedwards5]

The same could be said for the way my family and I looked after the a/c was broken for 3 days when the temps were in the mid-90s. Oh my, I was a sight and intolerably cranky!

[@ericthompson3982]

Max, my house just burned down and I'm currently living on a couch, and seeing you show up in my feed brings me a little bit closer to sane, so thank you.

[@cattledog901]

🏠🔥😱🤣✊🏼🙏🏽🕊

[@pielover444]

As a born and raised Nebraskan I was so excited to see this episode! I love Runzas! There is a Germans from Russia museum in Lincoln!

[@victorpapillon1487]

I love you

[@Capitals301-austin]

What there is?! I was in Lincoln or Omaha every summer for roller skating nationals and had no idea damn I gotta get back there

[@natejames3299]

@@Capitals301-austin The place is green and is called "Runza' instead of Bieroc.

[@Capitals301-austin]

@@natejames3299 huh I'm not talking bout runza I'm talking about Nebraska

[@novideostopost1268]

Had one today bro!

[@danaellis816]

You may be surprised as I was. When I watched this episode I think you answered a life long question of mine. You see my dad's mother and family immigrated to the US by boarding a steamship in Vladivostok Russia and entering the US at Galveston, TX. My paternal grandmother died when dad was 4, so a lot of family history was always missing. It was always a puzzle of how the German speaking, German Lutheran family set sail from Russia without being Russian. A million thanks to you, and I enjoy all of your episodes.

[@Ананас-я9э]

It's a common fact to anyone who learned Russian history a little. Evidently you didn't even try.

[@АнтонАлексанов]

There was also large group of Ostsee Germans (or Baltic germans) in Russia pre 1917 disaster. They often served as marine officers. If your parents flew from Vladivostok in 1920s they might also have been part of White émigré or ex-Kolchak army. For example in my cousin's family there were two 1st rank Captains that fought in Russian army till the exile from Crimea in 1920, both Ostsee Germans.

[@AutumnMoonlight95]

I'm so happy you made this video! You actually show a photo of my great-great grandfather, Peter Leiker, Sr, (top right) at 13:36. He was one of the Catholic Volga German explorers that were sent to check out the U.S. He settled in north western Kansas. The others were the 4 other Catholics that went. Funny enough my grandmother never learned English. I took German for 2 years in school and neither of my teachers could understand when I would speak what I'd learned at home.

[@ulivolga228]

I had the same experience. My family is Volga German and I learned German from my Grandma. I took it in high school, and then started correcting my grandma's terrible german lol!

[@КатеринаБарановська-н5ф]

Amazing!

[@floofzykitty5072]

@@ulivolga228 it's probably not "terrible german" and just a dialect. Dialects actually have a long history of being called "wrong" so it's important to make the distinguishment.

[@42ZaphodB42]

And there are dialects in german that I as a german have real trouble understanding myself lol.

[@poweredbymoonlight9869]

@@floofzykitty5072 My thought as well, must be a dialect, could be a strong dialect.

[@witmoreluke]

IT'S MY PEOPLE! I've heard this story for years about how my family got to America, but I didn't know it was a ton of people. Everything matches from Catherine the Great to WWII to Nebraska. Thanks, man.

[@christen5868]

As a fellow Nebraskan it warms my heart that you mentioned the Runza. I was hoping you would mention it. I knew it was German, but did not know it was from this group! Hooray. BTW Cali Nebraska fans will know this as well.

[@HopeRock425]

Is he German American?

[@Gnomerlady]

The best part is having a cup of chili and a cinnamon roll for a side 😋

[@Megamando93]

@@Gnomerlady and a side of frings and ranch

[@christen5868]

@@HopeRock425 I don't know if he is German American. Good question

[@christen5868]

@@Gnomerlady only way to have Chilli. My husband and everyone looks at me funny and they are all from Iowa. Just one state over.

[@matthewring8301]

My wife makes these. She got it her mom’s best friend’s family. (Apparently they were from Kansas.) her recipe didn’t use kraut or caraway, and calls for frozen bread dough. I’d bet that it was simplified over the years, and someone in the family didn’t like the kraut and caraway so it got removed. I’m going to have to convince my wife to try it with the fresh dough you showed us.

[@dwaynezilla]

Max: "these are delicious" Me: "they look/sound like it" 140g of butter: "You're god damn right"

[@limalicious]

My great-grandma used to make the filling all the time, but she started serving it over noodles during the depression to make it "different", and that is how it stuck for my family.

[@theConquerersMama]

My hubs family did this too.

[@therealJamieJoy]

This sounds like a delicious way to try it. I'm not good at making dough. :) I'll bet the filling is also good over rice.

[@SwtTeaLdy]

Many Volga Germans also settled in North Dakota. Prairie Public, the PBS station in North Dakota, has a series called, "The Germans from Russia". Episodes cover their history, culture, customs and their food. It's quite interesting to watch and learn. Also, I believe that North Dakota State University in Fargo has a museum and archives devoted to them.

[@DerekWitt]

Victoria, Kansas also has a Volga German Heritage Center. It's a few miles east of Hays.

[@brent13420]

Nebraska also has the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia museum.

[@latitude1904]

And eastern South Dakota

[@tees5983]

Even Laura Ingalls Wilder encountered them and wrote of them as did her daughter (based on Laura’s stories). This was who I instantly thought of and said VOLGA!!! Lol

[@vernonsheldon-witter1225]

@@DerekWitt Plus the "Cathedral of the Plains" which is stunning.

[@wrenblackwell4417]

As a Volga German, third generation US, I’m extremely excited for this one!! My great grandparents immigrated from Walter, Russia in the early 1900s 😊 thank you for this. It was so needed

[@avastorneretal]

Let me guess, were yours ancestors from the Saratov or Pokrovsk(Engels nowadays)?

[@reginanapolitano8101]

My grandmother was born into a Volga German-American family outside of Fresno, CA & I grew up hearing my dad talk about bierocks! Thank you so much for making this video, I made them & it meant a lot to me to be able to connect to this part of my heritage. Thank you so much, Max!!! They were also DELICIOUS & I agree that the dijon mustard adds a lot!

[@gracedelreal4955]

They still make Ohlberg's German sausage at Renna's meat market. Direct descendant of Volga river Germans

[@AmandaBoysenberry]

I’m from Reedley, a town about 30 mins from Fresno, which a Mennonite town. The donut shop now run by Koreans I think still makes bierocks and they are delicious.

[@Lupinotuum66]

Fresno in the house !

[@beth7467]

@@AmandaBoysenberry Was just going to pop in to mention Reedley and the Mennonite connection. My father grew up in that area (not Mennonite, though).

[@lifeisgood9175]

@@gracedelreal4955 My Grandmother was an Ohlberg, and they settled in Fresno, before coming to Sacramento. Our family used to buy the sausages from a Fresno market and bring them back to share.

[@baldhermit]

For those that maybe do not share Max' love for bread, my grandmother taught me a recipe with the same onion, ground beef (well, her choice was ground pork 'cause poor), sauerkraut, cabbage and mustard, but then in a casserole dish with mashed potatoes as a lid, shepherds pie style.

[@jacquelyns9709]

I love bread but for health reasons can't eat much of it anymore. Also can't eat many potatoes. So your grandmother's recipe can be easily adapted to using mashed cauliflower for the top crust.

[@KelseyDrummer]

I'm always on the hunt for recipes that will travel well, and I think I'm going to try try your grandmother's recipe! Thank you!

[@marie_h1104]

That sounds really good!!

[@ashleycapdeboscq364]

I was thinking I'd make this without the buns too! I'm absolutely confident they're delicious, but my patience for yeasted dough is incredibly low. I was thinking using it in a tortilla, or maybe even just over some rice.

[@jacquelyns9709]

@@ashleycapdeboscq364 Secret to yeast doughs is planning ahead. That said, sometimes you just don't want to do so. Or you don't want the carbs or can't tolerate gluten. The meat mixture would be great on riced cauliflower, sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, it would be too sweet), turnips, white potatoes, quinoa, etc.

[@TaysaysDaisuki]

I put garlic in mine and my grandmother says her Volga German grandmother would have died if she knew that. 😂 Apparently garlic was forbidden in her home. She immigrated to the US the same year the Titanic sailed.

[@13thMaiden]

....Your great great grandma might have been a vampire...

[@2993LP]

Hmm, was she from Wallachia Romania perhaps? Feared mirrors and crosses?

[@sephrosemary]

@@2993LP I doubt it, im romanian, and id probably get literaly crucified for saying I hated garlic xD

[@roelant8069]

@@sephrosemary Because any Romanian that doesn't like garlic is a vampire, as Ryan was suggesting Taylor's grandmother was (or is, who knows)

[@sephrosemary]

@@roelant8069 I know a number of vampires, they love garlic, the "Garlic wards them off" thing is just a little grift a few of our farmers pulled to get more sales, and we all go with it cause it's funny af

[@tamirundell8392]

My Great Grandparents are Polish but bierocks were part of our meals throughout my childhood. As I grew up I opted out of the cabbage but made my fillings more to my liking - taco burger or pizza filling: hamburger with pepperoni, mozzarella, spaghetti sauce. I figured it was a sandwich made for traveling and was made using whatever was plenty and filling.

[@fissure12]

As he was describing this I said, literally out loud, "so it's a Runza?" and then I was so happy to find out this is actually what made Runzas! My family has a vegetarian recipe of this that uses lentils, can attest it is also good

[@CUDDLES_BAKEHOUSE]

can u share the veg recipe please? i would love to make it.

[@GeneMilder]

As a native of The Sunflower State, it's a real treat to see you cover this. Grew up eating them in Wichita. Can't find their equivalent anywhere else.

[@jriedesel]

check out Nebraska runzas.

[@wendigee]

Huh. I'm from Wichita, and my great grand parents were German farmers around Greensburg. We grew up with my mom making bierocks from her mom's recipe... I'll have to ask my mom if the Wiesel's were Volga Germans.

[@emma70707]

You can sometimes get Runzas shipped (frozen) to other parts of the country.

[@christinap-c]

(You can get them in the Dillon’s deli section, but you have to ask for them.)

[@rvt2239]

I gotta say, this man always brings it. Every video is well-researched, well-presented and always entertaining. Cheers!

[@gumihou7802]

Not always delicious, but Max's eww face makes up for it, lol

[@alexdelgado2265]

I have a dozen in my freezer right now. I made them Sunday night and it’s Thursday September 12 2024. I’m a Mexican American in Great Bend, Kansas. I’m 67 and grew up eating and loving Bierocks in Jr High school and High School. Those German ladies sound out WONDERFUL Bierocks! In the last 4 years I started to toy with my own dough and filing for bierocks as my Parents,then I had a Mexican cafe from 1966 -2007 and my life was about cooking. I’m a great novice chef and spin out homemade tortillas and other dishes for my partner of 12 years on a daily basis now. So I was never intimidated by breads and dough recipes in general. My first batch of bierocks were surprisingly good and they continue to get better every time. I too use cabbage and sauerkraut for my recipe but know of others who only use one or the other. Another thing with my recipe is I find the more black pepper used the better. Also, I love to add the salt and pepper to the meat when first cooking. It makes for better tasting filling. I’ve never used caraway seeds but I will put a little celery seed in the filling. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the history aspect of this how to video. It was very good. The delivery, the content and duration was perfect.

[@bobhart677]

I moved to Kansas about five year ago. That was when I was first exposed to bierocks. I asked my new friends about them, but everyone was just amazed that I had never had them. I asked my friends from Illinois on social media and no one had ever heard of them. I left it at that. Thinking it's just a Kansas thing. Your video was great and will allow me to regale my Kansas friends with my knowledge of their own history!

[@ceridwenluna]

They're a bit in Nebraska too! Yes, mostly Kansas in the western part. Have you had a delicious cinnamon roll with chili yet?

[@ceridwenluna]

Also, reach out to your local Volga German! There are delightful desserts to be had! Hays has a little cultural museum if you ever make the trip. www.echshays.org Here is a recipe book compiled by Emporia University: esirc.emporia.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/1681/M.%20Sackett%282%29%20Vol%209%20Num%202%263.pdf?sequence=1

[@whoopsydaisy6389]

My husband is from Kenosha Wisconsin and they have them there. We also have them here in Central California. This has me wanting to try and trace it back to find out how they got way out here but not to Illinois.

[@bobhart677]

@@whoopsydaisy6389 I have a sister that used to live in Burlington Wisconsin. I spent a lot of time there. But never ran across one. But then again I rarely ate at restaurants and my sister was never much of a cook.

[@bobhart677]

@@ceridwenluna No, never heard of it. I do like sweet and savory. I will have to look for one.

[@rissroo4325]

This makes me so happy. My family is from Nebraska and I appreciate that this dish is getting the spotlight. If you ever go through Nebraska, make a pit stop at a Runza.

[@Moosesoup]

I grew up in Volga South Dakota and my Family were Volga Germans. This was a great episode! It brought back so many memories of my great grandparents and sitting in the kitchen learning how to cook with my great grandmother!!!

[@fbrep]

Great video! I too have wonderful memories of RUNZAS! The Everret family were my neighbors in the 1960s in Lincoln, Ne. Mrs. Everret stated with that one location pictured in the video, located on the edge (at that time) of Lincoln. Mr. Everret kept homing pigeons as a hobby. He was so kind to allow this inquisitive boy to help in his coop. Truth be know, he was probably happy to allow me to clean the nesting boxes, LOL. Runzas are a staple food in the Husker Football stadium. I'm willing to bet more Runzas are sold on GameDay than hotdogs. They were also a regular menu item on thousands of Nebraska and Kansas schools. They could be easily and inexpensively made using government commodities given to schools during that era. As others have mentioned, these were a offering at every gathering of the Czech side of my family along with fruit filled kolachès. Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories of family now passed, but certainly never forgotten.

[@jacen1551]

"I could eat all of these, not in one sitting... but in two." We all have a dish that we could just eat anytime, anywhere, in any quantity. It's hard to beat yeast bread stuffed with stuff.

[@littleblackcar]

“It’s hard to beat yeast bread stuffed with stuff.” Words to live by. (I’m from Houston-ish where you can put anything in a kolache/koblasnek. Similar idea.)

[@r.muller8289]

I'm German-Brazilian and they make these down here in the south of Brazil, albeit we just call them brioches. I had no idea of the richness of their story!

[@cioccolateriaveneziana]

So do you prepare them the same way? With the same filling?

[@diamondflaw]

My great-grandfather was a German of Russian extraction. He was born in 1896 in Speier, a village north of Odesa which was populated by the descendants of people who moved there from Speier in the Rhineland. His parents moved the family to the USA, making the passage in 1902 and ended up first in the Dakotas, and then later moved to Spokane, Washington. He passed away in 1999, and was in very good condition until pneumonia struck him down. He would tell wonderfully detailed stories about his life over a game of dominoes. Anything from talking about going through immigration when arriving in New York to riding a horse through a North Dakota blizzard to get medicine for his mother.

[@jdane2277]

My grandfather had a similar story, from Latvia via Sweden to New Jersey and then to North Dakota and finally Kansas. The same problem, conscription at age 16, you were essentially a slave and cannon fodder so it was escape on any boat if you wanted to survive. He farmed for a while and ended up a grocer. My mom made Pirogs but not too often. They smelled great.

[@sideeffect2]

My great grandparents had similar path. Odessa, to North Dakota and then settled in Washington.

[@diamondflaw]

@@sideeffect2 if he was Ludovicus (Louie), son of Valentin (not giving last names), then we might be related 😂

[@youtubeuser_custom_1]

@@sideeffect2 Do your parents still preserve some traditions or maybe speak Russian? I was always curious how language tradition changed from generation to generation

[@gabrielballiet9282]

My grandmother was from Odessa and lived in ND@@sideeffect2

[@donnalowe9334]

I usually make German Hot Potato Salad to go with bierocks. Very filling and they are excellent together. Great to share with friends and neighbors for funeral food. Try just turkey ham & cheese filling. you can freeze them and take them on a short trip to have a cold sandwich for lunch time at a park. My family loves them. And no mess. They can be frozen for months and taste fine. Thank you for the video. With Volga German heritage I love the information shared with everyone. The Volga German food is wonderful and unlike any other food in the world.

[@TheVampireCabin]

I have seen every episode of Tasting History so far and with every addition they keep getting better and better. Keep on cooking! The history is fascinating because it's not something that people may learn about had this channel not existed. Thank you for awakening a new interest in food history for me.

[@verdanthi818]

We've discovered Max's comfort food. I have a Runza in the next town over and oh yeah...I'm so getting lunch there today. My family called them pasties, they're Scandinavian descendants hailing from Minnesota. They make them with rutabaga. Such good memories came from this episode.

[@robviousobviously5757]

Runza Runza Runza wondrous food

[@bethanya99]

Pasties are extremely prevalent in Michigan's mining and logging regions. Both Norwegian and Cornish miners were sent to work in the Northwoods and there are many blended recipes, the Cornish pasty being one of them.

[@CrankyBubushka]

@@bethanya99 yes. lots of Cornish descendants from Mineral Point, WI. Mining there and Pasties. Lots of meat and fat stuffing in delicious bread.

[@TerriPowers]

I make bierox several times a year. I learned how from the recipe of a great-grandmother who was Russia German(lived in Kansas). I add a slice of Velveeta cheese to mine. I make huge batches and freeze several too. I also make Kuchen too. So yummy!

[@valerielucille3204]

I’ve been searching for a comment that mentions freezing. Do you freeze them after they are baked and cooled? Thank you.

[@lifeisgood9175]

Yay! Kuchen with strawberries, or other fresh fruit is my favorite thing ever!

[@cmconley33]

This sounds like something my grandma made when I was little. She was Slovak. I don’t remember what they were called, but dough was the same, and instead of a savory filling with meat, onions, cabbage and sauerkraut (which sounds amazing), these had sweet cooked cabbage in them and were a dessert. They could also be filled with a plum filling, but my favorite was the sweet cabbage.

[@clairevandenberg8204]

@@cmconley33 hi - I have ancestors who were Moravian. Our filling is the sweet plum kind. But I tried Max’s version and wow! I live in upstate Nee york. The filling ingredients are brought to my door by generous Mennonite farmers from their abundance!

[@LOioma]

I've never had anything with cabbage as desert, so intriguing! How do you sweet-cook cabbage? Should it be of a particular kind? What else should be added to it?

[@infowarriorone]

Nice. This is my grandmother's history. The history of cabbage itself seems interesting, as one of the most important staple (and survival) foods throughout the world.

[@mamaliamalak7825]

I come from a Volga German family, and I grew up eating them and are a childhood favorite of mine. We called them Runzas, due to the popularity in Nebraska. I've actually played around with the fillings to add more spices and flavor, so that it wouldn't need ketchup. They aren't the traditional food, but it sure is good. I also am a big fan of Catherine the Great. She saved my family. We have stories passed down of ancestors imprisoned, drowned, and burnt at the stake. She gave us sanctuary when no one else would.

[@ishouldhavetried]

Bierocks bring back so many memories for me! My grandmother owned a flower shop 20 years ago, and whenever we'd visit, we'd go to the bierock shop across from her for lunch. I miss these SOOOO much!

[@Lichen8404]

Just made the janky city boy version (pre made pizza dough from the grocery) and they were amazing! Highly recommend adding carrots and dipping them in sour cream and brown mustard

[@lauraschilling5088]

I made them once with Rhodes rolls because I didn't have time to make dough. Not as good as homemade, but very good for those of us with time constraints.

[@sillygoose941]

I just wanted to say, this is random. First time I was ever getting on a plane, I was by myself and this was not too long ago. I was going from home in Chattanooga to Chicago for a week for a job. I was so nervous, but was able to watch your videos from waiting in line all the way to take off. It made me feel so much better. You’re videos also made me feel better through out my trip. I binged watched all of them haha. Thank you for that.

[@hannahananab]

My mom made a version of these when I was growing up, only we called them Runzas. Her one cookbook does call them bierocks. We may have to try your recipe and see how it compares. Edit: I hadn't watched the entire episode yet when I first left a comment. So when you hit Nebraska and runzas, I was a little happy. It's interesting to know where runzas came from (my mom grew up in Nebraska).

[@DamonNomad82]

My mom's family was originally from southeastern Nebraska, but they lived in Thailand until just after my mom graduated from high school in the mid 1970s. Then they all moved back to Nebraska and my mom went to a college in a small town there. Her first encounter with Runzas was when her college roommate's grandmother, who was of Russian German heritage, made them from scratch. After that, the family discovered the Runza restaurant chain and it became a regular meal item in my grandparents' home. Even after they moved to another state, we would take them frozen Runzas, as they missed having them.

[@CandiLain]

My family loves bierocks! We’re from Kansas originally, but have since moved to Colorado and the PNW. Mom would always makes big batches for family gatherings. She had to do something similar to your method, because recipes were shared person-to-person and usually from memory. Moms recipe is made with Parker house rolls, and will occasionally add cheddar to the meat mixture before wrapping in the dough. Serve with lots of mustard and beer or wine. Thank you for bringing this dish and it’s history to the masses! Everyone should try making bierocks and share them with family and friends. 🥰🥰🥰

[@rochelle1117]

As someone who lived in Nebraska and western Iowa for 25 years, there's nothing I miss more than easy access to Runza restaurants. I actually got a custom painted Runza themed box filled with a dozen Runzas on dry ice for my birthday a couple of years ago. They're just so, so good.

[@EmeraldLance]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but I'm a really big fan of the choice at 13:30 to display the writing in both the English translation and in the original text. I hope this is something that continues forward wherever the original text is available!

[@Just_Sara]

It's fun to see how they translated to rhyme and all.

[@briannalarson6416]

Max, I have been watching your show for months and imagine my surprise when I saw Volga Germans on your feed. I was blown away and I listened all about my own family. Most people have absolutely no idea about our little settler history and I am just so happy to see it here, reaching so many about the history. My family were Black Sea Germans and I grew up with something very similar, maybe you know it? Fleischkuekle I did not grow up with Bierocks but I will give these a try!

[@Rocketsong]

Fleischkuekle (Fleischkuechle?) would be fried, not baked yes? We make kuechle, and it's kind of like a donut.

[@blarfroer8066]

Fleischküechle sounds like your family has a background in Baden-Württemberg, that's alemannic dialect for meatballs.

[@Myrtle2911]

I'm Black Sea German, too! I just commented our family story here.

[@briannalarson6416]

They are fried. I haven’t had or seen Kuechle that I know about. What region is that from?

[@briannalarson6416]

What a wonderful way to connect!

[@Perewinkle32]

When I saw the thumbnail with bierocks I ran straight to my mom and we watched the video together. We are from Kansas and are German and she and I grew up eating these ALL the time, though we make ours a little bit differently. My grandma also makes them a lot and every time I visit her, I have one (or maybe the whole platter...) along with glace and butterball soup (which are also German recipes!). Thank you so much for making this video! Also Runza and godly haha

[@alenahawke475]

I grew up in Longmont, Colorado and I remember eating cabbage rolls like these for hot lunch in the late 60's. They were one of my favorites! I remember them being very peppery. I am definitely going to be making these! Thanks for bringing back good memories from my childhood! Peace and love from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.♥️🙏🇺🇲

[@markrossow6303]

(in S. Seattle)

[@jewpackoshur711]

Reminds me of the Chinese Bao I grew up on. Love how things happens independently yet similarly in different parts of the world.

[@blu4get]

I KNOW RIGHT. especially the little pleated fold sksksks except it went on the bottom instead. i need to make some again some time soon

[@tinyetoile5503]

Foods that are universal across cultures: pancakes and filled buns

[@ceridwenluna]

I love that meat in dough is universal too!

[@ceridwenluna]

This might interest you to know. I grew up in Hays, KS where bierocks are common and worked at a Vietnamese/Chinese-owned Chinese restaurant there on Main Street. They're actually still open; it's named Chinese Food Express. They make steam buns there, which are, of course, Bao. However, Jung does a bierock filling in hers!

[@jewpackoshur711]

@@ceridwenluna that's awesome. I was thinking more of the baked bao. Which is almost the same. I love a steamed Char sui bao though.

[@Swishy_Blue]

Some of us have tea towels, Max has The Frickin Bayeux Tapestry for his bread cover! #lifegoals

[@TastingHistory]

It’s my favorite thing in the kitchen 🙂

[@Swishy_Blue]

I would love to see your take on the 'war of disagreement' around Pedaheh, Varenyky, Proghy and Perogies. (They're all potato dumplings) Me and mine are on team pedeheh.

[@nancyreid8729]

@@TastingHistory where did you get it Max?

[@vickiekostecki]

@@TastingHistory Where did you get this?!!

[@TastingHistory]

@@vickiekostecki Battle Abbey in England.

[@dekeweregeek2143]

Another Volga German here whose family is in Nebraska. Absolutely loved the video! I knew the history, but this gives me something to show people to explain Volga Germans and krautbierok in a nice 20 minute package. Our recipe is different (no mustard or sauerkraut and cooked for hours to really let the flavors meld) but every family has their own variations. We have church cookbooks with 10 different recipes for cabbage burgers because every family is proud of their "one true recipe." Thank you Max for showcasing Volga German history and food on your channel!

[@sarahdoanpeace3623]

My grandmother’s great grandmother came from Prussia and settled in Nebraska. So I am Volga German, most likely. My grandma was an incredible cook and so am I, missing my grandma a lot this time of year. I am going to make these so I can feel connected to my ancestors. Food is the shared commonality that keeps on giving. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@unlimitedshrimp]

i dont know why but i think this is my favorite episode, its just so genuine, not to imply your other ones arent but theres just something so uplifting about this one. love ya max!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

It's just nice to see Max make a food that he loves.

[@sonipitts]

I had the same feeling. You can really tell this one really hit home for him and it's so wholesome and freudenfreude-inspiring (aka finding joy in the joy of others), which is the polar opposite of schadenfreude. Gotta love the German lexicon as well as their cuisine - they have a word for everything 🤣

[@patron8597]

Looking forward to the upcoming "Ordering food with Jose Mendoza" episodes while Max is gone.

[@verdanthi818]

I would love to see this happen!

[@nessamillikan6247]

With the help of all of the Pokemon plushies.

[@Taolan8472]

This is, no joke, a great idea for Ketchup with Max and Jose. Jose reviewing local takeout places while Max is out of town.

[@KB-lr4pi]

And interviewing Cersei & Jaime. Please, José, do this!

[@camilledvorak7151]

👩‍🍳😘

[@therussiangamer6997]

I love this! Russian history is my favorite, especially cause I'm Russian. It's great to see my heritage being remembered. Thank you for being great!

[@LG-pv9xz]

As someone who lives in Hays, Kansas (German capital of Kansas), I can tell you EVERY local restaurant here has Bierocks! They're my favorite food from my home state!

[@Lauren.E.O]

Those bierocks look really good! I know we’re a couple months away, but I can’t wait for your Halloween episode. It’s sure to be fantastic!

[@TastingHistory]

So many options 🎃

[@peggymason7438]

Believe me, they are!! I still make them from my Grandma's recipe.

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

@@TastingHistory This is halloween this is halloween! Halloween halloween halloween halloween!

[@ryanahr2267]

@@Director_Orson_Krennic 🎶We all hail to the pumpkin song🎶

[@austinbergeron5720]

My family's been making bierocks for generations as part of our holiday tradition. They're so delicious! Thanks for the video, keep it up Max

[@chancekahle2214]

I'm a Kansan who makes bierocks whenever I can enlist someone to help me stuff them. My mother and I were just talking about them yesterday, so it was a pleasant surprise to see you post a video on them.

[@lacpeb]

A dear friend of mine used to make these using frozen bread dough. She would bring them to bowling - sometimes with cabbage and sometimes with sauerkraut. We never had a name for them, but I loved them so much that I made them a couple of times at home then forgot about them for the past 40-plus years. Thank you for bringing back a warm memory. The backstory was very interesting, and this time, the recipe won't be forgotten. I will be making some for my cabbage-loving daughter-in-law. BTW, your videos are very well-done. The subjects are very compelling, the recipes have been excellent, and as a former broadcaster, I have to compliment you on your delivery - it is at once informative and comedic and always flawless. Thank you for combining history and food - two of my most favorite subjects.

[@DankBurrito420]

Having grown up in Kansas, this was a great special to watch! I love your channel Max, thank you for always bringing us a smile, a grumbling stomach and wonderful history lesson with each episode.

[@MurdockCakeLie]

My grandpa always made this dish when we went hunting. It’s one of my favorite foods and deeply nostalgic for me. It’s so cool to hear about the history of it!

[@shelleybarba8458]

What a happy coincidence that you published this video on my father's birthday! Bierocks were his absolute favorite meal (with German-sliced potatoes and a slice of watermelon kuchen for dessert), and I would make a double batch for his birthday and freeze the leftovers so he could warm one up whenever the mood struck. I am going to try your recipe as I've always found my grandmother's filling... well... rather dull tasting myself. Thank you also for going a bit on the name as I always assumed it was a portmanteau of "bier" and "rock" meaning "beer skirts" but that never quite fit as all the Volga Germans I'm related to do not drink. :D

[@Fantastikitty]

Watermelon kuchen? I am intrigued. I have made kuchen from many things, but this is the first I have heard of that.

[@shelleybarba8458]

@@Fantastikitty The first step is making schlecksel (AKA nardek AKA watermelon honey AKA watermelon molasses) which always felt like such a production and (to me) smelled awful. But what else are you going to do with all that excess watermelon? :D

[@lnbjr7]

My grandmother and grandfather were Volga Germans. Grama made these all the time, as she and my grandpa were german farm labors in Washington state. After gramma made them she would wrap them in a cloth wrapper and give them to my grandfather who would put it in his front pocket. He labored in the fields all day but but when he needed a bit of energy he would pull the Bierock out of his pocket and enjoy a savory bite or two. Thank you for bringing this culinary delight to your viewers!