The familiar troika of roast meat, whipped potatoes and fruitcake will serve as Christmas dinner this year for many Americans. Russians and Ukrainians of Eastern Orthodox faith, however, traditionally eat a meatless repast of 12 dishes for Svyatiya Vecheria, or Christmas Eve.

Holubtsy, varenky, halushki - the names of these foods present a poetry all their own. If this sounds too exotic, read on. A bit of history and some recipes will help you understand - and get your appetite going.




Why no meat? Why 12 dishes? Why Christmas Eve?

Twelve great feasts mark the calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church (including Christmas, Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost); feasts are preceded by a period of fasting (from meat, among other things) broken on the eve of the feast.

Christmas Eve marks the end of Advent fasting and the beginning of the Christmas feast. Twelve dishes are served to honor the 12 apostles.

While the church provides a unifying principle, geography allows for broad culinary expression. Russia and Ukraine span a dozen times zones, with climates ranging from circumpolar in the north to temperate along the Black and Caspian seas.

Growing seasons range from a few months to almost year-round. In the ice-bound north, dried and pickled foods are the rule. A softer climate in the south allows such foods as honey, mushrooms, fresh fish (pike, sturgeon or carp) and seasonal vegetables.

Over rolling steppes, in Siberian forests and in Carpathian hamlets, however, certain dishes show up again and again on the Svyatiya Vecheria table. The question of the "authentic" 12 dishes varies with each region - and is thus impossible to answer universally.

Suffice it to say, vareneky (stuffed dumplings), kasha, wheat berries, dried fruit compote and pickled herring will sit on the tables of Orthodox Russians or Ukrainians come Christmas Eve.

The setting of the table and exchange of greetings have their own ritual. A white tablecloth covers the table; this symbolizes Christ's burial shroud. Straw is scattered on the floor and table, echoing Christ's birth in a manger among humble beasts.

Sheaves of wheat and rye decorate the house to symbolize good harvest and fertility. An empty chair is set out to welcome the spirits of departed friends and relatives.

To the salutation, "Chrystos razhdayet'sia" (Christ is born), one answers, "Slavite Yeho" (Let us glorify Him).




Religious tradition and hard-to-pronounce words may make these foods seem daunting. In fact, they are easy to prepare, and many are available commercially.

Rolling Pin Bake Shop (at 2935 S. Fish Hatchery Road, 270-9611) sells a variety of Russian baked goods; Eurofoods (2620 Allen Blvd, 836-4600) carries many East European foods, including handmade pierogies, the Polish name for vareneky. Chicago's Ukrainian Village and Milwaukee's numerous Polish groceries are good places to shop for ingredients. Your local grocery or food co-op will carry many of the ingredients for this meal.

Readers may want to dispense with the concept of a 12-dish meal and serve guests a Russian zakuski or appetizer table. In that case, shots of chilled, flavored vodkas are de rigueur. That these foods are vegetarian and healthy only adds to their dining and entertaining appeal.

For me, with both Russian and Ukrainian roots, holiday tables were always a bit of a hybrid, although inclining toward my Ukrainian grandmother who prepared the food. Her hands were often red from peeling garden beets, her apron dusted white with flour. White and red are thus fixtures of my Christmas Eve table.

In peasant days, the whole household prepared for this feast weeks in advance - by turns cooking, cleaning and decorating - fasting all the while. Now, in ethnic American homes as well as in Russia, many ingredients for this meal are purchased and fasting is generally not as strict. Traditions change as they pass from generation to generation. I offer my family's menu as a point of departure for others seeking to make their own 12-dish meal.

Adding your favorites will only make the tradition better.

A series of sharp, almost sour tastes helps awaken the appetite. Pickled herring and smoked salmon are my fish dishes of choice. Smoking or pickling your own freshwater fish puts a Wisconsin twist on things. (Pike is common in both places.) I include cured vegetables such as peppers, pickles, cauliflower, mushrooms and carrots, as they were a favorite of my late
grandfather. A bright borscht honors my late grandmother.

Three grain dishes echo Russia and Ukraine's agrarian past: halushky (bowtie noodles with stir-fried mushrooms, onions and cabbage), varenky (dumplings stuffed with potato or onion) and steamed wheat kernels with honey.

Mushroom-and-rice stuffed cabbage, holubtsy, adds a depth of flavor. Dried fruit compote, uzvar, brings color and sweetness to this earthy meal; simmer these fruits in a bit of wine, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar.

With the count hovering around nine dishes, we must leave room for baked goods. Black or rye bread, a poppy seed roll and almond crescent cookies are family favorites. Remember, don't be afraid to change this menu and make it your own.

Wine, beer and blackberry brandy all go well with the meal, as does vodka. Clink glasses and toast the health of your friends and family.  Na' Zdarovia!