The Polish in Dominican Republic

[NALs]

Apparently the Dominican Republic has the largest Polish community in the Caribbean.

Does anyone knows how many people form this group? Is it growing? Are they mostly in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, or somewhere else?

Are the Polish organized with a Polish-Dominican institute as many other groups have or are they dispersed and not united?

Is there a Polish social club somewhere in the country?

I know DV8 is Polish, maybe she knows something about this.

If anyone knows the history of the Polish in Dominican Republic, feel free to share.

Until now I thought Haiti was the country with the greatest connections to Poland, at least historically due to the Polish soldiers that arrived with French General Leclerc in 1802, many of whom stayed in Haiti after the war. To this day the areas where the Polish men settled is peopled by lighter skin Haitians and many, including the darker ones, have blue or green eyes. A silent testament to a little known migration in that side of the island, but I was completely unaware that today its the DR the center of Polish immigration not just on the island, but in the whole Caribbean.

http://en.yourpoland.pl/201_polish-diaspora-centres.html

 

[Meemselle]

Polish community in DR

If this is the case, I want to know where the pierogi are.

 

[dv8]

polish community is pretty much spread out. i know a bunch of people in different locations.

in SD there are quite a few folks who moved to DR in the 70's or 80's, during communism times. there is also a community in the south/east area, from juan dolio to punta cana.

large group lives on the north coast, some in POP, some in sosua.

there are also some second generation polaks whose parents (usually fathers) escaped poland during the war and somehow ended up here.

not aware of any formal polish social clubs. when we hang out it's usually just food, booze and relaxation.

 

[windeguy]

If this is the case, I want to know where the pierogi are.

You and me both. Cabbage please.

 

[Meemselle]

Oh, well then......one can always find cabbage and carrots etc. in the DR. I should make my patented-as-to-die-from Polish cabbage soup.......

 

[lifeisgreat]

My wife is polish my freezer is full of homemade porogies ... yummmm..

 

[lifeisgreat]

Oh, well then......one can always find cabbage and carrots etc. in the DR. I should make my patented-as-to-die-from Polish cabbage soup.......

Kapusta!

 

[dv8]

i make polish food sometimes: pierogi, sauerkraut soup/stew, cabbage rolls.

 

[the gorgon]

i make polish food sometimes: pierogi, sauerkraut soup/stew, cabbage rolls.

i have told you, many times, that you would make a fortune if you produced peirogis here.

there are all kinds of ditzy gringos who open all these restaurants and bars, and in 6 months they are belly up and out of business. if they invested 20% of that money in something like pierogi, they would make great money , with far lesser risk.

 

[dv8]

i disagree. asian restaurants have dumplings which is practically the same concept and they don't sell by tons.
also, it's a lot of work.

 

[windeguy]

Oh, well then......one can always find cabbage and carrots etc. in the DR. I should make my patented-as-to-die-from Polish cabbage soup.......

True, but pierogis are a lot of work, they appear simple but getting them right, particularly the cabbage version is tricky, and one of the ingredients used in the recipe from back home, "salt pork" is not readily available. Bacon just won't do. When I grew up there would be 50 or so women making a few thousand of them every Friday in the basement of a local Catholic Church. Probably the only good thing for which that building was ever used. They were huge compared to what people make today and they were great.

They are those that would put "kapusta" or sauerkraut in pierogis and that is not good. I am not a fan of potato/cheese versions of pierogis.

 

[the gorgon]

i disagree. asian restaurants have dumplings which is practically the same concept and they don't sell by tons.
also, it's a lot of work.

asian restaurants sell pica pollo, platanos, arroz, all kinds of stuff that people buy to stuff their stomachs. dumplings are afterthoughts. a dedicated pierogi stand is a different beast.

i do agree that it is a lot of work. a few young women helpers would fix that.

 

[the gorgon]

True, but pierogis are a lot of work, they appear simple but getting them right, particularly the cabbage version is tricky, and one of the ingredients used in the recipe from back home, "salt pork" is not readily available. Bacon just won't do.

the trick would be to do some fusion thing which would allow for local ingredients. i had some which were made by an American chef, and they were to die for.

 

[LTSteve]

If this is the case, I want to know where the pierogi are.

Yes, and stuffed cabbage. Mmmmmmmmmm!

 

[Garyexpat]

Visiting the family in the states I was put into the assembly line. Nieces made the potato cheese filler, brother in law rolling dough and several of us stuffing the filler into the dough. My first few looked like something from another planet but eventually I got the hang of it. We made 7 dozen. LOTS of work but DAM they were good. Fired up golden brown with onions. My aunt, long gone, always made the best and biggest!

 

[lifeisgreat]

True, but pierogis are a lot of work, they appear simple but getting them right, particularly the cabbage version is tricky, and one of the ingredients used in the recipe from back home, "salt pork" is not readily available. Bacon just won't do. When I grew up there would be 50 or so women making a few thousand of them every Friday in the basement of a local Catholic Church. Probably the only good thing for which that building was ever used. They were huge compared to what people make today and they were great.

Cheese and potato are my favourite my kids love strawberry pierogies... My mother Inlaws makes all kinds it's a love to make them because it's a pain in ass her kapusniak is really tastey...

 

[windeguy]

Never grew fond of any variety other than the cabbage style regarding pierogis. The ones my grandmother made were amazing. The ones the church ladies made were good, but not as good.

 

[dv8]

a dedicated pierogi stand is a different beast.

again, i disagree. there was a polish restaurant in cabarete, about 6 years ago. serving pierogi, among other things. it went bust very quickly. ziggy's place in sosua offers a variety of polish dishes and he is not making millions.

a dedicated pierogi stand would not make enough money to justify the effort considering how long it takes to make the damn thing. at best, it would maybe come to 2-3 dollars an hour.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

i have told you, many times, that you would make a fortune if you produced peirogis here.

there are all kinds of ditzy gringos who open all these restaurants and bars, and in 6 months they are belly up and out of business. if they invested 20% of that money in something like pierogi, they would make great money , with far lesser risk.

The DR has enough starchy and greasy food.
You could go to German or Swiss restaurants who offer dumplings, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls.

 

[windeguy]

The DR has enough starchy and greasy food.
You could go to German or Swiss restaurants who offer dumplings, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls.

I suspect you never had good pierogis...