“K” Is For Kramarczuk’s, BlackBerry Shots, Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 2009, all photos © 2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
We stopped at Kramarczuk’s Deli last week to take a few photographs after Christmas shopping. Wasyl Kramarczuk and his wife Anna traveled from the Ukraine to the United States in the 1940’s carrying hope and a dream. In 1954, they combined Wasyl’s sausage making skills with Anna’s delicious cooking and baking to create Kramarczuk’s. Today it’s a Northeast Minneapolis landmark (read more at the Kramarczuk’s website).
Northeast Minneapolis is one area of the city that still cherishes the neighborhood deli. After moving to Minnesota in 1984, I settled in Nordeast where I quickly got to know Kramarczuk’s Deli. In fact, for 20 years I got my hair cut in the vintage East Gate Shopping Center nearby that was torn down a few years ago to make way for a grocery store and high-rise.
What’s your favorite deli food? Check out Kramarczukl’s mouthwatering menu. I’ve had the Polish Sausage, the SauerKraut Dish, and the Ukrainian Meatballs. I love the Varenyky dumplings and the Borscht. It is hearty, stick-to-your-ribs food, perfect for the -0 degree December weather we’ve been having in the Twin Cities. Liz and I were drawn to photograph the mural on the side of the building at night. The letters in the side-by-side alphabets reminded me of our recent post on Runes, Oracles, & Alphabets.
And the Runes remind me of the Holidays and Solstice. Today we’ll be putting up our tree. On Sunday, we’ll be celebrating Winter Solstice at the home of our friends. I’m excited because they recently created a labyrinth in their front yard. Walking from Winter darkness to the green of Spring. What do you want to let go of? What would you like to carry into the light.
Kramarczuk’s – Since 1954, Kramarczuk’s Sausage Co. Inc., Kramarczuk’s Walldog Mural, Northeast – Making History Again, East European Deli – Old Kramarczuk’s Sign, Writing On The Wall, Kramarczuk’s At Christmas, BlackBerry Shots, Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 2009, all photos © 2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
-posted on red Ravine, Saturday, December 19th, 2009
Oh, Kramarczuk’s! The first time I went there was on a date, so I think of it as a very romantic haunt. That was the first time I had had Borscht.
This reminds me of Louise Erdrich’s book: The Master Butcher’s Singing Club. Remember how the main character, Fidelis, brought his sausage-making skills from Germany to North Dakota?
I think I’ll put Kramarczuk’s on my 2010 Eating Out List. It’s been a long time.
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Teri, that sounds like a great story, a date at Kramarczuk’s! The first time I had Borscht was at Kramarczuk’s, too. I had just moved from Montana which was a state with a totally different take on restaurants and food.
I’m so glad you made the connection between the deli and Louise Erdrich’s The Master Butcher’s Singing Club. I loved that book and you are right, Fidelis has such a similar story.
I think I mentioned it before that when I first met Liz, she checked out two copies of Master Butcher’s Singing Club from the library and we listened to them simultaneously that summer and talked about it between rides in the car. It will always remind me of when I first met Liz and was learning about her North Dakota roots.
Hey, maybe we should go eat at Kramarczuk’s together. That night we photographed it, we were passing by and I haven’t eaten there in a while (now that I live just outside of the city). I like revisiting Nordeast. It sounds like fun to go there again. Nostalgic.
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You’re on for dinner at Kramarzuk’s. Let’s go this winter, when we need lots of heavy fuel to stay warm. A big slab of sausage. A bowl of thick stew. A serving of dense potatoes.
That’s very sweet that Liz wanted to help introduce you to her North Dakota roots via Louise and Fidelis. And, Fidelis was German, just like Lizzie.
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Teri, that sounds great. Let’s get it in our calendars soon. Winter is a good time to eat at Kramarzuk’s.
I’m looking forward to Winter Solstice today. Liz is baking challah bread, I made some chili (one of the few easy things I like to cook). I’m kind of hoping it snows, too. It was originally supposed to. It’s about 21 degrees and cloudy. Snow clouds?
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I remember Kramarczuk’s, QM! (Although I spent more time in Surdyk’s … ) I lived nearby at different times, on 4th street (’79), 8th street (’80), and 9th (’75-’76).
This summer I was surprised to see Eastgate gone–in particular, the bar that had a large orange football as part of the building; only inside once or twice, as it was an older guys’ joint, but liked the goofy architecture. Was it called McNamara’s?
Kramarczuk’s brings back delicious memories–although the prices have gone up since I was last there, too. 🙂
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Ben, that is so cool that you remember Kramarczuk’s. We were talking again with Teri tonight about making plans to eat dinner there one Winter night soon. Yep, Surdyk’s is still there and going strong. I used to get Holiday wine and cheese there when I lived in Northeast. They know a lot about cheese in their cheese shop!
I was kind of sad to see Eastgate go. It was old school. There was a little steak house I visited once in a while. And, yes, I remember that sports bar but was never in it. It was always packed, too. Wasn’t it strange to see the flat parking lot and low roofs replaced with a highrise and is it a Lund’s that went in there, too? Things have really changed in that area. Gentrification. Urban renewal. Whatever you want to call it.
I like revisiting the old haunts though. It’s fun. Yes, I remember that you visited MN in summer 2009. Didn’t you go to the Minnesota State Fair with your wife? Hope you had a good time.
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QM, where do you get your hair cut now? Did your barber/stylist re-settle in the Northeast after the building was torn down?
I can see why Kramarczuk’s signage made you think of your Runes post. The different lettering styles are very cool. Do you know anything about who did the signage?
Here is a fun fact: When I was in college and wanting to be an artist, I took a Commercial Art class as an elective. My professor, Jim Kraft, was one of the most encouraging people I had ever met relative to my art. After the semester ended, he got me a freelance job for a local deli doing their ads. I illustrated on scratch board a Hero sandwich. My illustration features the sandwich in the middle of the story board, and an illumination of light all around it, as if the Hero were, literally, a hero. Ta-da!
It was my first and only commercial art gig.
Something about delis lends itself to wonderful graphic imagination.
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[…] “K” Is For Kramarczuk’s […]
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ybonesy, I was stopping by this post to add a comment and realized I had missed your last comment! So a scratchboard Hero sandwich? I can totally see it knowing what I know now about your art. Your graphic style lends itself to commercial work. What made you not pursue that line of work?
My hairdresser ended up leaving right after I moved in with Liz. Before that, I would make the trek back to Northeast Minneapolis just to get my hair cut. After she left, I made the switch to a place closer to where we live now. Liz and I both get our haircut at the new place. AND I found another great hairdresser that I like very much. It’s working out well!
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I stopped by this post to say that we’ll be joining our friend Teri at Kramarczuk’s tomorrow night for dinner. On my list of things to do is to check out the menu link in this post so I can get a heads up on what I want to order. We also have a lovely gift certificate from there that we can use. I’m excited! The weather is cooperating perfectly for this meat and potatoes style food. We’re in the middle of a blizzard. It’s supposed to be BRRRR cold tomorrow,
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I’ll have to write some time about why I didn’t go into graphic art. I planned to and that’s why I went into advertising, but I did it in an indirect way, and you know how it is when you’re not actually trained to do a particular thing. It’s harder to break into the biz. But it’s a longer story, and I’m pooped.
Glad you have a couple of hairdressers now to choose from, btw. Is one the primary, or do you alternate? I’m one of those people who is 100% loyal to one person once I find that right person.
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I’ve read the menu for K’s, and I just can’t decide. Considering the history of the place, how can we not order sausage?
See you for thick, heavy food fuel tomorrow night!
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Teri, it’s hard to choose, isn’t it? I might let you or Liz order the sausage and have a bite. I might opt for borsch or something with potatoes. Have to see what I’m in the mood for. It’s supposed to be cold and drifty. Hope you are staying warm!
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yb, I have one primary hairdresser named Ericka. She was the first one I tried at the new place and I’ve stuck with her. She was gone for a while when she had her second baby and I tried a few other people then. But then, right back to Ericka. Liz goes to someone different, same place. She usually gets the faux hawk. Looks good on her. 8) In her younger days, she had the real thing. Kind of punk.
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Only two more days of this wicked weather. Sunday (and 20 degrees) is going to feel a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
But tonight, Kram’s for fuel.
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Kramarczuk’s was really fun last night, Teri. The subzero temps just seemed to add to the warm atmosphere. Liz and I were looking at the photos she took this morning. The food was fantastic. And who knew there was going to be a Finnish polka band playing? Everyone was dancing to the delightful and talented Finn Hall.
I had not been to Kramarczuk’s in so long, I didn’t know about the remodel. It’s a beautiful space. When I was there before, it was an old-style cafeteria deli with a few tables and chairs. Now there are booths, open space for bands and dancing. Really great.
I took a few BlackBerry Shots, too, and will try to post a few of them in Flickr. You’ll have to help me remember the dishes we shared though. The sausage you ordered was delicious!
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Teri, you inspired me to go back through last December’s posts and I stumbled on this one. Remember going to Kramarczuk’s last January for dinner? Looks like it was January 8th. Still need to get back to you about this January’s dinner date. Will check with Liz. Should we go to Kram’s again? We could make it a yearly Winter tradition.
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