Ottawa  Ukrainians love their kobassa!  This tasty, smoked sausage is a stable of Ukrainian dinner plates, for both everyday and festive occasions -- and this year, the best is in Ontario.  "During their travels across Canada, our members used to bring back suitcases full of their favorite kobassa to share with family and friends,"" said Iris Bradley, president of the Ottawa chapter of the Ukrainian - Canadian Professional and Business Association of Ottawa (UCPBA). "So we decided to hold a fun competition to let our members know where they can get freshly made kobassa".

   On Saturday, February 11, over 100 kobassa lovers flocked to the parish hall of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine to sample and vote on the best kobassa in Canada at the 8th National Kobassa Competition, sponsored by the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association of Ottawa.  Participants were also able to enjoy Slavutych and Lvivske Ukrainian beers, Slava and Zirkova Ukrainian vodkas and Krimsekt Ukrainian sparkling wine presented by Victor Kozarny of Multiculture Marketing of Oakville, www.ukiestore.com .

UCPBA members Ron Tomosk and George Dzioba in charge of dosing the alcohol

   Ontario sausage makers dominated the event this year, finishing in the top three in each category.  Ottawa's Warsaw Polish Deli took first place in the traditional sausage category for their Dry Krakowska sausage while second place went to the Etobicoke's Ontario Fresh and Tasty Lvivska.   Adam's Sausage and Meat Products of Ottawa took third place with their Double-smoked Kobassa. In the ham sausage category two Ottawa firms tied for second place : Bank Street Sausage and Deli for its Polish Ham Kobassa and Adams' Sausage and Meat Products for its Ham Kobassa.  Halina's Delicatessen Ham Kobassa from Toronto was voters' choice for the third place.  In the specialty sausage category,  Ontario Fresh and Tasty took first place for its Rublena sausage, Halenda's Fine Foods Gourmet Stuffed Roast placed second, and the Pepperetz from Bank Street Sausage and Deli was voted third.  Honorable mentions went to: Denninger's of Hamilton, Ontario, Stawnichy's Meat Processing of Mundare, Alberta and Zytynsky's Deli of Montreal, Quebec.

A young Kobassa lover helps Borys Gangalo to pull another door prize for the public.

     "We call this a competition, but the voting on all these types of kobassa is very close," said Irene Wolanskyj, a vice-president of UCPBA Ottawa. "The kobasssa are all excellent, and we would like these products to become better known both inside and outside the Ukrainian community." Participants were able to sample the fine varenyky and cabbage rolls of Raisa Hordichuk and indulge their inner shopper at a number of stalls selling a wide variety of Ukrainian crafts.  Throughout the afternoon, participants enjoyed live music by Natasha Guiller. 

Ukrainian themed aprons offered by the UCPBA Ottawa. 

The National Kobassa Competition is held by the UCPBA Ottawa chapter to raise money for the UCPBA Ottawa Scholarship Award program.  The Scholarship recognizes the academic, extracurricular achievements, and Ukrainian-Canadian community involvement of a high school or university student in the national capital region.  The UCPBA will present its next scholarship award in December 2006.

Fine Ukrainian Vodka that could be enjoyed by participants

with entry coupon

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 2006

Warsaw Polish Deli

747 Richmond Road

Ottawa, Ontario K2A 0G6

Phone: (613) 722-5440

Dry Krakowska (Traditional)             

Ontario Fresh and Tasty

99 Advance Road

Etobicoke, Ontario   M8Z 2S6

Phone: (416) 234-8063

Rublena (Specialty)                         

Lvivska (Traditional)                    

Halenda's Fine Foods Ltd.

250 Taunton Road East

Oshawa, Ontario L1G 7T1

Phone: (905) 571-1446

Halenda's Kolbassa (Ham)

Gourmet Stuffed Roast (Specialty)  

Bank Street Sausage and Deli

1920 Bank St. Unit 2/3

Ottawa, Ontario   K1H 7J1

Phone: (613) 521-5557

Event Organizer Irene Wolanskyj with the reprensative of Bank Street Sausage and Deli

Hunter Kobassa (Traditional)

Polish Ham Kobassa (Ham)                  

Pepperetz (Specialty)                      

Adam’s Sausage & Meat

1437 Michael St.

Ottawa, Ontario  K1B 3R3

Phone: (613) 749-3336

Ham Kobassa (Ham)                          

Double Smoked Sowjstka (Traditional)

Halina's European Delicatessen

780 Annette Street

Toronto, Ontario M6S 2B2

Phone: (416) 767-9127

Ham Kobassa (Ham)                              

Stawnichy's Meat Processing

PO Box 18

Mundare, Alberta   T0B 3H0

Phone:  (780) 764-3912

Home-Made Style Ukrainian Sausage (Ham) 

Zytynsky's Deli

3350 Beaubien Street E.

Montreal, Quebec H1X 1G6

Phone:  (514) 722-0826

Special Lean Kobassa (Traditional)

Hunter Sausage        (Specialty)

Denninger’s

284 King Street E

Hamilton, Ontario L8N 1B7

Phone: (905) 528-8468

Deninninger’s Kielbassa (Ham)

Turkey Kielbassa (Specialty)

 Multiculture Marketing Inc

 importers of

Rayisa Hordichuk - catering of varenyky and cabbage rolls

(613) 829-4935

Natasha Guiller - Pianist

Ihor Haras Mykytyn - Face Painter

 UCPBA-Ottawa Volunteers

Borys Gengalo

Irene Wolanskyj, event organizer

Andrew Nikolayev

Mr. & Mrs. Volodymyr Yorosh

Bohdan Tomiuk

Ron Tomosk

Stephanie Stasyna

Bob Seychuk and Ilonka Bogisch

Andriy Sawchuk

Nina Romas

Orest Reshitnyk

Halyna Mokrushyna

Franck Lalande

Ron Sorobey and Paulette Michel

Vera Hutzuliak

George Dzioba

Robert Albota

CLICK HERE for Additional pictures of the 2006 event

CLICK HERE

for last year's "2005 KOBASSA TASTING COMPETITION"

If you have a favourite kobassa that you think should be recognized, let us know 

for the UCPBA Ottawa 9th NATIONAL KOBASSA COMPETITION

 For more information, contact

Irene Wolanskyj at  (613) 237-5094

e-mail iwolanskyj@sympatico.ca

OR

Iris Bradley at (613) 236-2786

e-mail bradlei@magma.ca

                                                                                 webmaster :  www.Ordivox.com