Dumplings,asdefinedinastandardEnglishdictionary,fallintwomaincategories:theseareeither"piece[s]ofdough,sometimesfilled,thatarecookedinliquidsuchaswaterorsoup"oralternatively"sweeteneddoughwrappedaroundfruit,suchasanapple,bakedandservedasadessert."[1]Moregenerally,dumplingsmaybeanyofawidevarietyofdishes,bothsweetandsavoury,thatarenotnecessarilydough-based.Therearevarietiesofdumplingsmadefrombread,potatoes,ormatzohmeal,withorwithoutfilling.Dumplingsaremadefromballsofdough,crumbledbread,ormashedpotatoes.Alternatively,theymaybefashionedassmallparcelsoffoodencasedindough,batter,pastry,orevenedibleleaves.Oncethefillingisputinsidetheballorisencasedinapocket,dumplingsusuallyundergofurthertreatmentbyboiling,steaming,simmering,frying,orbaking.BeforethediscoveryoftheNewWorlddumplingsdidnotcontainpotatoes,butinsteadweretypicallymadewithmeat,fish,orsweets.