Bowl of beetroot soup, known as barszcz, with a slice of rye bread.

Polish people like to eat, drink, socialize, and have fun.

If you are fortunate enough to be invited to a local’s house for dinner or even a simple meal, just be sure to bring a healthy appetite! You’ll find plenty of delicious and savory dishes.

Here is a list of some traditional Polish foods.

Pierogi

A dumpling of dough stuffed with various ingredients such as vegetables, fruit, cheese, or meat. It is often served with a side of sour cream and onions.

Golabki

This dish consists of cabbage leaves stuffed with ground meat and seasoned rice. Golabki is usually baked and refried in a spicy or sweet-and-sour tomato sauce.

Barszcz

Beetroot soup is a common dish throughout Eastern Europe. The Polish version is known as ”barszcz” and consists of red beetroot, onions, garlic, and other vegetables such as carrots and celery or parsnip. Some recipes include bacon as well, which gives the soup its distinctive, “smoky” taste.

Bigos

A savory stew of cabbage and meat, there is no standard recipe, as recipes vary considerably from region to region and from family to family. Bigos is usually eaten with rye bread and potatoes.

Kotlet Schabowy

Kotlet Schabowy is a breaded pork chop that is usually served with boiled potatoes and cabbage stew.

Mizeria

A side salad with cucumbers, onions, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt. Some recipes also contain dill and sugar.

Nalesniki

Crepes stuffed with sweet or savory fillings.

Makowiec

Makowiec is a sweet bread roll that is typically served for Christmas and Easter. It contains a generous amount of ground poppy seeds, honey, orange peel, and raisins. The top of the roll is then glazed with powdered icing sugar.

Paczki

Paczki are deep-fried doughnuts that are filled with fruit and topped with sugar or icing. It is traditionally served in Poland on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. In North America “Paczki Day” takes place the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, known as Fat Tuesday.

Chrusciki

Light fried pastry cookies that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons and sprinkled with sugar.

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Traditional Polish Pierogi with potato and cheese filling.

What is a Pierogi?

Pierogi is a dumpling of dough stuffed with various ingredients such as vegetables, fruit, cheese, or meat. It is often served with a side of sour cream and onions.

History of the Pierogi

It is unclear about where the pierogi originated from because it did not develop within a certain region over time. However, it is believed the dumpling came from the Orient across Central Asia where they were once more veggie-filled and into Eastern Europe. Today, the pierogi is most associated with the country of Poland.

Types of Pierogi

Besides the traditional Polish pierogi, there are many varieties of the dumpling.

In Hungary, the equivalent of Pierogi is derelye, which are dough pockets filled with jam or meat.

A similar version of the dumpling in Russia is known as pelmeni. Unlike the pierogi, it is thinner and contains more filling. It does not include any sweet fillings.

In Ukraine, varenyky refers to a type of boiled dumpling. It usually contains cheese and potatoe filling.

How to Cook and Prepare Pierogi

Pierogi can be prepared in several different ways including baking them in an oven, boiling, deep-frying, or even sautéing them. It’s really matter of preference or what type of pierogi from a specific country or region you would like to make. For instance, a traditional Polish pierogi is made with potatoes and cheese filling and is prepared over a stove top.

Below are different recipes for making these delicious dumplings.

Recipe Ideas – Polish pierogi dough and potatoe and cheese fillings recipes
http://www.recipe-ideas.co.uk/recipes-7/Polish%20Pierogi.htm

Taste of Home – Polish pierogi recipe
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Polish-Pierogi

Every Day with Rachael Ray – Holiday pierogi with brown butter

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/pizza-pasta-recipes/holiday-pierogi-with-brown-butter/article.html

Great Places to Eat a Pierogi

• Chicago

This vibrant city has the largest population of Polish immigrants and descents outside of Poland. You will find some of the best Polish pierogi dishes while being immersed into the culture and community.

Kasia’s Deli (Voted Chicago’s Best Pierogi!)
2101 W Chicago Ave,
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.kasiasdeli.com

• New York

One of the most diverse and multicultural cities in North American, New York is the place for a wide variety of ethic foods. There’s no shortage of pierogi dishes here!

Karczma Brooklyn
136 Greenpoint Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222
http://karczmabrooklyn.com

• Western Canada

Although, the pierogi is most associated with Polish cuisine. Ukrainian food also has many similar dishes. The next time you find yourself visiting the area you might want to find your nearest Ukrainian restaurant and enjoy a delicious home-made pierogi. You won’t be disappointed!

Taste of Ukraine
12210 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5N 3K3
http://www.tasteofukraine.com

• Poland

What better place to eat a pierogi than in the country that makes some of the best and most popular pierogi dishes in the world!

Just for Fun

Pierogi is such a well-loved food there’s even an annual Pierogi festival in the town of Whiting, Indiana. The event features a parade, music and dance performances, contests, and of course lot’s of pierogi eating!

Pierogi Fest
http://www.pierogifest.net

If that doesn’t get you going for some crazy pierogi fun! There’s also the Great Pierogi Race which is an annual promotion for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The event involves contestants racing in giant pierogies costumes. Need I say more? See the video link below.

Great Pierogi Race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAJdNDqfZbU

The world’s largest pierogi statute is located in the village of Glendon, Alberta, Canada. The 25 foot, 6000 pound, fibreglass statute was built in 1993 as a tribute to the area’s Ukrainian heritage.

The Village of Glendon
http://md.bonnyville.ab.ca/visitors/3glendon.html

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World's largest pierogi statue in the village of Glendon, Canada.

Since yesterday’s post was about the world’s largest sausage.  I thought it might also be interesting to mention the word’s largest pierogi statue located in the village of Glendon, Alberta, Canada.

This 25 foot, 6000 pound, fibreglass statute was built in 1993 as a tribute to the area’s Ukrainian heritage.

The area has several restaurants nearby that serve pierogi’s and traditional Ukrainian food.  So, if you decide to visit the area you certainly won’t go hungry!  There’s also an annual Pyrohy festival that’s held in Glendon on the first Saturday in September.

For more photo’s and information about the statute along with the town of Glendon, you can visit their official website.

Village of Glendon
http://md.bonnyville.ab.ca/visitors/3glendon.html

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