patient_zero
Falafel District
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FaireM wrote >>
Sometimes if you are really lucky you can find fresh pierogies at Marc's Deep Discount Drug Store.
I think Marc's is Cleveland based - no wonder they stock them. Thanks for the tip. I'm in that exact location once a week, so I'll be searching the refrigerated cases. Any area specifically you've seen them?
columbusfoodie
West Side
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Roland wrote >>
TaraK wrote >>
I've never had peirogi but, after this thread, was forced to Google some recipes. Do any of you aficionados think either of these recipes would be a good try?
http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/recipes/r/pierogies.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~dyrgcmn/Pierogi/pierogi.html
*Notice the second site put their pierogi in a scanner.The recipe with the sour cream will make a really nice pierogi dough. It's important to let it rest for 25-30 minutes before rolling it out.
I've used that recipe as a base and experimented with it. It's great. Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon and you've can do some sweet dessert stuff.
+1. I use the About.com recipe myself, and it's a really nice dough to work with. The sour cream is what makes it so easy to roll out, but like Roland said, it's super important to let the dough rest, not roll it out when the dough is cold, and also not overwork the dough because it makes for really tough pierogies.
I've played around with the idea of opening a pierogy/Eastern European comfort food shop myself - hey Roland, if you're serious about it, how about a joint venture? :)
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Oh swampkitty! I'm loving what I'm hearing here. If you make 'em, I'll eat 'em.
You sound serious about this. I hope you are serious about this.
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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How my Lithuanian family makes kuldunai:
Grind beef, season with salt, black pepper, and marjoram
Make dough
Work the dough
Make meatballs
Line up the meatballs and curl the dough over them
Cut out the dumplings
Flute the edges - Kuldunai!
Now get the vodka out of the freezer.
deraj1013
Merion Village
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In all seriousness, I would live in a pierogi shop. My question is, as a person of Eastern European descent who has lived in Chicago and Cleveland, would Columbus' lower Eastern European population in comparison with Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Chicago explain why pierogi joints don't have much staying power in Columbus?
I think Hawa Russia might have been a bit of a big storefront for the business they were doing; however, I would image that a smaller model would be able to thrive in the right location. Thoughts?
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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I would imagine with a lot of the transplants you see in Columbus, the right location and the right size would do well.
deraj1013
Merion Village
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Chicago is a city with more than 1 million Poles, as well as large numbers of Russians and Ukranians. Cleveland is also a predominantly Polish city. Columbus is more German than Slavic. I would imagine that this might temper demand somewhat. Although I'm sure pierogies taste delicious whether you are Polish, Asian or Martian.
WildmanDan
Victorian Village
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I remember a Slavic restaurant years ago in the Lane Avenue Shopping Center that my friend & I frequented. Alas, it didn't last long.
patient_zero
Falafel District
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deraj1013 wrote >>
My question is, would Columbus' lower Eastern European population explain why pierogi joints don't have much staying power in Columbus?
I think Hawa Russia might have been a bit of a big storefront for the business they were doing; however, I would image that a smaller model would be able to thrive in the right location. Thoughts?
When Hawa Russia moved into the abandoned Asian eatery I was shocked that they moved into such a large space, but they had big aspirations for catering to large crowds, with live music and a dance floor and all that. But in the end, the food varied from bad to pretty good, as did the service. As key people left, other untrained personnel filled the gap unsuccessfully. And then the health inspectors came in and started listing the numerous violations, stemming from untrained personnel. I had spit roasted chicken with raw interiors served on two separate occasions. Their reputation began to proceed them and the large space was a ghost town most nights.
Concerning pierogies in Central Ohio, I think were more of a melting pot here with a small Eastern European population, but a lot of us have heard of, if not enjoyed them at some point. Those who've never had them would be curious, and word of mouth could do wonders for a fledgling pierogi spot. There are a lot of North Coast transplants to spread the word, too. It doesn't have to be a big place, but they have to be good to draw a crowd.
Baked Russian style vs boiled Polish style? Or both? The baked style reminds me of empanadas, calzones, or even samosas in some ways. Though they are good too, I crave the soft, almost rubbery boiled Polish style pierogi. Swampkitty would have to choose one or the other, or offer both at her piergi eatery.
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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I've always had them pan fried with bacon, butter/onions and a dollop of sour cream.
I think you could appeal to the variations and have a nice variety. This seems like the kind of thing that would do very well in a North Market type space or one the smaller store fronts lining the High Street area.
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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I think a pierogi place would do just fine in Columbus. Krystyna's closed because the owner had some heart problems and decided to retire. I never got the impression business was bad; in fact I have begged him a few times to open a store in the North Market, but he told me he's too old. He did say, however, that he would love to teach someone how to do it to carry on the tradition. He really wanted to do that the last time I spoke with him (a little over a year ago), so if he's reading this maybe he can comment and hook up with someone eager to learn ahem *roland* ahem. No offense deraj, but I believe you are a vegetarian and I just have to have bacon involved with my pierogi.
As far as Hawa Russia goes, I also don't think that was a business problem either; they were shot down by the health department because they refused to comply with direct orders and guidelines from the health department.
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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deraj1013 wrote >>
And I would also like to copy edit myself...pierogi is the plural form of the word pierog. The words pierogies and pierogis are anglicized misspellings.
Heh. I think it's one of those acceptable misspellings that have become so over time. Similar to panini and salami, which are both originally plurals that Americans use as singulars.
FaireM
Columbus
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patient_zero wrote >>
FaireM wrote >>
Sometimes if you are really lucky you can find fresh pierogies at Marc's Deep Discount Drug Store.I think Marc's is Cleveland based - no wonder they stock them. Thanks for the tip. I'm in that exact location once a week, so I'll be searching the refrigerated cases. Any area specifically you've seen them?
Yes, they are Cleveland based. In NE Ohio I think there are more Marcs than there are Targets and Walmarts. I believe they were in the Refrig section. I am going there tomorrow so I'll let you know if they are there. Might only be there during Lent, but I certainly hope not.
deraj1013
Merion Village
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lisathewaitress wrote >>
No offense deraj, but I believe you are a vegetarian and I just have to have bacon involved with my pierogi.
Well there are potato pierogi and kraut pierogi and dessert pierogi with a ricotta-like cheese...I'll have to sate my tooth on my next trip to the Windy City. I should be able to avoid bacon-ized pierogi. (My last name ends in a -cki, so I have a few relatives who treat me on holidays). ;-)
If you want Polish food that will gross me out beyond bacon, I recommend czernina--duck's blood soup. If somebody preps some czernina, I might just run.
deraj1013
Merion Village
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Cookie wrote >>
I've never had pierogis before, but I bought some frozen ones at Trader Joe's today. Do you eat them with anything?
Sour cream with melted butter and onions is common. In some parts of Poland, they use applesauce...but that is grotesque tasting and usually reserved for dessert pierogi. And of course, as a vegetarian, I'm required by law to say that people eat kielbasa with pierogi, but I'm disgusted at myself for typing it.
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