Pierogies, dumplings, crepes and more..

Pierogi arrived on Polish territories in the 13th century. The were probably imported from the Far East via eastern neighbors and known today as Ukraine, perhaps thanks to Hyacinth of Poland (a monk in a Kiev monastery who became patron saint of pierogi). Cookbooks from the 17th century describe how during that era, the pierogi were considered a staple of the Polish diet, and each holiday had its own special kind of pierogi created. They have different shapes, fillings and cooking methods. Important events like weddings had their own special type of pierogi kurniki – baked pie filled with chicken. Also, pierogi were made especially for mournings or wakes, and some for caroling season in January. Baked pierogi were a typical and the most popular Christmas dish for a long time, especially on the east area. They were stuffed with potatoes, cheese, cabbage, mushrooms, buckwheat or millet. The most famous is the Biłgoraj pierogi stuffed with buckwheat, potatoes and cheese and then baked in the oven.