What’s for dinner? The perpetual question.
Story recipe
Ingredients
Anna Mother
Abe Anna’s second husband
Peter Son
Elizabeth Wife of only son
Tips
A little story about an everyday affliction. This passtime is considered a necessity by some, others a bother. Nevertheless, we are all faced with this question day in and day out. Whether you take the bull by the horns and make this an all out experience or skip it because you had a big lunch, it still remains. After 27 years together Elizabeth and Peter recall a time in their early years.
Potato pierogi
Preparation
- A tiny apartment in Montreal, Quebec. Anna, Peter’s mother, working for a man in Canada, taking care of him in his extended age, makes him dinner.
- Abe was a businessman selling clothes in his Jewish community. Retired now, he hired Anna to keep his flat clean and prepare his meals.
- Anna’s second home. A native of Poland and a true patriot, she has left her communist ruled home country to make a new living in a new land.
- A personal attendant, aside from working within the tiny apartment, Anna has other customers. She eventually moves in with Abe though and makes it her home.
- Now comes the big question, “What’s for dinner”? Every day just after lunch time.
- Most days she has it planned, some days it’s a review of the week, others they have Chinese take-out .
- A visit from her only son. Now was a time for Anna to impress her only son and his American wife. Cooking the meals they both remember from early days in Warsaw, Poland.
- Pierogis. This night would begin with a traditional Polish dumpling filled with delectable memories of years gone by.
- The fillings contain traditional mashed potatoes and cheese, and a more detailed Polish stuffing of sauerkraut and sautéed mushrooms that had been stewed days before. Aging to perfection.
Good Served With
Classic potato pierogis are best fried in butter and caramelized onion. To offset the buttery goodness with some acidity, try a zippy off-dry Riesling, or a fruity and spicy Cab. Try a Pinot Noir with a hint of earthiness to compliment the Polish stuffing pierogis. If you’ve gone the gambit route and prepared pierogies for dessert you will pair the wine with the type of filling. Our blueberry filling with a sweet sour cream topping ended well with a splendid sherry.
