Polish Youngstown celebrates National Pirogi Day and its 7th anniversary

Polish Youngstown observes two occasions

By LINDA M. LINONIS

linonis@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

No matter how you spell it — pirogi (Vindicator style), pierogi (Polish style), pirohy (Czech Slovak), perogi, pyrogy or pirohi — the taste is what matters, and the ethnic food is simply delicious.

Polish Youngstown celebrated two occasions Thursday at Martini Brothers Burger Bar, 110 W. Federal St. The organization marked its version of National Pierogi Day, officially observed Wednesday, and the seven-year anniversary of its founding.

With polka music playing in the background, the lunch crowd at Martini Brothers partook of pirogi samples made by Tad Siembida, chef

of Polish Youngstown, who is “100 percent Polish.”

“The traditional filling for those from eastern Poland is cottage cheese, potato, onion and mint,” Siembida said. The combination will make your taste buds tingle. He noted filling has been “Americanized” by combining mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese, which also is popular.

“It’s a comfort food,” Siembida said. “You don’t have to be Polish to love them.”

Potato and cheese, sweet cabbage, cottage cheese, saukerkraut, Buffalo chicken and plum pirogi were on the menu.

Lisa Skomra-Lotze was named “best pirogi maker” at this year’s Polish American Day. “I make them at home and sometimes for other organizations,” she said.

“They’re a great opportunity for creativity,” Skomra-Lotze said. She noted that traditionally, pirogi were made from ingredients that were handy.

She’s experimented with various fillings — sweet and savory. “It’s a culinary experience in a [dough] pocket,” she said. One of her recipes has a carrot-based dough — “it has a pleasing orange color,” Skomra-Lotze said. The filling is spinach, asiago cheese and garlic. She also had made “dessert” pirogi filled with blueberries. “I always have some in the freezer,” she said.

Skomra-Lotze said it takes practice to get the “rolling, cutting and pinching” perfected so that the dough remains elastic and doesn’t get tough.

A member of Polish Youngstown since it began and a 30-year member of the Polish Arts Club, Skomra-Lotze said, “Celebrating Polish heritage is about American history. What they brought here made this country.

“When you think of the indomitable American spirit ... that’s from the ethnic groups who left their countries, came here with almost nothing and created a life.”

Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer, Polish Youngstown director, said the pirogi tribute provided a time for pirogi pinchers and eaters to reminisce about family memories making pirogi. For others, who had never had a pirogi, it was making a new memory.

“We want to celebrate the good things about Youngstown,” Cika Heschmeyer said, noting that includes the array of ethnic foods. Pirogi from St. Joseph the Provider Church in Campbell, St. Paul the Apostle Church in New Middletown, St. Anne Ukrainian Church in Austintown and Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church and St. Stanislaus Church in Youngstown were featured.

Kate Cullum of Boardman and Bobby Davis of Austintown attended to celebrate National Pierogi Day. Cullum, a vegetarian, said the pirogi were the “best comfort food” and great with Polish beer. Davis said the Buffalo chicken pirogi were tasty.

Rick Carter of Youngstown, a friend of Siembida, said he likes pirogi, and the event provided a way to try different fillings.

Bob McKibben of Hillsville, Pa., said his favorite was the plum-filled. Siembida said the filling was “soaked in spiced rum.”