In the land of pierogi

Salty with cottage cheese, with cabbage and mushrooms, with groats, or with meat or goose. Sweet – with strawberries or blueberries, topped with thick, creamy cream. What made Poles love pierogi so much? One of the iconic delicacies of Polish cuisine probably tastes best in Podlasie, where you can find it in almost every traditional inn and restaurant. We suggest where to eat the best!

Legend has it that the flour dough, in which various types of stuffing are wrapped and cooked for a short while in water, came to Poland from the territory of today’s Ukraine. There it most likely appeared with the help of Mongolian invaders, and the pierogi trail began even further afield, in China, where dim sum dumplings, for example, originated. Packed into pouches by the saddle, dumplings were ideal for eating cold on a long journey across the steppes of Asia.

Today, pierogi is a dish without which Poles cannot imagine life – a dish served in both upscale restaurants and ready for purchase on the shelves of all stores. The country hosts more than a dozen pierogi festivals, more than 50 types of flour delicacies are included in the government’s list of traditional products. Number 1 in Podlasie is pierogi ruskie, stuffed with a distinctive, spicy stuffing of cottage cheese, potatoes and onions. Another local specialty is pierogi with raw, grated potatoes.

You can eat the best pierogi when on a trip to Tykocin (“Pierogarnia Tykocińska“) or Supraśl (“Łukaszówka“). But it is very possible that your hosts in Podlasie will serve them to you! Prepared from local products on site, they taste unbeatable.