Have a Brewski on The Public at Superior Donuts

The Pittsburgh Public Theater contacted me and asked me to post this announcement/offer to our blog. For the first time in Pittsburgh history, someone is giving out free beer to select immigrants (but only if you go see the show!). Unfortunately, your last name has to end in ski which means some true Polish/Eastern Europeans will be shut out of the deal - including me who missed it by one letter (Szarnicki). However, free beer or not, Superior Donuts is great show that many Pittsburghers can relate to. Support our public theater and go see Superior Donuts!

Arthur owns the small Chicago donut shop, Superior Donuts, but with a last name like Przybyzewski, Arthur would be right at home in Pittsburgh! In Superior Donuts, the play by Tracy Letts, Arthur tells us about the experience of his Polish parents immigrating to the United States. He says his Dad was going to name the shop Przybyzewski Paczki, but since the sign maker charged by the letter, they decided on Superior. Many people of Eastern European ancestry will relate to Arthur’s history.

If you decide to see Superior Donuts and your last name ends with “ski” (or “sky”), we’ll even buy you a beer at the theater so you can toast your heritage. To purchase tickets, call the O’Reilly Theater Box Office at 412.316.1600, and spell your name. Beer vouchers will be included with your tickets.

Superior Donuts, directed by Ted Pappas, contains adult language and adult laughs. It runs at Pittsburgh Public Theater, in the heart of Downtown’s Cultural District, from April 14 through May 15.

For more details visit PPT.org.

The Pirates' home opener.....time to eat.

Today is the Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener at PNC Park. Woo Hoo. Since the Bucs have been one of the worst teams in baseball, management has created incentives to get people into the stadium with out a winning team. It seems they have done everything except free beer - which would have the whole town lined up at the gates. They know three things about Pittsburghers and are not afraid to exploit us.

1. We like free things and fireworks
2. We like beer with our sports, even if we are allergic to gluten
3. We love food - the more disgusting the better.

Besides dazzling us with explosions, serving gluten free beer and vegan stuff for hippies, PNC Park's food service management has created the most disgusting/amazing sandwich known to man.

Behold, this food monstrosity....

You know you want one.

It is named the Pulled Pork Pierogi Stacker, and made with BBQ pork piled up on a Breadworks pretzel bun with two potato pierogi (probably Mrs. T's, grrr....*fist shake*), topped off with caramelized onions. If you have a heart attack at the ballpark this summer, its probably not because the Buccos made the playoffs. Its the American melting pot in a sandwich; some German pretzel, some southern pork BBQ, and an Eastern European pierogi twist.

Think of it as an $8 gastronomic pierogi adventure.

Thanks to Aramark, I've got my plans for the summer - go to the game, drink a beer, eat the pulled pork pierogi stacker and fall asleep in the stands in the warm sun. Done and done.

Easter Butter Lambs are here!

The butter lamb, or Baranek wielkanocny in Polish, is a traditional addition to every Easter meal. Although the baranek wielkancony can be made from hard sugar or even ceramic, in our house it was always of butter. For Polish Catholics, the lamb symbolizes Christ, the lamb of God.


This year we have butter lambs available! Each lamb is made of salted butter and comes in a plastic mold. All you have to do is add a peppercorn or clove for the eyes, and red ribbon or cross if desired. $8.99 each. This is a special buy - QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED.

Order by phone at 724-337-7030 or
ONLINE at PolishPierogi.com

Easter Babka

Customers often ask us for babka around Easter. Unfortunately, we do not make these but we encourage you to make it at home. Below is a family recipe for babka - It will make a great addition to your Easter celebration!

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. softened butter
1/2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 tsp. lemon or orange extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. milk, warmed to 100 F
4 c flour
1/4 c blanched chopped almonds
3/4 c golden raisins

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside.
2. Heat the milk over low heat until it reaches 100 - 110 degrees. DO NOT BOIL the milk! (I take its temperature with my finger - if you can hold your pinky in there for about 3 seconds, the milk is about the right temperature.)
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Beat in the egg yolks and salt.
5. Add the zest, vanilla, and citrus flavorings.
6. Add the yeast/water and milk.
7. Gradually add the flour until you form a soft dough (it will be slightly sticky.)
8. Stir in the almonds and raisins and turn out the dough onto a floured surface.
9. Knead the dough briefly, using just enough extra flour to make it smooth and elastic.
10. Transfer it to a greased bowl and let rise (about 2 hours).
11. When it has doubled, punch it down and form the dough into a ring. Put it into a greased babka or bundt pan and let it rise again until doubled.
12. Bake in a 350 F oven for about 40 minutes or until done (when a wooden toothpick comes out clean.)
    
13. Let the Babka cool in the pan until you can handle it, then turn the bread out onto a rack and let sit until completely cooled. When it is ready, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Hopefully you will use this recipe to bring back some memories, or create some new ones, for you and your family. Enjoy!

Pierogi - the perfect hashbrown

Pierogi don't always have to be slathered in butter an onions. They also make a great hash brown!

Try eating pierogi for breakfast, like this guy from Twitter who posted a pic of his breakfast. I've done the pierogi this way before and I promise you won't be disappointed.


To recreate these pierogi hash browns with our pierogi:

1. Thaw pierogi (preferably overnight. If you forget this step, you will have to boil them first.)
2. Put the pierogi in a hot pan with a few tablespoons of water (2 - 3)
3. When the water boils, cover and let steam until all the water is evaporated.
4. Decision time - You may add tablespoon of butter to brown the pierogi in or you can just blister the outside dough in the hot pan like the picture.

Serve these delicious sides with sausage or bacon and eggs. ENJOY!

Thank you to @davekooi for this great picture - see the original at TwitPic.com. If you have pictures of different ways to make pierogi, tweet it to us @PolishPierogi or post it on our Facebook page and we will add it to our blog!