Paul & Mary's Daily Diary

Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a filling and cooked in boiling water. They are occasionally flavored with a savory or sweet garnish. Typical fillings include potato, cheese, quark, sauerkraut, ground meat, mushrooms, fruits, and berries.

Did You Know? Traditionally considered peasant food, pierogi eventually gained popularity and spread throughout all social classes, including nobles. Some 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. Different shapes and fillings were made for holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Important events like weddings had their own particular type of pierogi kurniki – filled with chicken. Also, pierogi were made especially for mourning or wakes, and some for caroling season in January.Pierogi are an essential part of Polish culture and cuisine today. They are served in various forms and tastes (from sweet to salty to spicy) and are considered the national dish. They are served at many festivals, playing an essential role as a cultural dish. At the 2007 Pierogi Festival in Kraków, 30,000 pierogi were consumed daily.

Polish pierogi are often filled with fresh quark, boiled and minced potatoes, and fried onions. This type is called in Polish pierogi ruskie, which literally means “Ruthenian pierogi” (sometimes being mistranslated as “Russian pierogi”). Ruskie pierogi are probably the most popular pierogi in North America and Poland. The other famous pierogi in Poland are filled with ground meat, mushrooms, and cabbage, or an assortment of fruits (berries, with strawberries or blueberries the most common) for dessert. Sweet pierogi are usually served with sour cream, sugar, and savory pierogi with bacon fat and bacon bits.But before Pierogi time, it was time to get bent!   Mary was in her kerchief, and I was in my cap.  We had just settled down to a long morning’s nap when, out on the breakfast table, there rose such a clatter that I sprang from my seat to see what was the matter.

The dreaded alarm clock reminded us we had to go!  Yes, kiddies, it’s time for the dreaded three-letter word, GYM.  We dressed for the occasion and departed in The Silver Fox.

We arrived and did our 45-minute pre-workout bike rides, leaving the machines ready for the junkyard since smoke was pouring off the back wheels and brakes!

My trainer said “Time to exercise?”  I was so happy,  I thought I  heard “extra fries!”

I’m not a fan of jumping rope, so I tend to skip it.

I got onto the floor and did floor exercises for half an hour, then went to the weights and strength machines, where I am a veritable strong man, able to use three-pound weights with no problem.

Note: The painful sounds and creaking of bones were edited out of this video to save you significant discomfort!

After removing approximately 600 calories, we went to The Coffee Grove, about a two-minute walk from the gym.

We got an alert: The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Orange County Inland on September 2.

We went home and planted some artichokes and dill that we picked up yesterday!

Mary decided to make some extra spicy jalapeno peppers for tonight’s dinner with the kids. It looks like the kids are in for a wild ride at dinnertime!

Robin and Bob strutted in around 2:00 p.m., ready to conquer Pierogi Night. As the wine flowed, we embarked on a pierogi extravaganza with an array of flavors to dazzle our taste buds. Meanwhile, Bob unleashed his top-secret sauce to accompany a mountain of sizzling sausages. It was a feast so grand that even the neighbors were tempted to crash our royal gathering!

Instead of the neighbors crashing the gates, we took an offering to Jeff and, a few minutes later, received a thumbs-up from him via text message.

The next step for stuffed jalapenos is to wrap them in turkey bacon and then put them in the oven!  The jalapenos were picked this morning and were full of flavor.

“Bacon, did someone say bacon?”  Scout sniffer was going crazy between the stuffed peppers, sausages, and pierogi!

The professor was at work slaving over a hot stove and creating a dining experience not to be forgotten!

The sausages were cooked to absolute perfection.

This sausage roll only contains 2% of your daily intake of calories… if you lick it.

I love how even the pierogis had their little name tags at the party. It’s like they were saying, ‘Hello, my name is Pierogi, and I’ll be your delicious snack for the evening.

The food disappeared as if my magic.  The feeding frenzy was so vicious that the camera was spared the sight of flying pierogies and the gobbling of sausages.

Oops, I forgot to mention Bob’s pièce de résistance, tour de force, showpieces, claim to fame, and jewel in the crown—shishito peppers sauteed in a secret oil only known to Chef Abdullah Bashir al Khalid Duda!

After dinner, we took the kids shopping in the garden and filled two bags with goodies, including grapes, berries, squash, tomatoes, kale, and other goodies.   Chef Duda said he felt like a greengrocer (A greengrocer is a person who owns or operates a shop selling primarily fruit and vegetables.).

Mary was on the prowl for more snacks, as if she were a secret agent searching for the world’s best cookies. Meanwhile, Scout diligently checks the bushes for any hidden elephants because you never know when those sneaky elephants might try to crash the party!

Scout does NOT look like he is fourteen years old and often acts like a puppy.

The kid departed after cleaning everything up!  For us, it was like going out to dinner.

After the kids departed, we watched TV and the end of the Seal Team series. While watching the show, we took the beans from the dry peapods so we could make soup soon!

Then, the 90-degree pool was calling.  We floated around, laughed, and giggled for another hour.