The Pie’d Piper

This specialty store in the Trenton farmer’s market has been here for a few years now. The shop began with some desserts, breads and cheeses, and in recent years has added pierogies. As for the baked goods, I’ve had breads, rolls and desserts from here and they always satisfy. The fruit based desserts are made with in season fresh items when available. They also usually have a few types of gluten free goods on hand. This Saturday I finally gave in to my heritage and tried the pierogies. Growing up in a family that made them on holidays, I can claim to know a thing or two about them. It is interesting to me how this Eastern European peasant food has seemingly infiltrated our collective food consciousness. While once a rarity unless you made them yourself (which by the way is very labor intensive, and was usually a group undertaking) they are now available frozen in just about all supermarkets, with several brands to choose from. Many markets now carry refrigerated ones as well. I wondered if this food trend was getting too widespread when I recently saw them offered as an appetizer in an Italian restaurant (?) The pierogies found at this spot are made fresh every week by Walter, and as I was talking with him it became clear that he is passionate about them. He told me that he makes almost 20 varieties, but carries only about a dozen or so at a time. Still, that is pretty impressive. I was interested in trying a new variety, Pork Roll, of which he makes 2 types. But he did not have them available for this visit (he vows they will be in stock this coming Saturday) So I choose about 8 from what was offered. The dough was perfect, but fillings needed a bit more seasoning (my family secret was to add ever so little salt pork to the potato filling) Some fillings I enjoyed more than others, my favs were sweet cabbage, potato and sauerkraut, and the meat filled. It is easy to correct the under seasoning with a pinch of sea salt while sauteing. There is one issue that concerns me, that is the cost. A dozen will set you back $ 7.50 here. This peasant food is now gourmet food. Frozen varieties are usually one third of that price (and there is one brand that is actually very good, no it’s not Poppy’s or Mrs. T’s) The cost factor almost made me dock a star, but the overall quality reinforced my first impression. If you do buy them make sure to fry onions to go with them, and sour cream helps to round out the experience. Keep up the good work Walter, and maybe think about lowering the price a tad?