Synopses & Reviews
The bible of Polish dumplings,
Pierogi is the essential cookbook for learning about this popular food.
With over 15 million people of Polish descent in the United States alone, pierogi have become a ubiquitous and instantly recognizable comfort food.
Both traditional and modern, Pierogi is divided into ten chapters across 50 recipes. In North, South, East, West and Central we delve deep into the regions of Poland, along with the dumplings, traditions and stories that define them. In the Modern, Vegan, Festive, Creative and Gluten-free chapters, we find a fun take on dumplings for a contemporary audience. Throughout, the recipes are interspersed with mini-essays on some of the key ingredients used to make pierogi.
With beautiful location photography, thoughts on the history and development of pierogi, and tips and tricks for perfecting them, Pierogi is a deep-dive into this compelling and culturally significant food.
Review
"Zuza Zak's Pierogi (subtitled beckoningly "Over 50 Recipes to Create Perfect Polish Dumplings") celebrates them all: sweet, savoury, fried, steamed or boiled. As far as I'm concerned this is a book of bliss!" Nigella Lawson
Review
"She covers regional versions, ancient recipes, traditions and the stories that lie behind them, alongside contemporary iterations that are vegan, gluten-free and seasonal." Augustine Hammond, Financial Times
Review
"Packed with guidance on dumpling shapes, doughs and fillings, the book also makes room for modern variations such as sweet-and-savory pumpkin." Sarah Karnasiewicz, Wall Street Journal
About the Author
Zuza Zak calls herself a Storyteller-Cook and her aim is to inspire the world to cook and eat more food from Eastern Europe. Zuza's interest lies in the culture and history of food and as such she uses storytelling as a medium for delving into another cuisine and through it, into another culture. Both in her writing and her food-focused PhD at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (UCL), Zuza explores food as a cultural anthropologist, in the context of identity, society and culture. Passionate about instilling an appreciation for food from an early age, she is now passing on her culinary love to her daughters. Zuza is the author of Polska (Quadrille, 2016) and Amber & Rye (Murdoch, 2021), this is her third book.