"na zdrowie"

The perfect midnight polish feast.

As I mention time and time again, so much about being at the cottage is about the food. I often imagine that the way I feel about eating at the cottage is the way a farmer should feel sitting down to the table each night - knowing they have worked their bodies all day and are deserving and appreciative of the food in front of them - fresh, local and delicious.

Making pierogi dough circles with our momentarily empty wine glasses

Our week of vacation at the cottage did not disappoint in the food department. It was really the one thing we planned in our day and the only thing that could convince us to stray from the solitude of the lake.
During the last three days of vacation we had our very good friends up for a badminton tournament that is now going on two years, rousing evenings of board games (Mall Madness anyone?) and of course, amazing food.

On one perfect evening with the fire roaring inside, Pani M (Miss M.) who hails from Poland, took us all through a late night pierogi making lesson.
We started by making a simple dough batter of flour, water and an egg (the texture is everything - the consistency and smoothness of pizza dough, but not sticky, more dry like pastry) - rolled out perfectly and cut into cookie sized circles.

From there we filled them with a gumball sized amount filling - ours were an amazing mix of herbed mashed baby potatoes (skins on) will a bit of cheddar for some sharpness. Fold the circle in half to encase the filling and then pinch around the edges to seal it!

Pop these little beauties in some boiling water until they float and you are all done! We drizzled olive oil on top to add a little flavour and keep them from sticking and then inhaled them covered in sour cream and friend onions.

A toast of "na zdrowie" (to good health) was all that was left as we clinked together our Zywiec cans and ended another perfect day at the cottage.