We are what we cook

We all tend to cling to our roots when we cook. Although I dabble from continent to continent in my kitchen, the food that I cook when I'm craving something homey is food that I grew up with. I am a beer and whisky-loving girl with the most badass Irish name imaginable who can be caught whipping up a pot of irish stew on any given weeknight, and taking off work for St. Patrick's day as if it were Christmas. But my Polish roots are undeniably thick, as my family goes all out for Wigilia more than any other holiday, vishnovka is my shot of choice, and that no one can pronounce my mother's last name. The proof is in my pierogis.

I grew up eating 3 styles of pierogi: Farmer's cheese, potato, and kapusta. Obviously kapusta is the best, because its braised cabbage, sauerkraut and vinegar which is soft, yet crunchy, tangy but sweet, and completely awesome. Smother that in either mustard or caramelized onions (or both) and you'll never want to eat pierogi any other way. What's that? You're not Polish? You don't love sauerkraut?? Well you're unadventurous and shame on you, but anyhow, potato pierogi are my second favorite. Whipped garlic and herb potatoes with lots of salt and Earth Balance will make a perfect filling for your potato pierogi. I mean, you could always buy a pack of frozen Millies, with farmer's cheese inside... WTF is FARMERS cheese, anyway? If you're smart and don't want to know, try the potato for something more wholesome and less mysterious. Try kapusta, if you're punk enough.

Serve in Polish Pottery for maximum Polska cuteness.

Winter menu, you ask? Here is a sneak preview of what you can expect from my upcoming Winter Menu, which I will be testing with vigor over the next week. Although it will be sad to say goodbye to Fall and it's menu, it will be reborn next year, just like all good things.

Nogcake! Faux-Nog spice cake with cream cheese-nog frosting, topped with a maraschino cherry. Faux-Nog is very convincing! Skeptics need not skept! It definitely holds its own against its dairy cousin, except less fattening, and a touch less extreme. Not unlike a Faux-Hawk...

The last few sales off my fall menu were Sloppy Drunk cupcakes, making these this season's best seller! I love when I get an order for these, because when I'm done, I have a pot of sangria all to my own. And let's be real.. What doesn't sound awesome about that?