Babushka Pierogi began on Easter Sunday 2012 when Sarah Dwork met Iwona, who would soon become a dear friend, at an Easter party. They bonded over their Eastern European heritage and food, including their favorite, pierogi. Sarah’s paternal grandparents emigrated from Ukraine to northeast Ohio in 1949. Iwona, born and raised in northern Poland, moved to the United States in 2003. As children, they had both spent countless days in the kitchen with their babushkas (grandmothers) making and eating the crescent-shaped dumplings.
So they decided to try their hand at it together and hosted a pierogi party for their closest friends. With recipes fused—Iwona’s grandmother’s dough, Sarah’s grandmother’s potato and cheese filling—they anxiously served their guests. Happily, all left with smiling faces and satisfied stomachs.
It was exciting to share their family food and tradition with others and they wanted to take it further by sharing it with those who love to eat. Cincinnati’s public market, Findlay Market, was a natural place to start. They began to sell and sample their creations at Madison’s and have since grown to supply regional grocery stores and restaurants. Come visit their store inside the historic Findlay Market House.
