My first time marching in the annual Pierogi Fest Parade in Whiting was in 2005. That year marked the 11th Annual Pierogi Festival.
Now, nearly two decades later, Pierogi Fest is ready for the milestone 30th anniversary celebration this month, with the parade launch on Friday, July 26, to usher in music, food, fun and festivities scattered throughout that weekend.
This year also marks the second reigning year of festival namesake mascot Mr. Pierogi, now portrayed by alter ego Tony Panek, 34, who has been a radio personality at WJOB in Hammond since 2015 and was honored in November 2022 by the Polish American Congress, Inc. — State of Indiana Division by being awarded their Civic Award for his contributions in local broadcast media.
Listeners and viewers faithfully follow his “influencer” dedicated coverage of community interest stories, including many heralding his Polish family heritage, shared on airwaves and social media. It was seven years ago when he launched his popular weekly “Panek in the Region” series, with episodes boasting as many as 60,000 views on social media.
Panek is the successor to Matt Valuckis, 48, of Hobart who originated the doughy European dumpling character identity 25 years ago and announced his retirement following the 27th Annual Pierogi Festival in July 2022. A new Mr. Pierogi costume was custom-designed for Panek and unveiled at the start of 2023.
A 2008 graduate of Bishop Noll Institute and 2013 alumnus of Purdue University Northwest, Panek’s role as Mr. Pierogi has him as the smiling ambassador for Northwest Indiana’s notable events and heralding attention for the annual Pierogi Festival in Whiting.
It was In September 2022 when Pierogi Festival Executive Director Tom Dabertin named Panek the new Mr. Pierogi, the favored and flavorful mascot for what Dabertin describes as “one of the world’s most famously unusual and fun frolicking festivals” and able to attract “more than a million revelers” to Whiting each year.
Keeping to that theme, when I look for added at-home creativity for “dressing up” pierogi, my go-to resource is the creative kitchen minds of Mrs. T’s frozen pierogi, available in the freezer section of supermarkets. They are great in a pinch and never disappoint.
Mrs. T’s Pierogies started in the Twardzik family kitchen, in the small town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. The founder of Mrs. T’s, Ted Twardzik, remembered the lines of people wrapped around local churches to buy pierogies and thought it was the perfect food to share with the ones you love.
Ted’s mom, Mary Twardzik, now known to the world as “Mrs. T,” always enjoyed making her handmade pierogies. After graduating college with a degree in business and working at a top New York accounting firm, Ted decided to move back home to Shenandoah.
He thought he could sell his mom’s delicious pierogies in stores for more people to enjoy. In 1952, he decided the perfect name for the company was Mrs. T’s Pierogies, in honor of his mother and her original recipe.
And now, Mrs. T’s even offers a “vegan-friendly” frozen line of pierogies that can be ingredient-embellished for added zest and flavor.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Mrs. T’s Vegan “Pierogy” Primavera
Makes 6 servings
1 package Classic Onion (Vegan) or any favorite variety of Mrs. T’s Pierogies
6 ounces olive oil, divided
6 cloves sliced garlic
6 green onions, diagonally sliced (about 6 ounces)
6 small thinly sliced carrots (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 2-inch pieces
¾ pound trimmed sugar snap peas
1 1/2 pounds vegetable stock
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pierogies and sauté for 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Remove from pan; set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and green onions, cook 2 minutes or until the garlic is lightly browned.
Sauté carrots, asparagus and sugar snap peas with garlic and green onions approximately 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
Stir in vegetable broth, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme and pierogies.
Continue to simmer 3 to 4 minutes, or until pierogies are heated through and cherry tomatoes are softened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
