Pierogi as Culinary Business Card of the “Wandering Polish Ambasador” Wladyslaw Grodecki

Abstract

Pierogi – filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water – is one of the oldest as well and endearingly popular dishes of Polish cuisine. Some people perceive them as a kind of Polish “business card” and a significant means of introducing the merits of Polish culture and tradition. The same attitude can be observed in works of a famous Polish traveller, Władysław Grodecki (1942–2018).His portfolio includes over one hundred trips abroad, among them three solo trips around the world. Grodecki’s extraordinary achievements earned him general recognition and respect, although his path to success went through many difficult phases.

Due to his actions in promoting Polish culture and history abroad, the Polish press came to label him as the “wandering Polish ambassador”. Cooking dumplings for and with his hosts and friends was often an integral part of his travels. Grodecki’s legacy includes over 250 press articles and 300 autobiographical entries on his website. The leading topics of his work include: biographies of great Poles, the fate of Poles abroad, meetings with John Paul II, as well as the history of places and monuments highlighting Kraków. Grodecki’s travelogues and newspaper articles also give numerous accounts of how challenging it was to get the ingredients and prepare pierogi in different parts of the world. Analysis of Grodecki’s travel journals shows that pierogi are popular for more than their aesthetic value and taste.