Interviews

Pierogies Plus

Helen began cooking traditional Eastern European food for her family after emigrating to Pittsburgh from Poland. Soon she was receiving requests from friends and neighbors. With a high percentage of Eastern European peoples among Pittsburgh’s population, Helen realized there was a market for her business. She now operates Pierogies Plus in McKees Rocks.

Ben Rod, Cultured Provisions

Ben Rod has been experimenting with live cultures and food fermentation for several years. Recently he got organized, making yogurt and kim chi on a regular basis and in large enough quantities to sell to a small circle of friends and acquaintances.

Showcase Bar-b-que

Andrew was a DJ and originally hoped to open a club when he bought the building that now houses his bar-b-que joint. When he couldn’t get the permits for a night club, he decided to set up some grills on the street instead. Interacting with pedestrians and passing traffic through the smoke rising from his grills is much like working the crowd as a DJ, he says.

Andrew’s ribs and wings are bar-b-qued to perfection in re-purposed oil drums and in a custom designed grill, made from the would-be gas tank of a tractor-trailer truck.