Did you have a nice Thanksgiving? We received some lovely compliments about our Holiday Turkey Feast, and we thank you all for writing to us.
In the spirit of the holidays, we offer our thanks. Since 1991 we have had the pleasure of serving you. Many of you bring your families to our stores and, over the years, we have become friends.
To our online customers: despite the vast geography of this great nation, you have become members of our extended Piast family: 48 states in all, including Alaska and Hawaii (We're looking at you, North and South Dakota! :) We are so happy to be able to bring you the tastes and traditions of a very old country with a 1000-year history rich in experiences. Thank you all for allowing us to serve you.
Andrzejki
In Polish, "Andrzejki" (an-DZAY-kee) means St. Andrew's Day - an annual event on the last day of November ("listopad"), right before the start of Advent.
For hundreds of years, Andrzejki has been about fortunetelling and seeing into the future. According to tradition ("tradycja"), the night before Andrzejki is a magical moment when young women could draw cards, read candle wax, and interpret other signs to uncover clues about the man whom they might marry.
These days, the arrival of Andrzejki is a celebration of young adulthood that involves lots of friends, going out on the town, and having fun with old superstitions. It's all about good company, being imaginative and having a laugh!
Christmas Window Painting
As we prepare to welcome another season in a few short weeks, our window artist Mia has painted a beautiful new winter scene at the entrance of the Piast Castle! Click here to see a progression of photos of her handiwork.
Also, good news! The Passaic Street bridge is now open to traffic, after months of renovation. Now the towns of Garfield and Passaic are joined again. Easy access to the Piast Castle! Just in time for Christmas.
2012 Piast Wall Calendars
In case you were wondering, the 2012 Piast Wall Calendars are in! We continue our 20-year tradition of distributing these beautiful FREE calendars filled with 13 old-world recipes, written in both Polish and English, complete with gorgeous photos. If you are local, come on in and grab one! Online customers: we will add a free calendar to every order, while supplies last.
A Polish Christmas
One thing that unites people with Polish heritage, no matter where they live, is a rich history of Christmas tradition. A particularly important tradition is that of the "opłatek," or Christmas Wafer.
During Christmas Eve Supper, family members and friends break off a small piece of the opłatek and give it to one another along with a blessing. Breaking off and exchanging part of opłatek with someone is symbol of forgiveness between two people and is meant to remind participants of the importance of Christmas, God, and family.
What traditions are important to you? Maybe you have a favorite story about a particular Christmas at your home. Please share these with us on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear your stories!
Christmas Foods
An essential part of any Polish Christmas is the presence of classical holiday foods like pierogi, stuffed cabbage, and red borscht! The dinner on Christmas Eve (Wigilia) is especially important and, as per tradition, is composed of a 12-course meatless feast. Read more about Wigilia foods here!
If you find that you feel overwhelmed by all the preparation, we're here to help! Our stores are stocked with homemade Polish Christmas foods ready to take home and share with your family. If you happen to live far from New York City and New Jersey, don't worry! We offer a Christmas Special online that brings all of our most popular Polish holiday foods directly to your door. Or see our full Christmas Menu!
But hurry! The DEADLINE FOR ONLINE ORDERS IS THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11. Order by this weekend to receive everything in time for Christmas!
Use coupon code PKQVTTRUBYZ9 and we will cover the cost of your shipping cooler. Plus we will include, while supplies last, our FREE 2012 Piast Wall Calendar with famous old-world recipes.
Ordering Food Online
What happens when you order online from Piast? See this photo album of how we prepare our shipments with care. We vacuum-pack all meats and cheeses and ship them in a custom-designed box lined with 1.5 inches of sytrofoam.
Then we chill everything using a combination of dry ice and a frozen gel pack. This allows us to get approximately 5 days of safe transit temperature. Finally, we absorb excess moisture by adding a special food-grade silica gel pack. End result: you get perfectly delivered food every time!
Christmas Gifts
Did you know that on the second floor of our flagship Piast Castle you can find an amazing variety of unique artisan gifts imported from Poland?
See one-of-a-kind hand-blown glass tree ornaments, Christmas tablecloths, handmade leather slippers from Zakopane, glassware, mugs, decorative napkins, shirts, aprons, hats, greeting cards, candles, books, CD's, DVD's, specialty beers and exotic liquors imported from Poland. Intrigued? Check out this photo album.
Fresh Fish Market
Starting on Thursday, December 22 our enormously popular outdoor fish market kicks off outside of our 800 River Drive store in Garfield. It's an annual event with a festive Christmas air. Bring the family! You'll find beautiful fresh fish including flounder, tilapia, salmon, bass, trout, cod, and of course traditional LIVE CARP - just like in Poland. Be sure to pick up your fresh fish for Christmas Eve dinner!
Wesołych Świąt
Merry Christmas to you and yours. May this holiday season bring good times and great food with those closest to you. Thank you for being part of our Piast family! Best wishes and God Bless.
From our family to yours,
Martin Rybak
General Manager
Piast Meats & Provisions
