I received a Senior News and Views letter in the mail last week. I think that means I'm past my 39th birthday. Anyway, it has so much information to help seniors. It's wonderful. It tells what services are offered to seniors, who to call for what, insurances and benefits available, program and events offered by the Boyle Center and Schwartz Towers, senior trips, calendars and even jokes and recipes. A very well done offering of things to benefit seniors.

The Cherry Festival at Cobblestone Winery on Cayuga Lakes sounds like an enjoyable event to attend. I didn't have the opportunity to go, but it sounds like, if you could, you should. This it its third year, and I understand its getting bigger and better. I love cherries, and they are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. Besides offering foods, wines and music, there are several family oriented events which sounded like a fun way to spend the day, but the one I wish I could have seen the most of the cherry pit spitting contest. That sounds like a fun thing to do and to see. I was sorry I wasn't able to get there.

Our fireworks this year were as usual, beautiful. Fourth of July is our great summer holiday. One that still is celebrated on the exact day, not always on a Monday as so many of our holidays have changed to. Of course, I am a parade and fireworks lover, and the display is so beautiful over the lake. I'm lucky enough to live at the lake, so it's great to just walk down to the shore and see it. That's easier than driving through tons of traffic to get there to see it.

I like all the seasons of the year, but I would have to say summer is my favorite and mostly because I'm a beach lover. Even if I don't always get to go in the water, I can look at the beach and enjoy the scenery. The different events offered for entertainment also make the season special.

The Onondaga Jazz Fest with Aretha Franklin had a record crowd this year. Friends of mine said it was great.

Did I go to the Polish picnic at St. Hyacinths on July 1? Do you think I would miss it? That's a wonderful event, and the church members do everything for it. I love Polish food, but most of all, I love the music, watching the people dance and greet friends and have such a good time. Event those of us not Polish join right in.

One more thing I have to add today is about the typo error in my last column. My friend Nora's name was spelled Nona instead by mistake, and the recipe that was in for Seneca Cake Desert is really Lemon Cake Desert. Hope you tried it anyways. It's delicious.

My ethnic recipe for today is Polish ... aren't you surprised? This recipe for a pierogi was given to me by a family member. It was one of her sisters. My other recipe is for cherry shortcake.

Hope everyone keeps having a good summer.

Today's blooper:

This is another one about a bride's first cooking experience. The bride was going to bake a custard pie. This was her first attempt. She got it all together, put it in the oven, and it became one huge amount. She did not bake the crust first, and she didn't even puncture the raw dough so it just kept growing from the batter up.

Diana Sobus, of Auburn, specializes in making ethnic foods.

Pierogi

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mound flour on kneading board. Make a hole in the center. Drop eggs in the hole. Cut into flour with knife. Add salt and water and knead until firm. Let rest, covered 10 minutes in a warm bowl. Divide dough in halves and roll thin. Cut circles with large biscuit cutter. Place a small teaspoon full of filling to one side of circle of dough. Moisten edge with water, fold over and press edges together firmly. Be sure they are well sealed to prevent filling from running out. Drop pierogi into salted boiling water. Cook gently for three minutes. Lift out with perforated spoon.

Prune filling

1 cup cooked prunes

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Soak prunes overnight. Cook with sugar and lemon juice. When cool, remove stones and fill pierogi. Brown in melted butter.

Cherry shortcake

2 1/3 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons margarine or melted butter

1 quart frozen cherries thawed

1 pint blueberries

Mix pastry ingredients together until soft and firm. Drop by spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake until done.

Split shortcakes and fill with cherries, top with blueberries and whipped cream. I f you feel extra ambitious and want to use fresh cherries, pit them and cut. Add sugar. Berries are just sprinkled on top.