Gladys Perozek

Gladys Perozek was born in Poland, Ohio just outside of Youngstown in 1925.  Her parents had moved there after emigrating from Slovakia in the early 1900’s.  She grew up on a farm where they raised cows, pigs, oats, wheat and corn.  She had six siblings and they were each responsible for chores around the farm while they were growing up.

When Gladys was twenty-one she moved to Cleveland to work at a Veteran’s Hospital as a Radiology Technician.  She married when she was twenty-three and raised four children.  Gladys was a full time mom until her youngest was twelve and she returned to work part-time.

Throughout her life Gladys has loved to cook and tries out new recipes to this day.  She made a point of teaching her three sons and daughter to cook.  As she says, “if my children can cook breakfast for themselves, they will never go hungry.”

Gladys fondly remembers Sunday dinner on the farm  — chicken paprikash, poppyseed rolls and nut rolls were always a treat.  A  favorite food memory was taking the Easter basket filled with ham, kielbasa, dyed eggs, braided bread, butter and salt to church for a blessing during mass and then enjoying the basket contents the next day for breakfast.

We’re making some of Gladys’ favorite foods – we hope you enjoy them as much as she enjoys making them!