Sorry, Granny offers Ukrainian hand pies and baked goods from family recipes

Since 2022, Niwot and the surrounding area have become home to an increasing number of Ukrainians seeking safety from the war in their country. Over time, they've become a part of the local community and have placed themselves firmly on a path from arrival to settling and working in their new homes, a progression that many Americans would find familiar from family stories that go back just a generation or two.

Last month, two recently arrived local Ukrainians, a former lawyer, V, and his sister-in-law, T (full names withheld at their request), took another step on this path. They've established "Sorry, Granny," a small business offering sweet and savory Ukrainian hand pies and other delicacies. All are made with beloved recipes that have long existed in the kitchens of their home country.

The pair explained the vision for their company, each in turn. One of the inspirations they cited was a love for home cooking and respect for the value of cooking for a family, with fresh produce and with love.

The name reflects how they wanted to bring that value to others, but also to retain a sense of humor. "The name is like a joke, about how we're sharing the 'family' recipes from our grandmothers, making them available to everyone," explained T.

Added V, "We choose a certain way to work, everything is made by hand, and we tried to use healthy food because that's better. If you drink clear water and breathe clean air, you can live longer. We believe the same goes for eating healthy food."

The pair is experimenting with creating a range of offerings, some of which may be unusual to American palates. Pie fillings include mushroom, apple raisin, cherry, cottage cheese raisin, green onion with egg, and stewed cabbage. There is also Adjarian Khachapuri, which is a boat-shaped egg and cheese-filled pastry; a mushroom puff pastry; and a cinnamon sugar bun.

Because some of these offerings may be new to American palates, one of the first activities on the pair's agenda is to understand what the public is looking to order. They plan to do this through a series of pop-ups and eventual farmers market visits, an intentionally slow roll-out which allows them to balance growing their business with their full-time work. Pies are also available for takeout or catering orders by calling 970-612-6926 or 720-731-4504, or by emailing sorrygranny2025@gmail.com .

Their first pop-up occurred at Niwot's Around the World Day festival just a few weeks ago. "It was good, we sold almost everything," said V. "We learned that people like a lot of what they know. The sugar buns sold first. Then pies with mushrooms, and with feta cheese. The pies with cherries did well, too."

The food-based business is licensed through a cottage foods license, which allows producers to sell specific foods that are deemed non-hazardous and don't require refrigeration for safety. Items such as candies, empanadas, tortillas, some pickled foods, spices, and teas have been produced and sold using this license. The pair's baked goods were more than eligible.

Their recipes are made from the ingredients V's and T's grandmothers cooked for them in childhood and represent long-held traditions of their country. Through a carefully composed brand history sheet, the pair explained some of their motivation. "Ukrainians have always been very careful about pastries, passing on secrets and traditions from generation to generation. We prepare delicious fillings with our own hands, respectfully knead the dough, and bake our products."

The pair is excited about their business, but equally grateful to the community. "Without the support they gave us, this project would likely never have begun," said V. "We want to say a big, big 'thank you' from us to everyone."