Food Menu

Food

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I love to cook and have been doing it for years.  I have made special dishes professionally for large banquets of up to 200 people, smaller dinner parties, occasionally just for friends and sometimes only for me. I love creating these culinary specialties around the holidays, but also enjoy cooking meals day to day for the simple joy of doing it.

For three decades, I’ve honed my passion all over the country in the food and beverage industry. I have worked alongside some of the best chefs at some amazing places. From New York to Miami. Las Vegas, LA, Denver and even Georgia.

I also worked in the motion picture catering business in California providing full, healthy meals to as many as 300 people out of a catering truck.  There’s no room for error in that environment where cast and crew expect quality for the dollars they are willing to spend.  I refined my skills in that hectic environment, but the food I served came from memories of family recipes passed down through generations. 

My greatest pleasure comes after the meals when so many people would come up to me and talk of the fond memories the food would evoke, memories filled with sights, smells, and sounds of busy mothers or grandmothers.

There is something about the smell and taste of certain foods that not only stimulates our palates and minds, but also reaches deep into our souls. Old world cuisine brings us comfort like nothing else can.

 There is an undeniable spirituality drifting back 50 and more years to times long ago and amazing memories of family when things seemed so much simpler than they are today.

In the Polish tradition, Christmas was one of those times. Christmas Eve at my grandfather and grandmother’s house – we used the Polish words Dziadek and Babcia – – the entire family gathered around one huge table Dziadek at one end and Babcia at the other with the uncles and aunts and my cousins strategically seated in between.  The youngest kids were seated at nearby card tables.

Tradition reigned. Twelve different dishes graced the table that represented the 12 apostles. All fish, of course, because in those days, Christmas was a big holy day and meat was out of the question. Straw or hay was placed under the tablecloth to remind us of Christ’s humble birth in a stable. A single candle was lit in the window to let any passerby know he was welcome, or to guide the spirit of a family member who had passed on. And a full plate of food at an empty chair welcomed the spirit of Christ.

Following grace, Dziadek raised his oplatki wafer beginning to his right and held his wafer to each and every person saying Merry Christmas and Happy New year. He would then exchange a small piece of your oplatki wafer with a small piece of his. Everyone at the table had his own wafer.  These wafers were available from any of the Slavic churches that abounded in the town.

The food was amazing. After dinner, Dziadek would give everyone an envelope with some cash and Babcia would give all a pair of pajamas, no exceptions regardless of your age. And last of all the godparents gave gifts to their godchildren and the godchildren would reciprocate with the godparents.

Easter was equally amazing. All week long, breads and desserts were baked for the holidays. Easter Saturday the neighborhood women lined up at the churches to get their baskets blessed. The baskets were filled with ham, kielbasa, horseradish, breads, boiled eggs, poppy seed and nut rolls. Every basket contained butter shaped like a small paschal lamb.  As you visited family and friends on Easter Sunday you were invited at every house to eat just a small amount of the blessed food before you sat down to feast.

 What a beautiful tradition that was. My hope is, these dishes can bring back some of the memories that many of you experienced and for those that never experienced them… now that you know some of the history that surrounds these traditions, hopefully they can bring some abundance to your soul.

 Know that love and care goes into each and every one of these dishes. and may the spirit that comes with them fill you, your family and household with peace, love, and harmony. 

Sto lat ,Na Zdrowie

One hundred years of health to you, those you love, and those who love you.

Carl