Mike's House

When it comes to dinner appointments I am notorious for always being late. But today was different. I’m not visiting a fancy restaurant nor attending a function, which mind you I am also usually late. Today I am going over to Mike’s House! After all my hints about never having tried Polish food Mike has invited me over for an authentic meal.

This is what’s worth being on time for. Mike’s mum spent yesterday night and the entire day preparing a wide variety of Polish dishes for me to try. In fact, Mike and his sister were just as excited as I was because it is rare that their mum would cook up such a feast unless it’s for a special occasion. And a feast it was, as I entered into Mike’s cosy home and was greeted with open arms by his family.

Initially, I was embarrass to take any photos. But after the delicious Chicken and Dill Soup, I summed up the courage to ask if I could take photos and share it with my friends. His mum was a little shy but agreed and soon after she carried out from the kitchen a number of delicious looking dishes. Like Chinese food the food were all placed in the middle where everyone would fill their plates with whatever they liked!

On the spread were a variety of side dishes that included:

Salad



Beets

Initially I thought it was braised red cabbage. But I was told it was beets. It tastes similar to braised red cabbage where it is sweet and earthy. I really enjoyed it especially with the goulash.


Boiled Fingerling Potatoes



There were a number of delicious main dishes which I absolutely loved!

Kasha with Mushroom Sauce


Initially I thought Kasha was a type of brown rice. I was then told that it is actually Buckwheat Groats. Eating it on its own, Kasha has a very earthy flavor similar to that of brown rice. It is also harder in texture compared with long-grain or jasmine rice. I was asked to pour the mushroom sauce over the Kasha and was pleasantly surprised at how well those two meld together. The mushroom sauce which wasn't too rich nor salty further heightened the earthy flavor of the Kasha.


Perogees


I've had Perogees quite a few times but they were always stuffed with potato and cheese. Here we had them with Sauerkraut and I definitely enjoyed them better than the latter.


Beef Goulash

It seems most Eastern European countries have their own version of Beef Goulash. The Polish version is thick and hearty resembling a stew. The beef was lean but was surprisingly tender. I loved the gravy from the goulash and actually used it as sauce for the perogees.


Cabbage Roll

This was the one dish that I hoped Mike's mum would cook! The one dish that comes to my mind when people mention Polish food. I've had Canadianized versions of Cabbage Rolls in Vancouver but the real deal tasted so much better! The mixture of pork and veal was pressed tightly with rice and wrapped in cabbage. There was such balance between all the ingredients and with the homemade tomato sauce it was amazing! Unlike the ones I've previously had where everything fell apart upon cutting, the cabbage rolls here stayed in one piece.

After the heavy but delicious meal, Mike's mum took out a fruit and cake platter. Cakes consisted of Vienna Cheese Cake, Poppy Seed Cake, Polish Donut and Meringue.

My favorite of the cakes was the Cheese Cake which wasn't as rich as the typical cheese cakes I usually have and not too sweet.




I was so stuffed after the meal but I enjoyed it so much! I would never forget the great food and company I had that night. The price of the entire meal? I would have to say priceless. Many thanks to Mike and his family for having me over!