Estevan鈥檚 business family recently had a new addition. Aleksandra Szlapacka, better known to the community and suppliers as Aleks, opened the Polish Kitchen 鈥� a beautiful little store at 421A Kennsington Ave that makes customers feel like at grandma鈥檚.
Szlapacka came to Estevan from Poland about six years ago. She says that it was the Energy City that chose her. She never thought that she would open a business until a few months ago when her cooking talent got her trapped.
鈥淚 was making cabbage rolls, just on the side for people before Christmas. And they were, 鈥榃e love it, we love it. Why don鈥檛 you sell them?鈥� And I was, 鈥業 don鈥檛 want to do this, I don鈥檛 want to sell cabbage rolls.鈥� It started with cabbage rolls. And then I started thinking, 鈥淚f I start selling cabbage rolls, it can鈥檛 be just cabbage rolls. It鈥檚 gotta be more than this.'鈥�
And after numerous sleepless nights, hours and hours of research, piles of paperwork, days of renovation and planning that all was her after-work activities, enthusiastic and goal-oriented Szlapacka opened the doors of the Polish Kitchen.
Szlapacka鈥檚 bacon wrapped cabbage rolls cooked after her own special secret recipe, that she refused to share with the readers but which makes the meal exceptional, are the store鈥檚 biggest hit along with the variety of her homemade perogies. Ukrainian Co-op sausages were in high demand since day one as well.
In general, it seemed like Estevan has been craving Polish and Ukrainian cuisine for a long time, as the store was emptied the first three days after opening April 17.
鈥淭here was nothing on the shelves, and I was laughing because it was like the 1980s back home, empty shelves in the meat store,鈥� said Szlapacka.
Since then she had to almost triple her sausage orders. She brought in a lot of new positions and constantly keeps growing. Every time she puts an order in the suppliers get surprised with how much food she goes through. Szlapacka even assumed that her meat supplier may end up hiring more people to meet Estevan鈥檚 demand.
鈥淭hey do their best to put the order together, but it鈥檚 getting more and more, and I keep adding, keep bringing more stuff like ribs or beef jerky.鈥�
Szlapacka hopes to eventually develop the deli part of the store and add a variety of ham and other sliced meats to the initial sausage, pepperoni and bacon. She looks into getting a deli supplier, but when it comes to the quality she is very picky.
鈥淚鈥檓 in the testing mode right now, I鈥檓 trying to find (the supplier). It has to be the same quality. I have to like it. If I don鈥檛 like it, I鈥檓 not going to bring it.鈥�
She also offers a variety of traditional high-end pickled vegetables, jams, and other Polish and Ukrainian groceries and snacks.
Another attraction is hot, homemade grandma-style lunches, which are different every day. Szlapacka never wanted to open a restaurant, but her childhood and background in Poland got her used to having nutritious full lunches and various soups.
鈥淚n my house, for my dad every day we had to have soup. For him a day without soup wasn鈥檛 a day,鈥� remembered Szlapacka.
And she decided to forward this tradition down to her customers, offering different meals-to-go. However, nobody ever knows ahead of time what kid of food each day will bring.
鈥淧eople keep asking, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 for lunch?鈥� I don鈥檛 know鈥� Thursday is (always) cabbage rolls. 鈥楢nd what鈥檚 for Friday?鈥� I don鈥檛 know, whatever I created... It鈥檚 from my list in my head from what my mom used to cook,鈥� said Szlapacka laughing.
She creates and works her magic in the kitchen, using old-country recipes, spices and even salt and allowing people to try something new and not that widespread in Canada. Some meals people like, others not so much.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to put meals out to see what people like the most,鈥� said Szlapacka.
Every morning she comes to the store with new ideas and usually has about two hours to bring them to life and have fresh meals before the first customers come in.
