Taste the Love in Every Bite

Polish Countryside Kitchen of Cedar makes dishes just like Grandma did

By Deb Dent | July 15, 2023

Thomas Koch, owner of Polish Countryside Kitchen in Cedar, was born and raised in Hamtramck, a little city just a few miles outside of downtown Detroit—or as Koch likes to refer to it, “the jelly to the doughnut of Detroit.” His Polish grandmother and grandfather, lovingly called Babcia and Dziadek, lived right down the street from his childhood home. They believed the best things in life consisted of three things…family, tending to their garden, and great food!

His grandfather maintained their garden, while his grandmother cooked up Polish dishes with all the fresh ingredients. These experiences allowed Koch, from a young age, to learn all about cooking and gardening and to witness first-hand the value of hard work.

He says he was blessed growing up surrounded by family and great food. “I’ve had a love for the same things most of my life because it’s what my childhood was made of. I can still taste the love in every bite.”

The Food Truck

With the knowledge he gained as a boy watching his grandfather, along with his own passion for the art of gardening, Koch grew up to run several community gardens in the Hamtramck/Detroit area. Eventually he and his wife, Kathleen, decided to move north and acquire their own farm in Cedar. 

It didn’t take them long to realize how rich the community was with Polish culture. Given Koch’s heritage, along with his wife’s ties to Polish culture with her family owning a Polish import store in downtown Hamtramck for over 50 years, they knew the town was a perfect fit for them. Within two years of their move, they purchased a storefront and opened up a second location of her family’s Polish Art Center in downtown Cedar.

Soon after their opening, the Kochs saw a definite need for a Polish dining experience in the area. They never imagined it would be them, given how busy they were between the farm, their growing family, and the store, until their food truck idea started to become a reality.

Koch says that it was his wife who was the real driving force behind the decision to take the leap. “We saw [a used food truck] for sale a few winters ago in Lake Leelanau. She mentioned it to me, and I didn’t really take her seriously, and then when I had to go downstate for work, I came home to a food truck!” He says Kathleen always saw the joy that cooking and connecting with people brought Koch, so she knew it was meant to be.

Koch officially opened the Polish Countryside Kitchen food truck last summer in the space right behind his wife’s store. 

“It is actually a really great location,” he says. “We have several picnic tables that we set up with umbrellas, and you will hear the sound of Polish folk music in the background as you play a game of cornhole. The view from the food truck looks across at the country farm stand owned by the Williams Orchards. We see often that people waiting for their meal to be ready head over to pick up some fresh local produce as well.”

The Menu

Koch says that by far the most popular dish that they sell is the Polish Platter. It gives you a sampling of most of the items the food truck serves: Polish sausage, stuffed cabbage, pierogi, dill potatoes, sauerkraut, and a slice of rye bread.

According to Koch, they raise all the pork they serve at their food truck themselves, and that they also render all their pork lard, which is the only cooking oil that he uses. The food truck had a pork burger on the menu for a while which was a big hit, and they are currently working on a breaded pork chop special, which includes Polish style pork and beans with a side of country patè. (It’s his wife’s favorite dish.) 

The goat burgers are also something that seem to do very well on the menu. The meat is also processed from their farm, and it’s served “burger style,” with a beet horseradish spread, grilled onions, and pepper jack cheese, topped with a slice of tomato on a butter bun. Koch says that they sell out every week. 

“If anyone knows me though, I do like to have a few surprises throughout the season and last year we offered a few weeks of cutlets, smoked ribs, and half chickens smoked and then deep-fried in Mangalitsa pork lard,” Koch adds.

He also admits to loving a great Coney dog, so he offers a Polish veal casing hot dog topped with homemade chili, onions, and mustard. He says that the customers really seem to enjoy them. “I have customers that come for lunch and then come back for dinner the same day.”

There is one item though that the customers hesitate to try, but always love it when they do: kiszka, aka blood sausage. “I serve it with crisp purple cabbage with onion, tomato, and rye bread,” Koch tells us. “If my six-year-old is there, she will tell you that is her favorite thing to eat, along with the apple pancakes we serve.”

Koch acknowledges that while the first year in business in 2022 was definitely a challenge for the family—especially with the arrival of their third child thrown into the mix—they learned a lot and just felt lucky to be able to work together as a team.

“It is a fairly spacious truck compared to most,” Koch says, “but it definitely took some getting used to working in a small space.”

He also tells us that the setup of the truck allows him to really be able to interact with the customers, which he loves. “When you walk up to the window to place your order, I am right there,” he says. “Most cooks working off in the kitchen don’t get that opportunity. I always have been a people person; without that connection it wouldn’t be as fulfilling to me.”

Find Polish Countryside Kitchen at 8994 S Kasson in Cedar. They’re on Facebook (search Polish Countryside Kitchen), and more info about the family farm can be found at polishheritagefarm.com.