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Most brides dream of their wedding day all their lives. They tirelessly plan every little detail. From the wedding gown to the weight and thickness of dinner napkins, each little detail is carefully considered. The groom, as involved and interested in such details as he is, only has so much mental capacity to understand the importance of such minutiae. But there is one area of the wedding planning process where he could surely use his well honed skills and expertise-the wedding dinner.
The dinner is a crucial part of the reception and the wedding as a whole. Everybody has already attended the ceremony. They've made their way through the receiving line and found their way to the reception hall. Once there, they patiently await the arrival of the wedding party. By that time, stomachs are growling and appetites are increasing. Maybe there are a few pieces of candy or some sweets on the table, but these can only satisfy their hunger for a short time. Someone may even contemplate eating the napkins. But their patience is to be rewarded. A feast of kings awaits them.
This feast to me is one that I've always pictured in my mind when I thought about what my wedding would be like. The bride will want birds singing and the flowers to smell sweet. And I too, would want those things as any groom should, but I would also want the perfect dinner for my guests, a Polish Style dinner.
What kind of wedding dinner would it be if it wasn't a Polish Style dinner? I can't even imagine that. No Polish sausage? No green beans and mashed potatoes? No bright yellow, glow in the dark Kluski noodles? Anything else would be just plain weird. It's kinda sort of a South Bend tradition. I'm sure it's a tradition elsewhere. Possibly in Poland? Through my life I've experienced several of these dinners. They're not reserved solely for weddings. High school banquets, bowling banquets, and company Christmas dinners usually feature the Polish feast. You can even get a Polish dinner every Saturday at three area restaurants!
Now, if you are somebody that has never experienced a Polish style dinner, I'll fill you in on the details.
- I'm not Polish. I'm Italian. You may wonder why I don't want an Italian dinner for my wedding? Simple, I can eat pasta anytime. I can make spaghetti and meatballs in my sleep. If I ate Polish sausage as much, I'd have a heart attack.
- The main feature of the Polish style dinner is the above mentioned Polish sausage. It's very good no matter what. I don't think I've ever NOT liked the Polish sausage in any dinner.
- For me, a close second in importance behind the sausage are the Polish wedding noodles. These are a certain kind of noodle called Kluski. Other than texture and appearance, I have no idea what makes them different than any other noodle. I don't know their history but, by the sound of the name, it must be Polish. As far as taste, think chicken and noodles. One distinct feature you may sometimes find is that they are so bright yellow that you would swear they'd glow in the dark. These go really good with the mashed potatoes.
- Rounding out the rest of the Polish dinner are usually: fried (or baked) chicken, green beans, sauerkraut (I'm not really a fan of it), mashed potatoes, and dinner rolls. The rolls would be my third favorite item on the menu.
- It's usually served two ways: buffet style and family-pass-it-around the table style. At banquets, you're usually served coffee, water, or milk.
- I know. I sound nuts, but if you read this far, you must be intrigued.
- Amy thinks I'm nuts for even writing this, but that's understandable.
So, I hope I've piqued your interest a bit. I hope you enjoy the dinner as much as I will. I know I sound crazy and it's mostly been toungue-in-cheek, but really I am serious about it. I really am looking forward to our wedding day. I'm honored to ask Amy to be my wife. And I can't wait to enjoy the dinner with our guests….And I hope you like Polish sausage.
-mike
2008 Mike and Amy Focosi
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