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Pulaski Day is the ugly stepsister of holidays. Rather than inspire pride and joyful Polish celebrations around the nation, the commemoration of the great Polish patriot and Revolutionary War hero mostly breeds confusion. Which schools are closed? Banks? The post office? Do I feed the meter? We already know the answer to that last one, as his honor would make Jesus Himself plug quarters to avoid a ticket on the day of His second coming (Jesus's, not Daley's).

So the General took it on the chin in Savannah thousands of miles from his beloved Polska so we can anguish over whether or not to put out the garbage cans? Mam tego już dosyć!

In any case, the opportunity to celebrate with some real Polish comfort food just got a little easier for those residing in the steppes of central Lake County. Ania's Polish Deli is doing commerce in a drab strip mall next to a Midas Muffler Shop on Rand Road (Rte 12) in Lake Zurich. The place is unique for the area, and even unique for a Polish market in that there seems to be at least a cursory effort made to explain the offerings in something other than the mother tongue. The sausage selection, while not as broad or deep as say, Kurowski's, provides information in both Polish and English. Same goes for the homemade salads and meat offerings. The hot case items are still stubbornly in Polish only, but visuals provide a clue, and the help speaks enough English to fill in what can't be figured out.

Even so, getting to the bottom of what turned out to be a breaded chicken cutlet topped with chunks of canned peaches and covered with a melted slice of Muenster (with orange rind!) was still a little tricky. Further complicating things was that it was topped with a Maraschino cherry. Cognitive dissonance and loathing in Lake Zurich. It tasted like what one might expect.

Despite that, there are mostly winners here. The wedding sausage is a top five with a bullet, as is a curious spiced and breaded ground chicken ball wrapped around a white smoked cheese. The name of this torpedo-shaped stuffed meatball, 'kotlet radziwilowsk,' made me think of Lee Bouvier Radziwill and really, who wouldn't want to be reminded of her while eating formed ground meat stuffed with cheese?

I won't ever leave there without a sandwich though. Racks of freshly baked rolls are just about perfect, possessing that delicate crunchy crust that crackles and gives way to softness for consistency, think of when you first bite into a Chiclet. It's so good it may have even saved the chicken a la cling cutlet if one were inclined to throw it into one of these.

I went on Saturday late morning and the place was jumping, so I had no opportunity to get any back story. The rest of the place is five aisles of interesting dry goods and a frozen case with pierogi, frozen soups and prepared foods.

So godspeed, General Pulaski. Those murderous Russians were finally driven from your homeland, and you live on today in the semi-official glow of quasi-commemoration in the country you helped to defend. Oh yeah, the chicken cutlet also sometimes comes with pineapple and, presumably, justice for all.

Moja droga jacie kocham!

When my youngest sister was in high school, she and her friends referred to this holiday as "Cashmere Sweater Day."

If Lake Villa is not too excruciating far, I have a Polish restaurant rec which I'll get to in a day or so.

Happy Holiday!

Lest we forget about Warsaw Inn further west in McHenry. Huge Polish buffet that's been there forever. I remembered addresses this time.

Warsaw Inn Buffet
217 Front St
Mc Henry
Phone: (815)344-0330

Ania's Polish Deli
890 S Rand Rd.
Lake Zurich
(847)719-2370

As my Irish-American sister-in-law called on her cell phone, lamenting the fact that all the Jewels on the north side had sold out of pierogi which she needed for her Pulaski day feast, I couldn't help but chuckle as I read your Lake Zurich post. Why is it that noone celebrates Pulaski Day?

Last month I fielded a phone call from a TimeOut mag reporter, who wanted to find out how people celebrate Pulaski Day. He wanted recipes, restaurants, traditions. I had to gently explain that Pulaski Day is kind of like Martin Luther King Day--you remember a great man's accomplishments, but you don't necessarily have a party in his honor.

So, today, as my kids were slaving through their Polish school homework, learning about Chopin, I raised a glass to Pulaski, the father of the American cavalry, and thanked him for helping bring freedom to this great land, where so many cultures (and cuisines) live in relative peace. There's no better place on earth. Na zdrowie! Anna

For those of you in the south suburban area, we also have a Warsaw Inn that has been there forever. We have not been there in many years, but my husband always calls it the "Heart Attack Inn" when we drive past. A lot of food swimming in butter. Judging the size of the patrons on our last visit, most of them have been dining there on a regular basis. The food was plentiful, although I don't remember how good it was. I think if it was really outstanding we would have gone back.

Warsaw Inn
(708) 474-1000
2180 Glenwood Dyer Rd
Lynwood, IL 60411

I always celebrate it and have since my first Pulaski Day in Chicago, 1992, when I found myself at the venerable Chicago Law Books and then Blue Sky Resaturant, about 4800 S Pulaski. OK pierogi, back then at least.

It's a Chicago-only holiday, right?

While Reflections is a supper club with wonderful views of Deep Lake, it's Polish owners have a few selections of Polish food on the menu. If you come to Reflections on a Saturday, the soup of the day is always Polish Pickle soup. Otherwise this restaurant features non-ethnic food of fish, steaks, prime rib and such.

Last night we had to abandon our plans of eating at Dockers due to driving rain and wind. We went instead to Reflections On Deep Lake, which has reopened after a kitchen fire earlier this year. The rain had stopped and the skies were clearing to the west, we asked if we could eat outside. They advised we could but if a storm suddenly blew up again, then we would be eating in the bar area. We agree and except for a few sprinkles before we left, we had a very quiet and pleasant meal on the deck.

While I usually have pierogi or their Polish mixed plate, I took my meal from the specials of the day: Roast pork and homemade potato dumplings with a mushroom gravy, which was obviously Polish. This came with soup or salad, which was a no brainer because I love their pleasantly sour tasting pickle soup:



While pickle soup is our old beloved friend at this restaurant, we loved the succulent pork, the slippery soft potato dumplings and sour cream laced mushroom gravy:



I loved the mushroom gravy so much, I took a container home. Well actually I attempted to take the container home but left it in the restaurant. If it was perfume, I'd buy stock.

Reflections On Deep Lake
38564 North Edgewood Street (At the "end" of 2nd Street)
Lake Villa, IL 60046
847-265-4170

Dined at Warsaw Inn in Lynwood last sunday and it was/is excellent if you like polish food. On sudays they have turkey and gravy thats as good as I have had anywhere including ma's homemade which I thought no one could beat. Everything else very good to good. I believe they have lowered prices for buffet due to the economy.$ 14.95 for adults.