Velvet Cooking from Gawłowo

The Velvet Ranch (“Ranczo Aksamitka”) located in Gawłowo in the municipality of Nowe Miasto is a place where, according to the owners, great cooking, unique ambiance and excellent customer care are combined with reasonable prices. They host training events, retreats, first communions, weddings, baptisms and many others.
The rustic style of the place combined with Mazovian nature are complemented by traditional Polish dishes served at the Ranch. These are offered mainly to the events’ participants, but individual guests can also taste the food during summer weekends from May to September between 12 pm and 5pm. Phone reservations are recommended. Besides dishes described below, military style pea soup with meat and military hunter’s stew are also available. These are prepared using old, pre Second World War recipes that were known in the Polish Army. The Ranch staff declares that they can prepare and serve any amount of these dishes under field conditions.

Sour Rye Soup of Grandma Lodzia

Photo by I. Kamiński

The proverbial Grandma Lodzia is a real, already deceased, person who was the grandmother of Ms. Jadzia, the kitchen chef at the Velvet Ranch. This shows the extent of the cooking tradition at that establishment. The sour rye soup recipe is considered one of the staples of the Ranch and was put on the menu by Ms. Jadzia who prepares it according to her grandmother’s recipe. The recipe still holds its original value because the “Sour Rye Soup of Grandma Lodzia” in 2013 won the highest “Pearl” prize in the nationwide contest for the best regional and traditional culinary product and the best regional and traditional dish. The competition was called “Our Cultural Heritage – Regional Flavors”.

Preparation Method
Previously boiled meat bullion is combined with the sour liquid of rye flour and boiled water that had been fermented for 7 days. Spices such as laurel leaf, allspice and onions are added and cooked for a while. While cooking, the soup thickens and previously sauteed white mushrooms are added together with an aromatic, pork sausage called “white sausage” or biała kiełbasa. At the end the soup is condimented with a 30% cream, salt and pepper . Bon appetit!

Pork Knuckle Gawłowo Style
Pork knuckle is a dish that despite gradual expansion of dietary cooking in Poland, still has its traditional fans. According to an old mantra whatever one eats in moderation is not harmful to one’s health, because it is important to consume freshly prepared dishes made from high quality ingredients. In the “world of pork knuckles” the “Pork Knuckle from Gawłowo” reflects this tradition. It is custom prepared and the meat comes from a nearby family slaughterhouse known for its small production. The owners carefully supervise the animal selection and the slaughtering process.

Pork knuckle is a dish that despite gradual expansion of dietary cooking in Poland, still has its traditional fans. According to an old mantra whatever one eats in moderation is not harmful to one’s health, because it is important to consume freshly prepared dishes made from high quality ingredients. In the “world of pork knuckles” the “Pork Knuckle from Gawłowo” reflects this tradition. It is custom prepared and the meat comes from a nearby family slaughterhouse known for its small production. The owners carefully supervise the animal selection and the slaughtering process.

To attest to that, the “Pork Knuckle Gawłowo Style” in 2013 received a laurel prize given by the Marshal of the Mazovian Province. According to one of the consumers, “it is the best pork knuckle between Lisbon and Vladivostok”, as recorded by the Teleexpress news edition camera.

Preparation Method
The pork knuckle has to rest in water for 3 to 5 hours, after which it has to be washed under running water and boiled until it is slightly soft. Laurel leaf, allspice and a bit of salt are added during cooking. Once the meat is ready, the knuckle is placed in a pot with vegetable broth and condimented with chili pepper, regular pepper and marjoram. It is then cooked at very low heat for a long time and in the end beer is added. Bon appetit!

Pierogies Velvet Style

Served since 2006, “Pierogies Velvet Style” are the original product of Ms. Tereska, until recently a cook at the Velvet Ranch, whose tradition is successfully continued by Ms. Jadzia. The name for this dish reflects the name of the establishment where they are prepared and this in turn is related to the last name of the owners. However, one can also link the name of the dish to the velvet texture of the dough used in the pierogies preparation. At the Ranch one can order pierogies filled with cheese, sauerkraut with mushrooms, cheese and potatoes, spinach as well as meat. All of them are highly prized by local gourmands.

Preparation Method
Knead the dough for a long time adding warm water and then put it to ́”rest”. For meat pierogies, prepare the mixed filling of pork, beef and chicken and saute it with vegetables and onions. When the meat becomes soft, condiment it with salt and pepper. Form pierogies and boil them in salty water. Serve with sauteed pork fat. Prepare pierogies with other fillings in the same fashion. Bon appetit!

Maker: The Velvet Ranch
Location: Gawłowo, Nowe Miasto municipality
Contact: Bogusław Zbigniew Aksamit, ph. 601 50 40 20
email: rancho@aksamit.net.pl; www.ranczo.aksamit.net.pl