The first thing I'd like to see would have to be a range of kiełbasy and other delicatessenries.
After that, I wouldn't really know. For making proper Polish food properly, the ingredients are all out there in supermarkets, greengroceries and so on. There are jars of gołąbki, fasolki, even flaki that I have seen on various shelves in shops in this corner of the UK. The gołąbki I've had from jars don't compare with the real thing though.
The cheese I've seen in Polish shops over here is generally rubbish. LEARN ABOUT CHEESE, YOU POLES, PLEASE!
I'd say basic ingredients. Theoretically, the ingredients for lots of Polish dishes are available in other countries, but the results are usually ... not the same.
For example, it seems to me that flour in Poland is subtley different (grinding? ageing?) and a lot of the other differences come from that (like bread crumbs).
If I were to come across a Polish store outside Poland I'd want as many basic ingredients as possible. Beyond that, kiełbasa, white cheeses (included smoked twaróg), maślanka, Polish (salted not vinegarred) pickles. And maybe some of the Polish vegetables that aren't necessarily so known or popular elsewhere, especially seler (the root) fresh beets and Polish potatoes (especially the flat ones that are yellow inside).
As for alcohols, the better beers (Żywiec, Okocim) a lot of the herbal vodkas (żołądkowa etc), cheaper better vodkas (never much liked wyborowa, but I like both luksusowa and the new żołądkowa czysta) and other flavored liqueurs (especially fond of cranberry)
If I were to come across a Polish store outside Poland I'd want as many basic ingredients as possible.
It might be nice, but how many overseas Poles are going to pay extra for the priviledge of buying the same thing at extra cost just for the sake of getting a load of stuff under the same roof? You mention flour being different. Maybe there could be demand for some sort of Polish flour. Rye flour certainly seems to be hard to find.
Finding a good greengrocer isn't always easy, but I asked my local grocer of greeneries if he could get raw beetroot. He said yes, and now I will have to buy some of it or I'll feel guilty!
Okocim
There's definately not enough of this about.
wyborowa
This stuff gave me a nasty turn recently! All my own fault I thought, until now.
In case of beer I think a good idea would be also these less popular brands (as Tyskie or Żywiec is now probably in every Tesco in the UK) so Tatra, Bosman etc.
lech,zywiec,delicja.cabbage,cucumber, bacon joints ,kabanos, lots of sausage deserts and chesse`s hope this helps now if you can help me know any suppliers in scotland with on line ordering and prices
Tymbark juices. Chrupki. Woda Gazowona. Chocolates (Wedel preferably) Sour kraut with the carrots. £aciate (milks). Gift Items (product of Poland, greeting cards, a good assortment of DVD's etc.) Potato Flour, other flours. Vegeta. Strawberry Scented toilet paper (maybe not on second thought....) And most Important - A nice Polish lady at the check out counter.
Here polish meats, mushrooms, breads, pastries, candies (my aunt sent me on the plane with some hard candies with a soft fruit center) are some of the things I look for in our European deli here. Farmers cheese to make nalesniki. Pollish Beers. Polish pickles. Just for starters.....here in NYS you can sell beer but need a liquor licence for wines and spirits so I don't think it would work for a Deli. I know in Euro they sell everything under one roof. One stop shopping.
I don't think Poland is known for cheeses but hopefully in Poland you could find the cheeses from countries that are known for their cheeses, Italy, France, Holland.
Come on Osioł, I'm a cheese buff and I can appreciate Polish cheese. Mazdamer is decent. The French and the Germans make superior cheeses, with the Brits a little behind. However, I find Polish cheese to be fine, fit for its purpose.
I live in Poland by jsut round the corner from my parents house in London is a Polish food shop, they have a cooler counter just like there would be in any smal supermarket there is here, with kielbasa, kabinosa, cheese, some fresh meats. Loads of jars of stuff, barsch, beetroot, golomki (in a jar?!?! baffeling) ogorki, snacks. Booze, obviously!
Although in North london our nearest supermarket that had a massive isle of Polish products wich was more than adequate for our needs.
The French and the Germans make superior cheeses, with the Brits a little behind.
Utter rubbish. British cheese has definately overtaken French. German cheese is not particularly renowned. When was the last time you tucked into a Colston Basset or a Montgomery Cheddar, or anything you might find supplied by the Neal's Yard Dairy.
I said what I said about Polish cheese because I haven't found any here, and when in Poland and in Polish shops in the UK, there was next to nothing on offer besides some rubbery Edam-like substance.
Since you're talking about Polish cheese - oscypek and bryndza. Oh, by the way - I'm Marcin - Polish from Poland (with some time on emigration - I know how it feels to miss some Polish ingredients). I would add kasza gryczana to the list - it's so hard to find, especially in the U.S.
I can buy here pretty much anything I remember from Poland. I even have a selection of Polish manufacturers, and for preserves I always buy Pinczow, as this is where I was born. For pickles it Krakus. Nothing beats that.
The gołąbki I've had from jars don't compare with the real thing though.
You may want to try some Polish Halls or Polish Legions. There is one where I live and the food they sell there is literally home made, and costs less than in stores. That includes golabki, pierogi of all kinds, baked goods and pastry.
Awww, majonez kielecki? I have to look for it! I'm from kieleckie and did not know there is such thing. I should go to polish delis more often, but I have Trader Joe's on my way from work instead and I get all my stuff there, I just love that store.
