Smorgasboard indeed.
Photo from roadfood.com.

My Labor Day weekend has got off to a delicious start. Friday night I enjoyed Polish fare at Warsaw Inn (Lynwood, IL). The buffet spread was quite spectacular, with fall coming so quickly my taste buds are in the mood for some home-style richer foods. Note to self: time to break out the crock-pot. It’s hard to pass by the packzis and blintzes but with a great assortment of meats and cold salads I still managed to stuff myself.

Here’s some Polish eating dairy-free do’s and don’ts:

Do eat:
Roast beef
Baked ham
Fried chicken
Sauerkraut
Stuffed cabbage
Pickled herring
Roast Turkey
Homemade pickles
Sautéed liver and onions
Pickled Beets

Don’t eat:
Pierogi (dough is made with egg and some are filled with cheese)
Blintzes (ditto here)
Herring with cream sauce
Cucumber salad with cream sauce
Hot soups (unless tomato-based most have cream)
Potato pancakes (gluten free but made with egg)
Mashed potatoes (milk, butter)

Maybe
Sausage is iffy, as it may contain casein (dairy allergen) or gluten
Fried fish, usually fried in butter

The atmosphere is charming and the specials change daily. So if you are road tripping through the area I highly recommend it. Plus they have some delightful live Polish music.
http://www.angieswarsawinn.com

On the official Labor Day holiday I will be attending Taste of Polonia at the Copernicius Center. I didn’t exactly plan on my Labor Day being a Polish theme, its just how it worked out and I can’t complain. If you don’t have a gluten allergy this fest has some of the best Polish beer, brands like ?ywiec and Okocim to name a few.
http://www.copernicusfdn.org/tasteofpolonia.html

While beer is em . . . a dairy-free beverage, it is not wheat or gluten free unless indicated on the label. If you have multiple allergies please be aware. This month at Examiner.com is also Beer month so please check out our food/drink Examiners beer-related posts.