A Polish Food Truck Comes To The County, Cedar Le Fleur To Open & More Scoop From Cedar

A cheery food truck serving authentic Polish delicacies will be nestled in the alley behind Polish Art Center in Cedar by early summer. Meanwhile, Cedar Le Fleur, a family-run florist and gift shop is set to open in the former Stachnik Floral just before Mother’s Day.

Husband-and-wife team Tom and Kathleen Koch, who raise Mangalitsa pigs, poultry, eggs, and vegetables at their 14-acre homestead on the shores of Lake Leelanau have secured approval from the health department to operate a Polish Heritage Farm food truck this summer. It will be stationed behind the Kochs’ store, Polish Art Center, a boutique for all things Polish. 

The farmers plan to start serving their Polish recipes starting Memorial Day weekend to what they hope is a steady stream of carryout customers.

Kathleen Koch notes that an authentic Eastern European eatery like this has been a longtime dream and a niche needed in the region — especially in a town that’s home to the annual Polka Fest. 

“Nearly every customer that comes in my store has been asking for this, and after six years we decided to finally do it ourselves,” she says.

Tom Koch will helm the kitchen, using old world recipes: “He is a Hamtramck thoroughbred, and his soul comes alive around food,” says his wife. “His grandparents immigrated to the United States and settled in Hamtramck. He was raised within a few blocks of his Polish grandparents and his babcia’s kitchen was a daily meeting place. She knew great food would bring people together.”

Whether you crave smoked kielbasa or simply want to know what blood sausage tastes like, you can soon find it in Cedar. “All meat products will be sourced from our pigs and custom-made by our good friends at Srodek’s Campau Quality butcher shop in Hamtramck.”

Srodek’s will also be handcrafting golobki (stuffed cabbage) especially for the food truck, made with a mix of the Kochs’ Mangalitsa pork and beef locally raised by Dennis Garvin.

Highlights also include pierogi (served with a Polish grandma-style helping of shredded beet and horseradish salad), bigos (a traditional hunters stew which can also be served vegetarian) and mizeria (cucumber and dill salad). The fresh veggies and herbs come from the family farm, and trellised garden beds right at the food truck site. Carryout diners can pick a spot at one of the hand-hewn picnic tables. “Tom is also installing a few speakers so Cedar truly will be the town where polkas play every day,” says Koch. Save room for a slice of szarlotka (Polish apple cake), served chilled. “I just made it for Easter and could eat the whole 9-by-13,” Koch laughs.

The Kochs plan to be open Thursday through Monday, 1pm to 7pm, starting Memorial Day weekend.

Meanwhile, those out and about in downtown Cedar may have noticed renovations in full swing inside the corner shop at 8957 S. Kasson Street. Rob, Joni and Riley Flaska are opening Cedar Le Fleur & Gifts in the former Stachnik Floral building, where longtime owner Randy Stachnik left behind a nearly 40-year legacy of neighborly good humor and beautiful flower arrangements after he passed away in January of this year.

Loyal clientele stop in, says Joni Flaska, “to remember Randy. I am finding out more and more, he took care of a lot of people doing flower arrangements and many local weddings along the way, and they kind of took care of him and returned the favor. We want to keep Randy’s thing going.”

Flaska, a DIY-er and designer-turned-florist, is doing most of the renovation work in the shop herself. “The sign in Cedar says, ‘the town that cares’ and it turns out that they do care! Neighbors at Cedar Tavern, and at Bunting’s have helped with anything I’ve needed. I am grateful for it.”

The busines will be a family affair, with daughter Riley, 17, also on staff. “Riley drew the logo and went to market with me in Dallas. She is homeschooled and this is her first taste of entrepreneurship.”

Previously, Flaska had an event planning business and European glass retail shop in Austin, Texas.

“This store will have a European garden feel to it, and also be a little rustic,” she says. “One person stopped in and teased me, saying, 'You’re from Texas, in a Polish town, and gave it a French name…'”

In addition to gifts, “We hope to start flowers back up before Mother’s Day, delivering to a wide range of locations in the county.” Down the road, the Flaskas also hope to have a garden area in the back, with beverage offerings and a food truck.

Also underway in Cedar: Earth movers from Alpers Excavating are onsite readying land for local builder Corey Flaska’s “smaller land, smaller home, smaller price” development in his hometown. Flaska’s company Leelanau Construction is currently creating 30 new homes on 5.5 acres in walking distance to village businesses and amenities.