“A cook turns a sausage, big with blood and fat, over a scorching blaze, without a pause to broil it quick” a quote from Homer’s Odyssey was most likely referencing a blood sausage (Kishka) such as pictured to the left is of Slavic origin and literally means “gut” or “intestine”. Traditionally blood sausage is found in many cultures and is very similar to Boudin Noir and Black Pudding. In the United States, Kishka can be typically found in restaurants and grocery stores that serve the Polish and eastern European ethnic / immigrant communities. The casing is typically filled with pork blood, buckwheat or barley and a variety of seasonings and spices. In lieu of pork blood, cow blood is also offered. Aside from being exposed to blood sausage through friends or family, there are relatively few references to this delicacy in American culture. The most notable reference would be in Jame Michener’s epic novel Poland where he describes the making and cooking the sausage by the peasants after the landlord butchered a pig.
Kishka (Polish Blood Sausage)
If one can get past their personal aversion to eating blood (there are far worse things that we consume daily), the pleasure in the flavor and taste of cooked Kishka is truly one of the great experiences that is so difficult to find in the United States. I was first exposed to Kishka as a child on holidays when my Polish relatives would bring a coil of blood sausage to my father from New Jersey. Typically it was eaten grilled with onions and served with pan fried potatoes and scrambled eggs. I do not recall eating it very often or enjoying the meal, but with many things as one grows older they begin to appreciate the memories of their youth. Kishka is one of those memories. As I grew older, my father had sourced a location of Kishka in Philadelphia and when I would come home from the holidays, there would be a breakfast in which the sausage was served. It was not until recently did I discover a Polish restaurant and grocery store Polonia in Houston, TX that I could enjoy this treat of my youth. Kishka is served on a sizzling platter of grilled onions and served with pickles, mustard and rye bread. In addition to eating it in the restaurant, the sausage can also be purchased in their store which is located a block from the restaurant.
The Polish community in Houston is not large and despite the historical wave of immigrants from Germany and the Czech Republic, there is a limited selection of eastern European restaurants. For those that enjoy good food and want to expand their palate, eating a link of grilled Kishka with onions is a rare treat in Houston.
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Great story of kishka……my Day bought some every Saturday at the market. he rubbed the casing with Crisco and put it in the cast iron skillet with sliced onions. soon the casings burst and the stuff of kishka fried crispy on the pan…this was the best.
I long for this taste. There was a shop in Baltimore, but they stopped making it.
Do you know if the Houston store can ship their Kiska? what is the name and contact information.
thank
Stas,
The Polish Store in Houston is Polonia at 1780 Blalock Rd. Houston. Tel 713.464.9900
General sausage in chicago. There are many places in chicago that have n cook polish food – as do us Poles!
My dad made kieshka all the time when I was young, he bought it from klements sausage which no longer makes it !! I’m in Milwaukee and I get it from my local grocery store Pick n Save, it’s made by usingers, and it’s so good, I take it out of the casing and fry it until crispy, mix ketchup into it and put it on buttered bread !! Yummy !!!!!!