The Hanka, Hanna Maria and Jan Sawka Collaboration:

“At Hanka’s Table,” A Culinary Memoir,  2004

Published by Lake Isle Press, New York City

A very special family affair.  Hanka, Sawka’s wife of over 30 years, mastered her entertaining skills by organizing endless artistic and business gatherings at her family’s home, first in Manhattan, and currently in a small rustic hamlet in the Hudson Valley. Her culinary creations started to be the stuff of legends among an international artistic coterie meeting at the Sawkas. For several years, visitors and friends alike tried to convince Hanka to write a book merging the incredible story of her family life with the highlights of the masterpieces of her entrees, soups, desserts and traditional Easter and Christmas feasts.  After sketching the book and recipes for several years in Polish, Hanna, their daughter (and now a successful film director), beautifully complied and translated the text, while Jan designed the concept of the book, cover and illustrations. The layout was skillfully executed by Janusz Kapusta, the gifted graphic artist and family friend. “At Hanka’s Table“ garnered excellent reviews and Hanka with Hanna toured throughout the U.S. with lectures and culinary demonstrations. An interesting aspect of this book is that it generated a lot of interest in Poland’s dramatic history in the last century (resulting even in one review in an academic publication).  Thus, it went a step beyond familiarizing the American public with traditional Polish culinary excellence.