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At the Shared Table: A Conversation with Gosia Rybka

Updated: 19 hours ago

At The Shared Table, we believe food has a way of opening doors—inviting stories, memories, and connection to surface naturally. Each month, we invite one guest to share their story behind the dish they brought to the table.


This February, we invited Gosia Rybka to share about growing up in rural Poland, the food traditions that shaped her, and what sharing a meal means to her today.


Below is her story shared in her own words. 💜


Q: (Unplugged) Can you tell us a little about where you grew up and what food was like in your home?


A: (Gosia) I grew up in a small cottage in a tiny village in central Poland. My parents had a couple of cows, a few chickens, sometimes geese or pigs, and my mom kept a vegetable garden each year. As a kid, I don’t think I realized how lucky I was having access to fresh milk, homemade quark (a quick cheese my mom made), organic poultry, eggs, fruits, and veggies. Tart red currants and sweet gooseberries straight from the bush were my favorite snacks. I didn’t really have a clue about international cuisine back then. My mom was a stay-at-home mom and cooked traditional Polish dishes: pickled cucumber soup, borscht served with potatoes, hunter’s stew, and pierogi with wild blueberries and sweetened cream. Yes, pierogi can have a sweet filling!

Q: (Unplugged) What is the dish you brought to The Shared Table, and what does it mean to you personally?


A: (Gosia) I brought a traditional Polish veggie salad (sałatka jarzynowa). It’s similar to American potato salad but contains extra ingredients that, in my opinion, make the flavor richer: cooked carrots, canned peas, pickled cucumbers, apples, and sometimes mushrooms or ham. This salad reminds me of time spent with my family. It was on our table for every holiday: Christmas, Easter, first communions, weddings, you name it.


Q: (Unplugged) You mentioned chopping vegetables with your mom. Can you share a favorite memory from cooking together?



A: (Gosia) It’s a cold Saturday evening in October. The fire crackles in the wood-burning
stove, and the kitchen smells of freshly baked apple pie. My mom and I are peeling and chopping cooked vegetables for the salad. She says she’s tired, but I can see the happiness behind it. We’ve accomplished a lot today. Tomorrow is her name day, which in Poland (especially for her generation) is celebrated even more than a birthday. Friends and extended family will be coming over, so we’re busy preparing plenty of food and snacks. The salad is always a big hit, so we need to make a bigger portion.


Q: (Unplugged) How has moving away from your village shaped your relationship with food or traditions?


A: (Gosia) If I were to name one thing that stayed with me no matter where I lived, it would be making sure my guests never leave hungry or thirsty. Polish people always offer tea or coffee to their guests and put out whatever snacks they have on the table. No snacks in the pantry? No problem. I can whip up crepes. Reheat yesterday’s tomato soup. Quickly defrost some hunter’s stew. And you must try my pickled cucumbers with the sourdough bread I bought today!


Q: (Unplugged) What does sharing a meal with people in your community mean to you today?


A: (Gosia) I think we sometimes forget that sharing a simple home-cooked meal with friends can do more for our well-being than fancy meals in expensive restaurants. What’s changed for me is how intentional I’ve become about creating these moments. There’s something powerful about a potluck or cooking together. Sharing a meal has become less about the occasion and more about creating space for people from different backgrounds to be seen and heard. I’ve found genuine connection and a sense of belonging that’s hard to replicate anywhere else. Everyone needs to eat, and when we do it together, we’re feeding more than just our bellies.

Q: (Unplugged) What’s one small thing that helps you feel at home in a new place?


A: (Gosia) Cozy slippers, especially ones with fluffy shearling lining. I’m notorious for having cold feet, so I often bring my own slippers when I stay at Airbnbs or friends’ places.

Closing Reflection

Gosia’s story is a reminder that community doesn’t require perfection or performance, just presence. A shared dish. A remembered recipe. A willingness to sit together and listen.

This is the quiet magic of The Shared Table.


Join The Shared Table

The Shared Table is a monthly, home-hosted potluck rooted in presence, creativity, and genuine connection. Each gathering invites guests to unplug, bring a dish that carries meaning, and share a meal in a space designed to move conversation beyond small talk.

If Gosia’s story resonated, we’d love to welcome you at an upcoming table.


 
 
 

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The Unplugged Collective

Unplugged began as a simple idea: put the phones away and come back to what matters. Conversation, shared meals, and real human presence. What started as small screen-free gatherings has grown into something much larger.

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Now we're evolving into a living network, a nonprofit dedicated to mapping, amplifying, and supporting community builders, gardens, mutual aid groups, and creative projects already bringing people together. We're still unplugging, but now its about unplugging from isolation and disconnection, so we can reconnect with each other and the places we call home.

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Every dollar we raise helps us continue this work of creating accessible gatherings, supporting neighborhood initiatives, and building the local map that will make the efforts visible and connected.

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If you believe in reweaving the fabric of community, we'd love your support. Together we can keep this movement growing. One conversation, one garden, and one act of care at a time.

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