Polish cuisine
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Polish cuisine (Polish: kuchnia polska) is a style of food preparation originating in and widely popular in Poland. Due to Poland's history, Polish cuisine has evolved over the centuries to be very eclectic, and shares many similarities with other national cuisines. Polish cooking in other cultures is often referred to as à la polonaise.
Polish cuisine is rich in meat, especially pork, chicken and game, in addition to a wide range of vegetables, spices,
Among popular Polish national dishes are
A traditional Polish dinner is composed of three courses, beginning with a soup like the popular ).
Internationally, if a Polish culinary tradition is used in other cuisines, it is referred to as à la polonaise, from the French, meaning 'Polish-style.' In French cuisine, this term is used for techniques like using butter instead of cooking oil; frying vegetables with buttered breadcrumbs; using minced parsley and boiled eggs (Polonaise garnish); and adding horseradish, lemon juice, or sour cream to sauces like velouté.[5][6]
History
Middle Ages
Polish cuisine in the
During the Middle Ages Polish cuisine was heavy and spicy. Two main ingredients were meat (both
Owing to close trade relations with Turkey and the countries in the Caucasus, the price of spices (such as black pepper and nutmeg) was much lower in Poland than the rest of Europe, hence spicy sauces became popular. The usage of two basic sauces, the jucha czerwoná and jucha szará (meaning "red" and "gray blood" in Old Polish), remained widespread at least until the 18th century.[9]
Daily beverages included milk,
Renaissance
The Italian Queen
Polish-style pickled cucumber (ogórek kiszony) is a variety developed in the northern part of Central Europe. It was exported worldwide and is found in the cuisines of many countries. It is usually preserved in wooden barrels. A cucumber only pickled for a few days is different in taste (less sour) than one pickled for a longer time and is called ogórek małosolny (lit. 'lightly salted gherkin'). Another kind of pickled gherkin popular in Poland is ogórek konserwowy (lit. 'preserved gherkin'), which is preserved with vinegar rather than pickled and uses different spices creating a sweet and sour taste, and well-known in Jewish cuisine.
The court of Queen Bona was followed the Italian fashion, because she exclusively employed Italian chefs, some of whom were originally hired to prepare parties for aristocratic families but who were soon serving typical Italian dishes as part of the court's daily menu. Court records show that Queen Bona imported large volumes of southern European, American, and Western Asian fruits (oranges, lemons, pomegranates, olives, figs, tomatoes), vegetables (potatoes and corn), nuts (chestnuts, raisins, and almonds, including marzipan), along with grains (such as rice), cane sugar, and Italian olive oil. The court also imported various herbs and spices including black pepper, fennel, saffron, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.[12]
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Until the
Records show that her visiting guests were entertained with game, fowl (
Among the most influential regional cuisines under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth were
With the subsequent decline of Poland, and the grain crisis that followed
After World War II
After the end of
With time, the shortage economy led to scarcity of meat, coffee, tea, and other basic ingredients. Many products like chocolate, sugar, and meat were rationed, with a specific limit depending on social class and health requirements. Physical workers and pregnant women were generally entitled to more food products. Imports were restricted, so much of the food supply was domestic. Cuisine became homogeneous, to be a chef was no longer a prestigious profession, and for decades the country became basically disconnected from any foreign cuisine.[21] Tropical fruits (such as citrus, banana, and pineapple) were available during holidays, while local fruits and vegetables were mostly seasonal but were available at private stands. For most of the year, people had to get by with only domestic winter fruit and vegetables: apples, plums, currants, onions, potatoes, cabbage, root vegetables, and frozen products. Other food products (of foreign origins) were seldom available at markets at high prices.
This situation led in turn to gradual replacement of traditional Polish cuisine with food prepared from anything available at the time. Among popular dishes introduced by public restaurants were kotlet mielony (meatballs), a sort of hamburger often served with beetroot puree and raw carrots. The traditional recipes were mostly observed during the Wigilia feast (Christmas Eve), for which many families tried to prepare 12 traditional courses.[22]
A popular form of fish dish was, and still is, the
Modern era
With the
Recent years have seen the advent of the
American fast food in Poland, often McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut, are in decline as Polish people prefer their own cuisine, including fast food.[citation needed] Meanwhile, doner kebabs are gaining popularity. Nonetheless, in most of Poland one can still get traditional and very popular Polish street food such as the zapiekanka, a pizza-like baguette with cheese, mushrooms, onion, ketchup, and sometimes meat. There are also many small-scale, quick-service restaurants which serve kebabs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and Polish kiełbasa (sausage). In the southern mountainous region, oscypek served with cranberry jam is a popular street food.
In a 2023 survey on "100 Best Cuisines in the World" conducted by TasteAtlas, Polish cuisine was ranked 13th.[26]
Holiday meals
Christmas dishes
Traditional
Fat Thursday
Tłusty Czwartek, or "Fat Thursday", is a Polish culinary custom on the last Thursday before
The most popular sweetmeats on 'Fat Thursday' are
The original doughnuts, popular until the 16th century, were made of the same dough as bread, and would be filled with pork and fried on smalec. Only later were they made as patisserie.[citation needed]
Easter breakfast
A typical
Regional cuisines
Poland has a number of unique regional cuisines with differences in preparation and ingredients. For an extensive list of the dishes typical of
Greater Poland
Typical for Greater Poland are various dishes using potatoes – especially pyry z gzikiem (potatoes with quark cheese mixed with sour cream, onions and chieves). Popular are also poultry dishes like kaczka po poznańsku (duck meat with red cabbage and steam-cooked dumplings), czernina (duck blood soup) and goose meat eaten on the Saint Martin's Day.
Other famous specialities include rogale świętomarcińskie (croissants filled with white poppy seeds), fried cheese and a beer Grodziskie/Grätzer (made from oak-smoked wheat malt and with a low alcohol content).
Lesser Poland
The city of
The area near Nowy Sącz and Limanowa is rich in quality plums; popular are prunes called suska sechlońska and plum brandy slivovitz.
The mountain areas of Lesser Poland, especially Podhale, are famous for its sheep milk cheeses like bundz, creamy bryndza or smoked oscypek. Other popular dishes include a milk drink żętyca, a sauerkraut soup kwaśnica, placek po zbójnicku (potato pancakes with goulash on top) and a góral tea (tea with alcohol).
Lubelszczyzna
Many dishes in Lublin cuisine have Jewish roots, like cebularz (flatbread topped with onion and poppy seads) and forszmak (soup with various types of meat).
Important local ingredient is groat – typical dish consisting of it is a pie called pieróg biłgorajski.
Kashubia and Pomerania
Because of the proximity to the sea, typical for the region are various forms of fish dishes like śledź po kaszubsku (herring in tomato marinade with onion) and fried cod or flounder.
Other famous specialties include kashubian strawberry (kaszëbskô malëna), gingerbreads from Toruń and alcohol beverages from Gdańsk: Goldwasser (herbal liqueur with flakes of gold leaf) and machandel (juniper vodka).
In Szczecin, typical regional products are paszteciki (pastries with meat or vegetarian filling) and fish spread paprykarz szczeciński. Besides, in the resort towns along the westpomeranian Baltic coast, popular street foods are sandwiches with herring, similar to German Fischbrötchen.
Masovia
Modern Warsaw, as a capital, has a very cosmopolitan cuisine combining various international foods. However, there are also some typical traditional dishes like Warsaw tripe, pyzy z mięsem (potato dumpling with meat) and pork knuckles in jelly (popular as a vodka chaser).
Famous are many desserts of Warsaw origin, like chocolate cream cake
Out of Warsaw, typical regional products include apples from Grójec and piwo kozicowe from Kurpie region (low-alcohol juniper beverage).
Podlaskie
Podlaskie cuisine has many Lithuanian, Belarusian and Tatar influences. Popular dishes, also known from the aforementioned cuisines, include kartacze (potato dumplings with meat), babka ziemniaczana (potato pie) and pierekaczewnik (meat pie).
In addition, famous are the cold beetroot or cucumber soup chłodnik, cheese koryciński and desserts: sękacz (simnal cake) and marcinek [pl] (layered cake with cream).
Podlaskie is also known from high-quality alcoholic beverages like vodka with bison grass żubrówka and home-made strong vodka duch puszczy.
Silesia
Silesian cuisine combines Polish, German, Czech and Austrian influences. The most iconic dish is rolada – rolled beef patty usually served with silesian dumplings and red cabbage. Other popular foods are sourdough soup żur śląski, meatballs karminadle and blood sausage krupniok.
Typical desserts are cakes like the kołocz śląski, candies kopalnioki and wafers oblaty śląskie.
Traditional dishes from Lower Silesia include śląskie niebo (pork with dried fruits and spices), gingerbread cake legnicka bomba, herbal liqueur Echt Stonsdorfer (today produced in Germany, but similar product known as Likier Karkonoski is produced in Poland) and modern fast-food from Wrocław – knysza.
Warmia–Masuria
The cuisine of Warmia–Masuria connects German and Eastern influences (especially from the former
Soups
All soups have fresh stock—made from chicken, beef, pork ribs, vegetables, or a combination of several root vegetables. Meat is either chopped and eaten with soup, used to make the next dish, or eaten with bread. It is common to eat two dishes during dinner: (1) a soup, and (2) a side (potato, rice, groats, pasta) with meat, stews, or sweet dishes. Although cream or purée soups are not common or traditional in Poland, they are still prepared because of the influence of other countries' cuisine. Often soups are whitened by adding a splash of sour or double cream.
- Zupa pomidorowa – Thin tomato soup made with tomato purée, root vegetables, and stock, usually served with pasta or rice; sour cream is often added.
- Kartoflanka – Potato soup with root vegetables.
- Czarnina (or czernina) – Duck soup made with duck broth or duck blood, the latter giving the soup a dark, almost black, colour. Recipes vary widely, but often sweet and sour ingredients are added, typically vinegar and often sugar, fruit juice, or fruit such as prunes or pears. It is usually served with the duck meat and Kluski-style noodles. Nowadays, it is not commonly eaten.
- Chłodnik litewski – Cold soup made of soured milk or sour cream, young beet leaves, cucumbers, and chopped fresh dill. Sometimes chives and radishes are added.
- Botwinka – Beet leaves soup with potatoes and root vegetables, served hot.
- Barszcz czerwony (red borscht) – Clear beetroot soup made out of stock, beetroots, and beetroot sourdough; served with uszka, krokiet made from naleśniki, pasztecik, pierogi, and rarely with white beans, red kidney beans, or mashed potatoes. It is a very important dish during Christmas Eve.
- Zupa buraczkowa – Beetroot soup with grated beetroots, cubed potatoes, and root vegetables. Sometimes it is called "red borscht", like the one cooked during Christmas Eve, even though it does not contain beetroot sourdough. It is slightly sweet but not sour.
- Barszcz ukraiński (Ukrainian borscht) – Beetroot soup with addition of sliced white cabbage, white or red kidney beans, and diced or puréed tomatoes. In Ukraine, beans are not used in this dish.
- Zupa szczawiowa – Sorrel soup made of sorrel leaves and rice, served with hard-boiled egg.
- Flaki (or flaczki) – Beef or pork tripe stew with marjoram and spices. Vegetarians make this soup with oyster mushrooms.
- Rosół – Clear chicken soup served with noodles, usually short vermicelli. The stock is made of root vegetables and whole chicken, beef, or both.
- Zupa grzybowa / pieczarkowa – Mushroom soup made of white or wild mushrooms with potatoes or pasta. During Christmas Eve it is instead served with łazanki pasta or uszka.
- sour, salted cucumbers.
- Żur – Fermented cereal soup made of wholemeal rye sourdough, although oat sourdough is used in Lesser Poland and Podlachia, and buckwheat sourdough is used in Lublin Voivodeship.[29] Like żurek and zalewajka, it is served with mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, cooked and smoked bacon, and biała kiełbasa (white kielbasa).
- Żurek – Fermented cereal soup, more delicate than żur because it is made of wheat flour sourdough. Colloquially (but improperly) it is often called barszcz biały (white bortscht).[29]
- Zalewajka (rye soup) – Fermented cereal soup made with sour rye. Served with sliced smoked pork sausage, cooked and smoked bacon, and separately cooked and diced potatoes.
- Barszcz biały – Fermented cereal soup made with wheat flour. Traditionally, cabbage sourdough (sauerkraut juice) or cucumber sourdough (sour pickled cucumbers juice) is used. Still, they can be replaced by using citric acid.[29]
- Grochówka – Pea soup with split peas, potato, carrot, parsley root, kielbasa or fried bacon, and marjoram.
- Kapuśniak – Sauerkraut soup with potatoes, root vegetables (parsley root, carrots, celery root), bacon, and pork ribs.[30]
- Kwaśnica – Sauerkraut soup with potatoes and ribs. Similar to kapuśniak, but omits other vegetables and tastes sourer.[30]
- Forszmak lubelski – Pork or beef, smoked bacon, white mushrooms, sour pickled cucumbers, red bell pepper, tomato puree, spices, onion, and garlic.
- Chłodnik – Cold soup made of raw, partially blended, or cooked and chilled vegetables with yoghurt or sour cream (such as cucumber chłodnik or tomato chłodnik). Often served with cooked potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, or both.
- Zupa fasolowa (bean soup) – Made with white beans, root vegetables, smoked sausage (kielbasa), fried bacon, and marjoram.
- Zupa kapuściana (cabbage soup) – Made with stock, chopped white cabbage, root vegetables, tomato puree and potatoes.
- Zupa jarzynowa (vegetable soup) – Made with potatoes, green beans, root vegetables, cauliflower, peas, and sometimes brussels sprouts.
- Zupa ryżowa (rice soup) – Made with rice, potatoes, and root vegetables with chicken.
- Zupa koperkowa (dill soup) – Made with chicken stock, root vegetables, a big amount of dill, spring onion, potatoes or baby potatoes, and sometimes with sour or double cream.
- Zupa chrzanowa (horseradish soup) – Made with white kielbasa, smoked bacon or pork ribs, sour cream, horseradish, garlic, potatoes, and root vegetables for stock; can be served with hard-boiled eggs.
- Zupa gołąbkowa – Soup with minced meat, cabbage, tomato puree, tomatoes, rice, and spices.
- Zupa kalafiorowa (cauliflower soup) – Made with stock, potatoes, cauliflower florets, and root vegetables.
- Zupa brokułowa (broccoli soup) – Made with stock, potatoes, broccoli florets, and root vegetables.
- Zupa gulaszowa (goulash soup) – Made with pork, beef, potatoes, onion or leek, passata, tomato puree, paprika, and red bell pepper. It is similar to Hungarian goulash, whilst Polish goulash is similar to pörkölt.
- Zupa soczewicowa (or soczewicy) (lentil soup) – Made with green or red lentils, garlic, tomatoes, tomato puree, onion, and double or sour cream. May be served with pasta or potatoes.
- Zupa owocowa (fruit soup) – Served cold with different fruits and pasta during hot summer.
Meat and fish
- Baranina – Roasted, stewed, or grilled mutton.
- Bigos – Stew of mainly sauerkraut, cabbage, and meats such as smoked kielbasa and bacon. Also contains mushrooms, onions, and sometimes tomato puree. It is known as a "hunter's stew" due to the addition of game and scraps of other meats.
- Bitki wołowe z pieczarkami / grzybami – Thin slices of beef braised with mushrooms.
- Bitki wieprzowe w sosie własnym – Thin slices of pork in gravy, braised with onions.
- Golonka – Stewed pork knuckle or hock.
- white cabbage. Rarely, it can be made with red cabbage or sauerkraut leaves. Modern versions include use of chinese cabbageor filling wrapped in zucchini slices. This dish is either cooked or baked.
- Gołąbki bez zawijania (gołąbki without wrapping) – Large meatballs filled with chopped cabbage, onion and rice.
- Gulasz – Meat stew originated from Hungarian pörkölt with onions, tomatoes, red bell peppers, and paprika.
- Karkówka – Pork neck, roasted, grilled, or braised with onions.
- Kiełbasa– Sausage, smoked or boiled, usually made with pork. It is a staple of Polish cuisine and comes in dozens of varieties.
- Kotlet mielony – Minced meat (pork, pork-beef, or turkey) patty made with egg, breadcrumbs, chopped onions, wet bread, and spices, often rolled in breadcrumbs. Sometimes filled with cheese, mushrooms, or both.
- Kotlet schabowy – Thinly pounded pork loin cutlet coated in breadcrumbs. It is a variation of schnitzel.
- Kurczak Pieczony – Roasted chicken.
- Pieczeń cielęca – Roasted veal.
- Pieczeń wieprzowa z winem – Roasted pork in wine gravy.
- Polędwiczki wołowe – Braised beef sirloin slices.
- Pulpety or Klopsiki w sosie – Polish style meatballs in tomato, mushroom, or dill sauce.
- Rolada z mięsa mielonego z pieczarkami – Minced meat roulade with mushrooms.
- Schab Faszerowany – Stuffed pork loin.
- Wołowina Pieczona – Roasted beef.
- Zrazy zawijane – Thin beef fillets rolled and filled with bacon, mushrooms, mustard, gherkins, and onions.
- Roladki schabowe/z kurczaka – Thin pork/chicken fillets rolled with filling including version with cheese.
- Żeberka wędzone – Smoked spare ribs.
- Filet z dorsza – Cod fillet with or without batter. Can be steam cooked or baked.
- Łosoś – Steamed or baked salmon fillet.
- Pstrąg – Poached or baked trout.
- Rolmopsy – Rolled pickled herring fillets stuffed with pickled onion or cucumbers.
- Ryba Smażona – Fried breaded fish fillet.
- Śledzie – Herring marinated in oil or vinegar with onions.
- Śledzie w śmietanie – Herring marinated in sour cream with onions. Sour pickled cucumbers, apples, and mushrooms can also be added.
- Zimne nogi – Polish savoury jelly based on bone broth made from pork legs and served with chopped meat and vegetables, like peas or carrots. Served with a drizzle of vinegar or lemon juice. Dish originates from Jewish cuisine. If using meat other than pork leg, it is called galareta.
Flour or potato-based
- Pierogi – Half-moon-shaped dumplings with various fillings. Savoury pierogi may be filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms, potato, quark and fried onion (pierogi ruskie, Ruthenian pierogi), minced meat, or buckwheat groats and quark or mushrooms. Sweet pierogi can be made with sweet quark or with fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, cherries, plums, raspberries, apples, or even chocolate.[31]
- Uszka – Tiny dumplings traditionally filled only with mushrooms and onions. Other fillings used are mushrooms with sauerkraut or rarely cooked[clarification needed] and minced meat with onions. When filled with meat, they are served with clear borscht, clear mushroom soup, or broth.
- Kołduny – Stuffed dumplings with raw minced beef and mutton, beef dripping, fried onions, and spices. Potato kalduny is a different dish from Subcarpathia made from potato dough filled with twaróg (quark), potatoes, and onions.
- Placki ziemniaczane / kartoflane – Potato pancakes with grated potatoes, onions, eggs, wheat flour, and marjoram.
- Pyzy – Potato dumplings made with raw, grated potatoes, egg, flour, and sometimes filled with minced meat; then cooked.
- Knedle – Potato dumplings made with cooked potatoes and starch. Usually filled with fruits, most popular being plums and strawberries.
- Kopytka – Hoof-shaped potato dumplings made of cooked potatoes, egg, and flour. Often served with breadcrumbs, sugar, and melted butter or fried bacon.
- Pierogi / kluski leniwe – Hoof-shaped dumplings made of flour or potatoes, eggs, and quark.
- Kluski śląskie – Dumplings in small donut-like shape made with boiled potatoes and potato starch. Often served with gravy or meat stew.
- Czarne / szare kluski – Dumplings black or gray in colour, made of raw grated potatoes and potato starch.
- Pampuchy / kluski na parze / pyzy drozdżowe – Steamed yeast wheat flour dumplings served with fruit yoghurt or jam. They can be also served savoury with gravy or filled with chocolate.
- Kluski kładzione (laid dumplings) – Dumplings made of thick batter with flour and eggs laid in boiling water.
- Lane Kluski (poured dumplings) – Dumplings made of thin batter with flour, milk, and eggs, usually poured straight into soup.
- Zacierki (grated dumplings) – Grated or chopped dough into tiny balls and cooked.
- Naleśniki – Thicker and plumper version of crêpes, served with sweet or savoury filling.
- Krokiety (croquettes) – In Poland, they are made of naleśniki, often filled with either sauerkraut and mushrooms or ham and cheese, then folded like a burrito, breaded, and fried. Commonly served with clear borscht.
- jam.
- Łazanki – Pasta shaped like small squares. This Polish version is served with sauerkraut, onion, and fried kielbasa or fried bacon.
- Zapiekanka – Open faced sandwich made from a veka roll sliced in half and topped with tomato sauce, mushrooms, and cheese. Zapiekanka can also be anything baked in casserole dish with added egg and cream mixture, so it holds together when removed. It usually involves meats, vegetables with potatoes or pasta, and melted cheese on top. A baked Polish fast food.
- Knysza – Polish fast food with yeast bread roll filled with red and white cabbage, tomato, cucumber, pickled cucumber, onion, fried onion, corn, and sometimes fried chicken with garlic mayonnaise sauce. It originated in Wrocław.
- Smażone ziemniaki / bratkartofle – Fried slices of potatoes (often previously cooked) usually (1) eaten with a fried egg, (2) mixed in scrambled eggs, onions, and grilled, or (3) mixed with fried, sliced kielbasa. Whole dish and serving with eggs (German: bratkartoffeln mit ei) or sausage (bratkartoffeln mit wurst) comes from Germany. In Poland, it is often eaten with a glass of sour buttermilk or kefir.
- Makaron z jajkiem – Fried (cooked) pasta with fried onions, scrambled eggs, and butter; sometimes cheese, bacon, or ham can be added. It is a version of Italian spaghetti carbonara (Italian: spaghetti con uova e cipolla).
Side dishes and salads
- Kasza – Cooked groats; most popular are groats of buckwheat, barley, millet, and wheat.
- Mizeria – Traditional Polish salad made with sliced cucumbers, sour cream, and spices; served as a side.
- Surówka z jabłka i marchewki – Carrot salad made with peeled and grated carrots, apples, oil, and lemon juice.
- Surówka z ogórków i pomidorów – Salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and oil or sour cream.
- Ziemniaki gotowane – Simple boiled potatoes sprinkled with dill.
- Tłuczone ziemniaki – Mashed potatoes.
- Surówka z białej kapusty – Salad with shredded cabbage, carrots, and spices, often with grated apples.
- Surówka z kiszonej kapusty – Salad with sauerkraut, carrots, parsley, apples, and lemon juice.
- Sałatka warzywna or Jarzynowa – Salad of cooked vegetables such as parsley root, carrot, potatoes, celery root, pickled cucumbers in brine, and hard-cooked eggs in mayonnaise and mustard. Also often contains corn, peas, apple, onion, leek, or even red kidney beans. A traditional Polish side dish.
- Kapusta zasmażana – Sauerkraut or white cabbage pan-fried with onions and spices, often with fried bacon.
- Kapusta na gęsto – Braised white cabbage with onions, dill, and double cream.
- Surówka – Any salad made of raw vegetables with drizzle of vinegar, oil, sour cream, or yoghurt.
- Sałatka – Any salad made of cooked vegetables, usually with mayonnaise.
- Sałatka burakowa / buraczki tarte – Cooked and grated beetroot salad; can be made warm or cold.
- Ćwikła – Cooked and grated beetroots with horseradish paste and lemon juice.
- Fasolka szparagowa z czosnkiem – Green beans with garlic and butter or oil; originated in Italy.
- Kalafior / fasolka szparagowa / brukselka z bułką tartą – Cooked cauliflower, green beans, or Brussels sprouts with a polonaise sauce made of fried breadcrumbs in butter.
- Brokuł / kalafior z sosem czosnkowym – Cooked broccoli or cauliflower with a garlic sauce.
- Ogórek kiszony – Polish pickled cucumber, fermented in brine consisting of dill and dill flower, garlic, salt, and spices.
- Ogórek konserwowy – Pickled cucumber in vinegar, which is rather sweet and vinegary in taste.
- Grzyby marynowane – Marinated mushrooms.
- Sałatka szwedzka – Preserved salad made with cucumbers, onions, carrots, vinegar, and spices.
- Sałatka ziemniaczana – Potato salad made with cooked potatoes, onions, pickled cucumbers, dill, and mayonnaise; sometimes with added smoked bacon or herring fillets marinated in oil or vinegar. Originally from Germany.
- Sałatka śledziowa – Marinated herring salad with pickled cucumbers, onions, and sour cream; sometimes eggs and apples are added.
Bread
Bread (chleb) and bread rolls (bułka (bread roll), bajgiel, rogal, bułka paryska) have been an essential part of Polish cuisine and tradition for centuries. Today, bread remains one of the most important foods in the Polish cuisine. The main ingredient for Polish bread is rye or wheat. Traditional bread has a crunchy crust, a soft interior, and an unforgettable aroma. Such bread is made with sourdough, which lends it a distinctive taste. It can be stored for a week or so without getting too hard and is not crumbly when cut.
In Poland, welcoming with bread and salt ("chlebem i solą") is often associated with the traditional hospitality ("staropolska gościnność") of the Polish nobility (
Desserts and sweets
- Beza – Type of sweet meringue in biscuit form, occasionally with topping.
- Makowiec – Sweet poppy-seed swiss roll, with raisins, dried fruits, and walnuts.
- Pączek – Closed donuts filled with rose petal jam, other fruit conserves, custard, chocolate, or quark with sugar.
- Pierniki – Soft gingerbread biscuit forms of pryanik, unfilled or filled with marmalade of different fruit flavours, and sometimes covered with chocolate.
- Sernik (twaróg, a type of fresh cheese similar to quark. It can be baked or refrigerated. It might be flavoured with vanilla, lemon peel, or orange peel. Sometimes raisins or various fresh fruits are added. Commonly topped with a chocolate topping or sprinkled with coconut-flakes or nuts. It is very popular to garnish it with a sweet jelly topping with a variety of fresh fruits when it is unbaked.
- nuts.
- Chałka – Sweet white wheat bread of Jewish origin (challah).
- Kogel mogel (eggnog) – Made from egg yolks, sugar, and flavourings such as honey, vanilla, or cocoa. Traditional for Polish Jews.
- Krówki – Polish fudge; soft milk toffee candies.
- millefeuille. An alternative but less popular version is kremówka, often filled with whipped cream instead of custard cream.
- Keks – Cake with candied and dried fruit.
- Babka – Polish version of a pound cake, made with or without yeast. It is served with powdered sugar or icing. Can be made as a marble cake.
- Miodownik – Layered honey cake filled with vanilla pastry cream and ganache on top.
- Orzechowiec – Layered nut cake filled with vanilla pastry cream and kajmak, topped with chopped nuts.
- Ciasto marchewkowe – Carrot cake with added nuts and honey, sometimes layered with whipped cream.
- Ciasto bez pieczenia / na zimno – Various types of unbaked and refrigerated cakes made of biscuits, ladyfingers, crackers, or sponge cake with vanilla, whipped cream, coconut, jelly, mascarpone, semolina, or poppy seed filling. Often topped with ganache.
- Karpatka – Cream pie made of two layers of choux pastry filled with vanilla pastry cream.
- Wuzetka – Layered chocolate sponge cake filled with jam and whipped cream, associated with Warsaw.
- Ptasie mleczko – Chocolate-covered candy filled with soft meringue (or milk soufflé).
- Kisiel – Clear, jelly-like sweet fruit liquid, made with starch, sugar, and fruits or fruit juice.
- Budyń – Pudding that usually comes in many different flavours, such as sweet cream, vanilla, chocolate, cherry, and more.
- Faworki– Light fried pastry covered with powdered sugar.
- Pańska Skórka, Miodek – Hard Stare Miasto (Old Town) in Warsaw.
- Kutia – Grain dish made with wheat, poppy seeds, nuts, raisins, and honey. Not traditionally Polish, but served during Christmas in the eastern regions like Białystok and Podlachia.
- Prince Polo - Polish chocolate bar.
- Mieszanka Wedlowska – Assorted chocolate covered candy.
- Torcik Wedlowski – Large, circular, chocolate covered wafer with hand-made decorations.
- Pawełek – Chocolate bar with a flavoured filling, most popular contains advocaat.
- Śliwka w czekoladzie – Chocolate-covered prune.
- Ryż z jabłkami – Type of a rice pudding baked or cooked with apples and cinnamon.
Beverages
Alcohol
Traditional Polish alcoholic beverages include
Among alcoholic beverages, Polish vodka—traditionally prepared from grain or potatoes—has essentially displaced the formerly widespread mead.[33]
Some sources suggest that the first production of vodka took place in Poland as early as the 8th century, becoming more widespread in the 11th century.
Vodka production on a much larger scale began in Poland at the end of the 16th century. By the 17th and 18th centuries, Polish vodka was known in the Netherlands, Denmark, England, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and the Black Sea basin.[35] Vodka was the most popular alcoholic drink in Poland until 1998, when it was surpassed by beer.[33]
Beside clear vodkas, flavoured vodka (known as
Non-alcoholic drinks
Traditionally,
Since the turn of the century, tea is perhaps the most popular beverage, usually served with a slice of lemon and sweetened with either sugar or honey. Tea came to Poland from England shortly after its appearance in Western Europe, mainly due to the Dutch merchants. However, its prevalence is attributed to the Russians in the 19th century – at this time samovars imported from Russia become commonplace in Polish homes. Tea with milk is called bawarka (lit. 'Bavarian style').[43]
Coffee has been widely drunk since the 18th century, when Poland bordered the Ottoman Empire.
Other frequently consumed beverages include buttermilk, kefir, soured milk, instant coffee, various mineral waters, juices, and numerous brands of soft drinks. A considerable number of Poles enjoy carbonated water, and customers in restaurants are always offered both still and sparkling (carbonated) water to drink.[44]
Lists of common Polish dishes found on a national level
- List of common Polish soups
- Common main courses
- Common desserts
- Common beverages
- Common folk medicine
See also
References
- ^ Polish Meals – Polish Food – Polish Cuisine Archived 28 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- Webster'sOnline Dictionary. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ "Always home-made, tomato soup is one of the first things a Polish cook learns to prepare." [in:] Marc E. Heine. Poland. 1987
- kiełbasa z kapustą, przede wszystkim zaś rozmaite kasze" Zbigniew Kuchowicz Obyczaje staropolskie XVII-XVIII wieku. 1975; "pieczeń cielęca pieczona (panierowana), pieczeń cielęca zapiekana w sosie beszamelowym, pieczeń huzarska (=pieczeń wołowa przekładana farszem), pieczeń rzymska (klops), pieczeń rzymska (klops z cielęciny) w sosie śmietanowym, pieczeń rzymska z królika " [in:] Stanisław Berger. Kuchnia polska. 1974.; Polish Holiday Cookery by Robert Strybel. [1]2003
- ^ "À la Polonaise". CooksInfo.
- ^ "Do You Know What Garnishing à la Polonaise Means? Read On". The Spruce Eats.
- ^ Robert Strybel, Maria Strybel. Polish Heritage Cookery (Wildfowl and Game). Hippocrene Books. 2005. p. 350.
- ^ Maria Dembińska, William Woys Weaver. Food and Drink in Medieval Poland: Rediscovering a Cuisine of the Past. University of Pennsylvania Press. 1999 p. 95.
- ^ Wojciech Staszewski (August 2006). "Bycze jądra z grilla". Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish). Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2006.
- ^ History of Mead, a favored drink among the Polish-Lithuanian szlachta. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d "History of vodka production, at the official page of Polish Spirit Industry Association (KRPS), 2007". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Jerzy Pasikowski (2011). "Wpływy kuchni innych narodów na kształt kuchni polskiej (Influences of cuisines of other nations in Polish cuisine)". Portal Gastronomiczny NewsGastro. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
- ^ "The eclectic cuisine of Poland". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ Robert Strybel, Maria Strybel. Polish Heritage Cookery. Hippocrene Books. 2005. p. 13.
- ISSN 1230-4018.
- ^ "19th-Century Polish Women's Cookbooks: The Hatching of a Social Monster". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Antique Cookbooks:The Meals of Poland's Past". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Jako zakonnik Święty Jacek działał w Polsce i na Rusi, był także przeorem w Kijowie, a stamtąd właśnie przyszły do nas wigilijne pierogi, knysze, kulebiaki. ..." [in:] Helena Szymanderska. Polska wigilia. 2000
- ^ "KOTLET SCHABOWY (POLISH PORK CUTLET)". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Kotlet schabowy". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "10 Surprising Eating Habits from the Communist-Regime Era". Culture.pl.
- ^ "Wigilia, A Polish Christmas Eve Tradition". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Taste Szczecin". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ Rose Petal Jam - Recipes and Stories from a Summer in Poland, by Beata Zatorska and Simon Target, published by Tabula Books 2011
- ^ Rzeczpospolita "Dżem z płatków róży, czyli kuchnia polska po angielsku | rp.pl". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "100 Best Cuisines". tasteatlas.com. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "The 12 Dishes of Polish Christmas". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "What is Poland's 'Fat Thursday'? Everything You Need to Know About Tłusty Czwartek". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ a b c "Żur, żurek i barszcz biały. Na czym polega różnica? | ArtKulinaria".
- ^ a b "Czym się różnią kwaśnica i kapuśniak?".
- ^ "How To Make Pierogi And Pierogi Recipes". Tasting Poland. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ ""Chlebem i solą. Dawne uczty polskie" - Kalendarz wydarzeń kulturalnych w Culture.pl - Culture.pl". 17 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-05-17.
- ^ a b "EJPAU 2004. Kowalczuk I. CONDITIONS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CONSUMPTION AMONG POLISH CONSUMERS". www.ejpau.media.pl.
- ^ Origins & Development of Vodka. The Gin and Vodka Association. ginvodka.org
- ISBN 978-8392886105.
- ^ a b Snopkow, Paweł (2021-10-23). "Kwas chlebowy. Zapomniany skarb polskiej kuchni". gazetaolsztynska.pl. Gazeta Olsztyńska. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
- ^ S.A, Wirtualna Polska Media (8 January 2016). "Historia kwasu chlebowego - Co warto wiedzieć o kwasie chlebowym". kuchnia.wp.pl.
- ^ "Zdrowe orzeźwienie. Powraca moda na kwas chlebowy". gazetapl.
- ISSN 1231-2126.
- ^ "Historia kwasu chlebowego". kwaschlebowy.eu. Eko-Natura. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
W wieku XX kwas został zapomniany, wyparty przez wody gazowane i inne słodkie napoje.
- ^ "Kwas chlebowy sapieżyński kodeński". Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Mucha, Sławomir (2018-06-03). "Kwas chlebowy". Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
- ^ "Bawarka in English, translation, Polish-English Dictionary". Glosbe.
- ^ "Pijemy ją na potęgę, a ma "żrące" działanie na nasz organizm. Badania pokazują, że jej kupno oznacza wyrok dla zdrowia". INNPoland.pl.