🥟 Top 10 Polish dishes: gastronomic journey
National cuisine always has its own history, taste and can introduce you to the culture and way of life of the country. This time I want to immerse you a little into the world of Polish cuisine. What is she like? The first thing that comes to mind is hearty. Having tasted even one dish, you will never remain hungry. And the taste of Polish national dishes can be spicy, pickled and sweet and sour. Polish cuisine will remain in your memory forever!
Zurek
The list opens with the most famous Polish soup. It is so popular among Poles that it can even be served at a wedding! It also appears on the Easter table.
Zurek is a soup made from fermented flour with meat broth. In each region, recipes differ and the dish is prepared differently: in some places they add horseradish, and in others they add brisket. Mostly it is served in a bread plate, but there are places where they can also serve it in an ordinary tureen. It is customary to eat soup with sour cream and herbs.
Mazurek
This is a low pie made from shortcrust pastry and with a variety of fillings: candied fruits, oranges, caramel, nuts, dried fruits. Cooks can combine several types of cakes if desired. Mazurek is considered an Easter dish, but you can try it at other times.
Cheesecake
In comparison, a cheesecake is something between a cheesecake and a cottage cheese casserole. The base is shortbread dough, curd filling and cream, sometimes lemon juice and raisins can be added.
You can try cheesecake almost everywhere: from bakeries to cafes or in supermarkets by weight. One important caveat: this is a dairy product – it cannot be carried across the border. Therefore, you can only enjoy this dish in the country.
Senkacz
Senkach is a cake that resembles a tree. What makes it special? It is cooked on a spit. It is poured with dough, rotated and watered again. But there is another way: the dough can be slowly dripped onto the spit without outside help, and the senkach is cooked directly over the fire.
Flaki
Another Polish soup, which is famous for its richness and nutrition. It is prepared from part of a beef stomach. To cook it, you need to stand in the kitchen for about five hours.
When cooking, the tripe is brought to a boil several times, the water is drained and the process is repeated. The remaining tripe is separated and boiled for about three and a half hours. And this alone takes up most of the cooking time.
Rumor has it that this soup was the favorite dish of Vladislav Jagiello himself. In the modern version, flasks can be found with bacon, tomato paste, etc.
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Bigos
This dish is also called hunter's stew, as it is very filling. The classic version uses sauerkraut and any stewed meat. But the Poles now put whatever they want there: from sausages to mushrooms.
Golonka
It is also called pork butt or knuckle. Golonka is usually slowly fried until it is a nice, juicy brown color. They can also stew it in dark beer.
Served whole, often with mashed potatoes, cabbage and various boiled vegetables. Golonka is usually included in the menu at weddings and other special events. But golonka is also one of the main dishes in Polish restaurants.
Kaszanka
Kaszanka is a fairly popular sausage in Poland. Some people like it, but others are horrified. And all because it is made from animal blood, pork by-products, buckwheat or barley.
Previously, it appeared on the tables only of nobles, because the peasants could not afford it. In the modern world, Poles even cook kashanka on the grill.
St. Bagels Martina (rogale świętomarcińskie)
You can try bagels only in Poznan, as they are protected by the European Union and have PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status. This is a protection “badge” that the product is protected by the territory. This mark prohibits the production of the dish outside a specific region.
Popularly St. bagels Martins are also known as croissants or rolls. They are glazed pastries filled with white poppy seeds and nuts and raisins.
Torun gingerbread (pierniki)
This sweet has been produced in the city of Toruń for more than seven centuries. It is believed that local gingerbread is a traditional Christmas treat and a good souvenir. They can be completely different: glazed or covered with chocolate, filled with different jams or classic, and can also have different shapes. In general, everyone will find gingerbread to their liking.
True, to try them you will first have to be puzzled by the visa issue: both a regular visa and a Polish PBH visa will do. We also recommend choosing a tour, during which you can not only try local cuisine, but also get to know local attractions. There are tours to Poland to suit every taste.