What to eat in Poland. Polish food

Poland also specializes in baking bread. Black rye bread made from wholemeal flour is especially good. In addition to its wonderful taste, it is also very healthy and is included in the list of dietary foods.

No one Polish lunch not without the first course. Traditional soups are red beetroot soup- pure beetroot broth with spices, which is served with the so-called "ears", that is, small dumplings with mushroom or bean mince. Very tasty soup "zhur"(or zhurek) on kvass from wholemeal flour.

Zhurek often cooked with mushrooms, and served at the table, as a rule, with boiled potatoes, diced smoked meats and a hard-boiled egg. highly valued mushroom soup with vermicelli, seasoned with sour cream.

Others popular soups are: cabbage, krupnik, as well as potato or tomato. Particularly noteworthy is a clear broth made from poultry or beef, with pasta, thickly sprinkled with herbs.

Meat is cooked different ways: baked, stewed, fried in a pan or grilled. Meat dishes served hot - with delicious sauces, which are innumerable in Polish cuisine, or as cold appetizers - with mustard, horseradish, pickled mushrooms or pickles.

The classic meat dish is breaded pork chop, with potatoes and cabbage. The baked pork belly stuffed with prunes is also exceptionally tasty.

To popular pork dishes, you should add baked and boiled pork shank, lard- rendered pork fat with cracklings, pieces of meat, smoked meats, onions and garlic, with the addition of salt, pepper, and aromatic herbs, as well as "porridge"- a type of blood sausage.

Once upon a time "kashanka" considered a typical country homemade dish, today it is served as a delicacy in the best restaurants with traditional Polish cuisine.

One of the most delicious meat dishes are zrazy, rolled from pieces of beef with a variety of fillings, including pickles.

Usually zrazy is served with buckwheat or barley porridge. It is impossible not to remember stewed duck with mushrooms "in Krakow", to which porridge is served as a side dish. As a festive dish, it is prepared piglet, baked whole and stuffed with buckwheat porridge with hot spices.

Polish fish dishes very tasty. They are prepared from eel, perch, carp, sturgeon, sea fish. Fish can be cooked in a variety of ways: fried, steamed, boiled, fried in breadcrumbs and served with a variety of delicious fillings such as sauces and condiments.

Carp is especially popular and is included in various dishes, both on its own and in various sauces, such as Polish sauce with raisins and almonds.

Polish cuisine it is hard to imagine without dumplings with minced meat, or cabbage with mushrooms, as well as with cottage cheese or fruit filling.

But they are especially popular vareniki, which in Poland are called "Russians"(with minced cottage cheese, potatoes and fried onions). Pancakes, stuffed "pyzy" and dumplings are also successful among flour dishes.

The national Polish dish is considered "bigos" from stewed sauerkraut and fresh white cabbage with the addition of various types of meat, smoked meats and mushrooms. A good word must also be said about cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice or porridge. Stuffed cabbage is abundantly poured with tomato or mushroom sauce.

The most favorite snack of the Poles is herring, prepared in various ways, for example, with onions, apples and sour cream.

Traditional Polish desserts include sweet pies, most often - yeast, as well as a variety of rolls with poppy seeds, raisins, nuts and dried fruits, mazurkas, apple, cottage cheese pies and gingerbread. One of the favorite Polish delicacies is donuts stuffed with wild rose marmalade.

The most typical Polish alcoholic drink is vodka different varieties infused with different types of herbs. The most original vodkas include bison, into which grass stalks from Belovezhskaya Pushcha are dipped, which are eaten by bison. In turn, the Gdansk Goldwasser vodka is enriched with grains of 22-carat gold.

Poland will not disappoint beer lovers either: Polish beer of the same excellent quality as German or Czech, and breweries in cities such as Zywiec, Varka or Elbląg have a centuries-old tradition of making this drink.

In cold weather, Poles willingly drink warmed beer or wine with the addition of honey and spices from fragrant roots. Of the stronger alcoholic drinks worthy of attention fruit liqueurs or herbal tinctures.

Their choice in Poland is very large: from medicinal and warming liqueurs and tinctures to strong drinks, which are consumed solely because of their taste.

Shouldn't be overlooked liqueurs, drinking honey or any of cream cocktails with the addition of alcohol, made from egg yolks, vanilla or chocolate. These creams are also used in the preparation of various desserts.

The national cuisine of Poland was formed under the influence of Slavic and Western European cuisine. Many connoisseurs will see elements of Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Turkish and even Italian cuisines in Polish dishes. hallmark is the variety and satiety of dishes. Cooks use seasonings and spices to a minimum, but do it with great skill. The hallmark of the Poles is hospitality, which once again confirms our common Slavic roots. As they say in Poland - "Please go to the table, gentlemen."

As a rule, a feast, in the national cuisine of Poland , starts with the first course, most often it is soups. One of the most unusual is “chernina” (goose blood soup, giblets, dried fruits, spices and vegetables). Also try:

  • Khlodnik (okroshka on beet kvass, with the addition of cucumbers, eggs, dill and sour cream);
  • "zhurek" (sour cream soup with smoked meats, eggs, spices and roots);
  • "Red borscht" (beetroot soup, to which dumplings or dumplings are added);
  • « white borscht" (prepared on rye sourdough, with potatoes, marjoram and sour cream);
  • "krupnik" (soup from barley, smoked meat and vegetables);
  • "flyaki" (soup from beef stomach, meat and vegetables);
  • Rosul (soup from chicken broth, with noodles and herbs);
  • "Zupa ogurkova" (sauerkraut soup);
  • Zupa tomatova (tomato soup with rice or noodles);
  • "grohuvka" ( pea soup);
  • “Zupa mushroom” (mushroom soup, sometimes served in a bread pot instead of a plate).

Now let's move on to the second course. Bigos is considered the most national. There are many ways to prepare bigos, but the main ingredients always remain the same - stewed cabbage, mushrooms, sausages, pieces of smoked meat, spices and wine. Sometimes rice, prunes, vegetables and other ingredients are added to this dish. Also, try:

  • “pozhibrodu” - smoked brisket with cabbage;
  • "ges" - baked goose with apples;
  • Golonku - pork leg with pea puree;
  • “cutlet shabovi” - breaded pork cutlet;
  • "zrazh" - stew in sour cream sauce;
  • "kachku" - fried duck;
  • « Poledvichki volove» — beef fillet with mushroom sauce;
  • "karkuvku" - baked pork;
  • “Zheberku in myoze” - fried brisket with honey;
  • Klopsiki - meatloaf in tomato sauce;
  • "golabki" - cabbage rolls with rice and meat, in tomato sauce.

Famous, national cuisine of Poland , and fish dishes. It is considered traditional and even festive, " carp in Polish». Moreover, the head is served separately. No less delicious Hebrew carp", which is served in jelly with raisins. Gourmets will appreciate:

  • « baked pike" ,
  • « herring in sour cream sauce»,
  • « fish meatballs with gherkin»,
  • « hunting ear" ,
  • « zander roll",
  • « baked fish with horseradish",
  • « fried tench with sauce ".
    In addition, the Polish menu includes dishes from bream, cod, trout and salmon.

As a side dish, you will be offered: “ fritki" - french fries, " hooves" - hoof-shaped dumplings, buckwheat porridge, Silesian potato dumplings, fried potato pancakes, baked potatoes, pumpkin pancakes with sausage. Another essential ingredient in many dishes are mushrooms. They can be stewed, fried, boiled, pickled, salted.

Will please, the national cuisine of Poland , sweet lovers. Be sure to try:

  • "kolachki" - shortbread cookies with jam, rolled into envelopes;
  • "Mazurek" - shortcrust pastry pie, with fruit jam, sprinkled with powdered sugar;
  • "Polish grandmother" - a pie from yeast dough, covered with chocolate icing, stuffed with candied fruits, raisins, dried cherries, nuts;
  • Favorki - thin and fragile cakes;
  • Galaretka - fruit jelly with whipped cream;
  • "Makovets" - a pie with ground poppy seeds;
  • "sernik" - cottage cheese pie.

The climate of temperate latitudes dominates: winters are mild here, and summer weather pleases with a large number of warm days.

Many tourists from all over the world annually visit Polish resorts - Goldap, Augustow, Dombruvno ... Those who are interested in historical sights or modern architectural beauties also tend to Poland to see the palace and park ensemble Wilanow, Krakow Suburb, Castle Square of the Polish capital ... Those who want to learn more about the Polish national cuisine or just to refresh their strength for new tourist achievements, visit cafes and restaurants in Poland - and do not regret the time spent on it! But what exactly to try in Poland?

Food in Poland

Since Poland has a land border with our country, it is not surprising that Polish and Russian cuisines are similar in many ways, their mutual influence is obvious. But the national one also has many differences from the Russian one, because it was also formed under the influence of French, German, Ruthenian, Italian, Jewish and Oriental cuisines.

Modern national Polish cuisine has been created over the centuries, becoming more varied and tastier. Medieval Polish dishes contained large amounts of pepper and other spices, and were often served with very spicy sauces. Perhaps that is why the written sources of those times note that Polish cuisine, very satisfying and even heavy, seemed tasty not to everyone.

But times have changed. Now in Polish cooking, potato dishes have replaced a large number of cereals, and game has been replaced by pork and poultry meat. Tomatoes, which Poles had not yet heard of in the Middle Ages, gained great popularity. There have been a number of other changes as well. Their result is modern Polish cuisine, for which many tourists are ready to travel hundreds and even thousands of kilometers every year.

Dumplings, cabbage rolls, Polish soups and pies, rolls and donuts - that's just the beginning of a long list delicious meals which are equally popular with both tourists and locals. Polish cuisine has a lot of flour and meat, mushrooms, nuts, fruits, herbs are often mentioned in recipes.

In a story about Polish cuisine, one should at least briefly mention the famous bison - vodka infused with grass from Belovezhskaya Pushcha (bison are found there, hence the name of the drink). Many brands of vodka and other types of alcohol are produced in Poland, but Zubrovka is considered almost a hallmark of the country.

Top 10 Polish dishes

A thick soup made from tripe. Most often beef tripes are used. The composition of the dish also includes various roots and spices. Sometimes flour, lard and onions are added to the soup. The dish is served hot. It takes several hours to prepare. In order to try flaki, it is not necessary to visit a cafe or restaurant, the soup is sold in stores (poured into cans). And you can warm up the purchased dish in the hotel. Leaving Poland, tourists sometimes take a jar or two of this soup with them.

holodnik

Another first dish of Polish cuisine. Unlike the previous one, it is served cold. The basis of the soup is beetroot broth or kefir, the ingredients of the dish are chicken eggs, dill, cucumbers, onions, pickled beets and sour cream. Instead of beetroot broth, sorrel can be used. The dish is sometimes served with a side dish - boiled potatoes. The color of the holodnik resembles Russian borscht, but the taste is very different from it.

Not at all what we are accustomed to understand by the word "borscht". This Polish soup lacks cabbage and beets. For the preparation of white borscht, sourdough from rye flour is used. Important ingredients of the soup are potatoes and sour cream. The consistency of white borscht resembles pureed soup.

One of the most popular Polish dishes. There are so many bigos recipes that hardly any local resident knows them all. Polish chefs can argue for a long time about how to cook this dish correctly, and never come to a consensus. Most often, the ingredients of the dish are cabbage, pork, lard, smoked sausage. Mushrooms, tomatoes, spices, prunes, and wine are sometimes added to bigos. The dish is often served as an appetizer with vodka. Many locals eat bigos with bread, so it becomes even more satisfying.

Vareniki

Polish dumplings are called "pies" (with the accent on the second syllable). They can be boiled or fried - try and find out which you like best. The most diverse fillings are used - mushrooms, potatoes, cherries, apples ... And dumplings are often served with finely chopped greens.

sausages

Similar to German sausages, but many find the Polish dish more palatable. For the preparation of Polish sausages, several types of meat are used, cereals, potatoes, garlic, and various types of spices are added.

Casserole

And again - this is not at all what we Russians are used to understanding by the word "casserole". In Poland, this word refers to the national variety of fast food. It is very simple and very tasty: a long bun is baked with onions, cheese and mushrooms. Try it!

yeast baba

Reminds me of a Russian Easter cake. The composition of the Polish yeast baba includes the following ingredients:

  • raisin;
  • candied fruit;
  • cherries (dried);
  • vodka.

From above, the finished dish is poured over with glaze - fruit, creamy or chocolate.

Cookies with jam

One of the most delicious Polish desserts national cuisine. The shape of these shortbread cookies resembles envelopes. They are stuffed with jam or preserves. If you want to truly appreciate the taste of these cookies, it is best to try them fresh. Previously, Poles prepared this dessert only for Christmas, but now the delicacy pleases guests of Poland and local residents all year round.

Another name for the dish is mazurka. This is a shortbread pie. Lubricated on top various types fruit jam, then sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar.

If you can say about any cuisine that it warms the soul, then this is definitely Polish cuisine. Eggs, sour cream, cabbage, mushrooms and meat - a lot of meat! is what defines Polish cuisine, making it hearty and nutritious, uplifting and energizing.

Krakow. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoryclub/

Connoisseurs will find traces of the influence of neighboring peoples in Polish cuisine: Hungarians, Germans, Belarusians, Russians, and even! Well, an uninitiated person will simply salivate from all these various combinations. So, go to the table, gentlemen!

Where to start: Polish soups

As a rule, all meals in Poland begin with soups. And there are a great many of them here. Definitely, the most unusual of them is "chernina" (czernina) - goose blood soup. In addition to the main ingredient, goose giblet broth, boiled dried fruits, vegetables and spices are added to it. This soup is very popular in Poland.

Goose blood soup - Chernina (czernina). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcins/

Another common soup is Khlodnik (Chlodnik). It may remind someone of borscht because of its bright beetroot color. But this soup is more like our okroshka, only on beet kvass. Kvass is made from beetroot broth, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, dill and, of course, sour cream are added to it!

Polish cold soup - Holodnik (chlodnik). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lokon/

Another Polish soup is żurek, which is made from fermented rye flour with the addition of white sausage, smoked meat, roots and spices. Served on the table with sour cream.

Mushrooms are a frequent guest in Polish cuisine. The abundance of mushrooms in Polish forests in the old days, and now in supermarkets, makes it possible to cook the so-called mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa), which is based on a variety of mushrooms, the assortment of which changes depending on the season or the taste of the cook.

Polish mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/domel/

And then good soup, you can proceed to the second dishes.

Main dishes

Polish "pies" (pierogi) are actually dumplings. With meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms or potatoes - they are boiled or fried, but they are equally tasty in any form. They are also sweet: with cherries, apples and other fruits or even chocolate! Who likes what.

Polish "pies" (pierogi). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elysepasquale/

Bigos is one of the most famous national dishes outside of Poland, somewhat reminiscent of cabbage soup, but in the form of a second course. Cooking recipes - an unlimited number. It is prepared from meat (usually pork) and sauerkraut, sometimes prunes are added, sometimes mushrooms and sausages, sometimes even rice - there are a lot of options.

Polish the National dish- Bigos. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/donotlick/

Poles also love cabbage rolls (gołąbki) stuffed with minced meat and rice, stewed in a weak tomato sauce. Mushrooms and other ingredients (cereals, potatoes, etc.) can also be added to the filling. In general, it is believed that cabbage rolls are a national Polish dish borrowed from them by their neighbors (including us).

Polish dish - cabbage rolls (gołąbki). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matteoantonante/

Polish plyacki (not to be confused with Ukrainian!) or potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane) - prepared from raw grated or boiled and mashed potatoes, fried in butter and served with sour cream or applesauce.

Polish placki - potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleksandraw/

No collection of Polish cuisine would be complete without a mention of Polish sausages (kielbasa). They are very similar to, but much tastier! They are prepared from several varieties of meat, sometimes with the addition of cereals or potatoes. There are many types of Polish sausages - garlic, marjoram and other spices make them special.

Polish sausages. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ [email protected]/

Do you still have room for dessert after a meal like this? Oh don't say no - You haven't seen them yet.

Polish desserts

Poland is glorious for its soups and hearty main courses, and charming and delicious desserts not only complement it, they make it perfect! Polish sweets are equally popular among both Poles and non-Poles.

Cookies with jam (Kolaczki) are the most famous of them. These are shortbread biscuits, rolled up in an envelope, from which joyfully bright jam or jam, or tender curd peeks out. In the old days, these cookies were a traditional Christmas treat, but now they are eaten all year round. True, it’s better to eat it fresh - it’s good if there is someone in Poland to cook these cookies for you. Well, if not, don't worry! You can also buy them in local supermarkets. They never get stuck.

Polish cookies with jam - Kolaczki. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ [email protected]/

Mazurka or mazurek (mazurka \ mazurek) is not only a dance, as you might think. This is a wonderful cake, which, like cookies with jam, is baked from shortcrust pastry. It differs in that it is rolled into a thin layer, broken into segments, and generously lubricated different types fruit jam. It turns out very beautiful and tasty. And when it is lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar, it seems that the Christmas fairy tale has already begun, and it is very close!

Polish pie - mazurek (mazurek). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ [email protected]/

And of course, the Polish grandmother! Traditionally, this yeast dough product was baked for Easter, so it is somewhat reminiscent of our Easter cake: high form, poured on top with fruit, or chocolate, or creamy glaze. But here are just a lot more ingredients in the Polish grandmother. And among them is sure ... vodka! And a lot of raisins, candied fruits, dried cherries!

Chocolate grandmother. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bananamondaes/

Recently, curd and chocolate pastries are gaining more and more popularity. I wonder what kind of grandmother would you like to try?

It is difficult to end the article on this note. I want to write and write, because Polish cuisine is close to us in its flavor combinations, traditions, it is diverse and limitless! But what to write, I want to try, try ... And you?

National Polish dishes are very high in calories, but, despite this, they are very tasty. Most Polish treats are meat dishes prepared in a variety of ways. Personally, I recommend tasting pork chop, bigos, pie (similar to dumplings), golombki (similar to cabbage rolls). In Poland they bake excellent bread and make delicious sausages.

Also very popular in Poland are various pickles from cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes, which give a unique taste: parsley, marjoram, dill, cumin, and pepper. Poles' favorite desserts are cakes and pies. A typical Polish celebration rarely goes without vodka.

Polish cuisine has spied some of its recipes in neighboring countries. The Polish menu is often enriched with the latest flavors, sometimes even very exotic ones. In Poland, in addition to restaurants with national Polish dishes, there are also restaurants with Asian, Italian, French, and even vegetarian cuisine.

List of main national Polish dishes with a brief description

Liquid Meals:

Chłodnik litewski - Lithuanian holodnik: Soup with beetroot and boiled egg, served cold. In Polish cuisine appeared from Lithuania.

Barszcz biały - white borscht: it is cooked on rye flour sourdough, marjoram and potatoes are added to the borscht, sour cream can also be added if desired.

Barszcz czerwony is a classic borsch: it is cooked with beets and vegetables, sour cream is added if desired.

Żurek - Żurek: cooked on bread sourdough, with potatoes, eggs or sausage. Soup can be served in a loaf.

Krupnik - krupni: prepared from barley, vegetables and slices of smoked meat are added there.

Kapuśniak - cabbage soup: cooked on sauerkraut.

Zupa ogórkowa - cucumber soup: this soup is made with pickled cucumbers.

Zupa koperkowa - dill soup: soup is prepared with vegetables and dill.

Rosół z kurczaka - chicken broth: the soup is made from boiled meat with the addition of noodles.

Zupa pomidorowa - tomato soup: soup is made with tomato, mostly noodles or rice.

Grochówka - pea soup: soup made from boiled peas.

Zupa grzybowa - mushroom soup: the main ingredient of the soup is mushrooms, if desired, sour cream is added.

Flaki wołowe - beef tripes: the broth is made from beef bones with pieces of meat, tripes and vegetables.

Snacks:

Smalec - lard: prepared from bacon with onions, marjoram is added there, sometimes you can add apples and dried cream. It is usually served with pickles before the main course.

Śledzie w śmietanie - herring with sour cream: herring is marinated in sour cream with onions.

Boczek ze śliwką – salo with plums: salo is fried and stuffed with dried plums.

Tatar - Tatars: beef is passed through a meat grinder, onion and raw yolk are added there.

Main dishes - Pork:

Golonka w piwie - golonka in beer: although the dish is fatty, it is very tasty, it can be poured with beer, it is served with horseradish.

Karkówka - karkuvka: baked pork.

Kotlet schabowy - Pork chop: Pork chop dredged in breadcrumbs.

Żeberka w miodzie – brisket in honey: the meat is marinated in honey.

Main dishes - Bird:

Kaczka z jabłkami - duck with apples: the bird is baked with apples.

Kurczak de volaille - chicken "de vole": for cooking, you need to take chicken pieces, spread with butter and stuff with mushrooms and slices of bread.

Wątróbki drobiowe - chicken liver: the liver is fried and served with onions.

Other meat dishes:

Baranina - lamb: pieces of lamb are smoked or grilled, a dish popular in mountainous areas.

Klopsiki - meatloaf: cooked in tomato sauce.

Bigos - bigos: the dish is prepared from cabbage, vegetables, mushrooms, pieces of sausage or meat are also added there.

Fasolka po bretońsku - British beans: the beans are cooked in a tomato sauce, sausage is added to the same.

Gołąbki - cabbage rolls: cabbage leaves stuffed with beef and rice.

Kaszanka - kashanka: slices of sausage are fried or smoked on a grill, it is prepared from buckwheat and pig blood.

Szaszłyk - barbecue: meat with vegetables is fried on a grill.

Fish:

Karp po żydowsku - Jewish carp: carp cooked in jelly with raisins.

Łosoś - salmon: the fish is boiled or baked in dill sauce.

Pstrąg - trout: it is customary to serve in flaming cognac or other flammable alcohol.

Sandacz - pike perch: Usually pike perch is simply fried or boiled.

Vegetarian dishes:

Pierogi - dumplings: they start with cabbage with mushrooms, potatoes with cheese, you can also fill them with fruit.

Naleśniki - pancakes: they can be stuffed with fruits, cottage cheese, various jams, and so on.

Knedle - dumplings: potato dumplings stuffed with vegetables.

Garnish:

Frytki - french fries: a very popular dish not only in Poland.

Kopytka - hoof-shaped dumplings served with sour cream.

Kluski śląskie - Silesian dumplings: they are made from boiled potatoes.

Kasza gryczana - buckwheat: in Poland, buckwheat is served with a fried crust.

Placki ziemniaczane - potato pancakes: raw potato pancakes are cooked and fried in sunflower oil.

Desserts:

Faworki - favorki: thin cakes that are sprinkled with granulated sugar.

Galaretka - jelly: jelly is made with fruit and whipped cream.

Makowiec - makovets: a pie stuffed with a lot of poppy seeds.

Pączki - donuts: donuts are prepared with different jams.

Sernik - cottage cheese pie.

Szarlotka - charlotte, apple pie, made with whipped cream.