The English influence on the Polish cuisine -English luncheon meat

As a child I thought how good English cuisine was . Somebody might be very surprised now. I know but you need to know that when I was 5 years old there was martial law in Poland. Groceries were completely empty. My grandfather sometimes brought English biscuits and a can of English luncheon meat. I loved English luncheon meat. I was sometimes angry when my granddad didn’t bring a can of English luncheon meat. I was a child then and the adjective “English” means “luxury” for me.

That year at Christmas we got a food parcel from our family. They live abroad. Among rice, sugar, cans of meat and sweets I found English tea. The box of tea became the best Christmas gift for me. I was very young and I don’t remember the political situation in Poland but I remember empty shops and long queues for food and “English delicious”. 

 

During my whole childhood I thought that England had the best food in the world. Until I discovered that English luncheon meat is made ​​in Poland. However, I still like it but after this discovery my love to England got weaker.

There was no love lost between me and English cuisine when I met true Englishmen. When I was in high school, my town was visited by cultural delegations from England. My parents hosted two women of this delegation. One day they prepared a real English dinner for my family. That was the worst meal I have ever tried.

Two years ago I was in Great Britain and I tried English food, but it did not convince me. I still think that English cuisine isn’t good. I am wondering why one Polish company named grocery products English. I was looking for the influence of English cuisine on Polish cuisine, but I didn’t find it. In the past Great Britain was far away from Poland. Before the twentieth century Poland didn’t have any political or economical influence from England. In the twentieth century Great Britain was a place to which political emigrants from Poland moved. Maybe the adjective English in the names of food as an expression of opposition to the authorities and a symbol of freedom? 

I don’t know, but English luncheon meat means freedom for me. I had cans of this food in my backpack during multi-day trekking travels. I can eat it hot and cold, with bread and alone. It is always very tasty. Now when I sometimes miss Polish sausage and ham, I eat English luncheon meat and all my childhood comes back to me.

This is last post about   influence on Polish cuisine. I plan two new series about Irish and also Polish regional cuisine.

Influence on Polish cuisine  - Japanese herring - śledź po japońsku

Influence on Polish cuisnie -  Knuckle of pork in Bavaria - Golonka po Bawarsku 

Influence on Polish cuisnie -  Beef Strogonow

The Hungarian influence on the Polish cuisine - Leczo

The Czech influence on the Polish cuisine -Bohemian dumplings

The Jews influence on the Polish cuisine - Szlajmzupe

The Turkish influence on the Polish cuisine - Coffee

The Lithuanian influence on the Polish cuisine - Bigos

The Austrian influence on the Polish cuisine - Vienna Schnitzel

The Greek influence on the Polish cuisine - Greek Salad 

The Ukrainian influence on the Polish cuisine - Ukrainian borscht

The Tatar influence on the Polish cuisine - Tatar sauce

The Italian influence on the Polish cuisine - Faworki

The influence of French cuisine on Polish cuisine -"Mizeria"

The Hungarian influence on the Polish cuisine - Leczo

I don't know why but for centuries Poles and Hungarians have regarded themselves as brothers. Both countries share linguistic and cultural differences, but the impact on each other is huge. Hungarian merchants have traded with the Polish since the early Middle Ages. Royal families in both countries were closely related through numerous marriages.

 King of Poland - Jadwiga

 

The culinary side of this influence is very evident in Poland. The first wine drunk by the Poles was the Hungarian wine. This wine is still very popular in Poland.
According to a legend, the Hungarian Princess Kinga brought salt to Poland. Princess Kinga who was to marry a Polish king was asked by his father what she wanted as a dowry. She replied that Hungarian salt for the Polish nation. She threw her engagement ring to one of the salt mines and went to Poland.
In Poland she pointed out to the place where to dig and salt was found there.
In the first salt mine the princess' engagement ring was found. This is a very romantic story. Princess worship as she gave the salt in Poland is very strong since today.

 Florian Cynk: st. Kinga

Red pepper is the pice which was brought to Poland by the Hungarians .
Red pepper as a spice has been very popular in Polish cuisine until today. In Polish groceries you can also find Hungarian vegetables and fruit such as red peppers, tomatoes, melons, watermelons and many others.
Poles love Hungarian stews, lecza and soups. One of my favorite dishes is Hungarian pancakes. This dish combines Polish and Hungarian cuisine in one piece. Polish potato pancake is served with Hungarian stew. Recipe on potato pancake is here.

Leczo

• 200g stewing steak diced
•  1 tin chopped tomatoes
•  1 very large potato peeled and diced
•  Half an onion chopped
•  half a red pepper thinly sliced
•  1 heaped teaspoon paprika
•  1 clove garlic crushed
•  150ml water
• 150 gram of thick pork sausages sliced

Take a large saucepan and begin by frying the potato, onion, pepper and garlic in a little butter or oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until everything has softened a bit.

Add the meat and fry for a further couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, paprika and water, cover and very gently simmer together for at least 2 hours, or up to three if you can wait! You may need to add small amounts of water towards the end if it has become too dry. 

Serve with potato pancake.

Enjoy!

The Czech influence on the Polish cuisine -Bohemian dumplings

Poles know the Czech literature, film and history, they often go to the Czech Republic and they are especially fond of delicacies of the Czech cuisine.

The Poles and the Czechs have almost always lived in harmony and the history of both nations are similar. The Poles were baptized by the Czechs. Czech bishop Wojciech  became the first Polish saint. The wife of the first Polish ruler was  Czech. In later centuries the Czech rulers  came from the Polish royal dynasty.

                                                                      Jan Matejko - Christianization of Poland

Polish and  Czech cuisine have become similar to each other in many places  through the centuries of mutual contacts. Seldom in Poland can you  find dishes with the adjective “Czech”.  Czech and Polish cuisine is quite similar. First of all, in both countries  the following dish is very popular:   pork or beef served as simple stew with onions and peppers, cooked over low heat . In addition,  this dish is fried with cabbage and bacon. In the Czech Republic it is also popular to eat potato pancakes which the Czechs, like the Poles, sprinkle with sugar and pour cream on.

The typical Czech dish “Knedliki”( Bohemian Dumplings) is very well known in Poland and it is the only  dish which is a synonym for Czech in Poland.

Bohemian dumplings are cooked by steaming or boiling yeast dough in water. It can be stuffed with meat or fruit, or they might be an addition to  pork stew. Of course, there are several types of  bohemian dumplings . The simplest, called the ordinary, are prepared from the pulp of wheat flour buns with krupczatki, water and yeast. Roll dumplings are different from the usual addition of toast with butter. Potato dumplings are prepared in a similar way as the Polish dumplings. Bohemian dumplings are served  sweet with fruit and thick cream based sauces. They can be filled with strawberries, plums, or peaches.   They are often served for dessert.

The Gniezno Doors -St. Wojciech lands in Gdansk by ship.

At the end there remains nothing else but to give the recipe for Bohemian dumplings.

Bread dumplings with Czech goulash

    0,5 kg pork or  beef, cubed
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
    1/2 teaspoon paprika
    1/4 teaspoon hot paprika (optional)
    1 teaspoon caraway seed
    1 teaspoon marjoram
    salt and pepper, to taste
    2 1/2 cups water
    1 potato  and 1 teaspoon oil

Dumplings

    1 egg, beaten
    1/2 cup milk
    1 cup flour
    1/8 teaspoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    4 -5 slices white bread, use stale bread, cut into small cubes (trim hard crust off) 

Goulash:.
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until translucent.
 Add meat with spices and sauté till brown.
 Add water; simmer, covered, until meat is tender, about 1 hour.
 Add finely grated potato into the meat and simmer 5 minutes stirring often.
 Serve with dumplings or bread.

Dumplings:.
Mix together beaten egg, milk, flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.
Add bread cubes to batter and mix well.
Make two small loaves. Drop into large pot of vigorously boiling water. Cook 10 minutes, then roll dumpling over and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove immediately from water and cut ends off to release steam.
Cut into 1 cm slices and serve with  Goulash.

Enjoy!!!

The Jews influence on the Polish cuisine - Szlajmzupe

The Jews were settled in Poland during the reign of Boleslaw Chrobry  Casimir III the Great was favourably disposed towards the Jews. On 9 October 1334, he confirmed the privileges granted to Jewish Poles in 1264 by Bolesław V the Chaste. Under penalty of death, he prohibited the kidnapping of Jewish children for the purpose of enforced Christian baptism. He imposed heavy punishment for the desecration of Jewish cemeteries. King Casimir allowed them to settle in Poland in great numbers and protected them as people of the king.

                                                                                          Wojciech Gerson - Jewish and King Kasimir

In 1492 Spain and a few years later Portugal and other countries drove the Jews out of their territories. Some of them moved to Poland. The Jews became an important part of  Polish  economy and culture.

Many of the dishes and many methods of processing and storage of food in Polish cuisine are owed to the Jews. Sweet juice, cooking fish and veal, cholent and other dishes prepared by the Jews during the Sabbath have survived in Polish homes to this day.

                                                                                       Aleksander Gierymski -Jewess with Lemons

In Jewish cuisine   kosher food as a form of respect for biblical health rules, officially scorned by Poles, is used. However, these rules played a significant role in the slaughter and cutting up the animals in Poland. Indeed, Poles pay special attention to the Jewish model of slaughter where  the purity of place and sharpness of the tools which are use to slaughter are important. Of course, nobody dissuaded Poles from eating  pork, but Polish cuisine has adopted a number of recipes, ingredients and spices used in Jewish cuisine.

My favourite dishes coming from Jewish cuisine are Jewish carp, Cholent, Szlajmzupe, Holiszki, Challah,

Below there is a recipe for Szlajmzupe which is often served by my grandfather.

150 gram the offal of geese (wings, legs, stomach)

150 grams of mixed vegetables (no cabbage)

150 grams barley groats (Pearl)

2 dried mushrooms (porcini)

Salt, pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 cup of cooked beans

Cleaned and washed offal put into boiling water (4 cups).  Boil and afterwards peel meat from the bone, cut meat and stomach into small pieces and put into the broth. Rinse barley, pour in the broth and cook slowly. Grate purified vegetable large mesh, pour three cups of water, add  soaked and cleaned mushrooms and cook until soft. Add the broth with vegetables to the broth with barley, season to taste with salt and pepper, bring to boil. Serve with cooked beans, which were cooked separately with chopped parsley.

The Turkish influence on the Polish cuisine - Coffee

Turkish cuisine is one of the oriental cuisine which had a big impact on Polish cuisine. In the Middle Ages  Turkish merchants brought it to the Polish spices. Among the spices there were  ginger, saffron, pepper, cloves and cinnamon which symbolizes the splendour of the Orient. They were used for meat dishes and pastries. They were also used to suppress the musty smell of bad meat. People  believed that the spices contributed to digesting food, sharpening the appetite, and even  "purifying the blood”. However, their prices were high, so the spices were used only for the rich .  Foreigners were amazed at the excessive use of spices in a multitude of Polish dishes.

The oriental influences increased even more during the reign of Jan III Sobieski.  During the siege of Vienna Polish soldiers captured a load of Turkish coffee. The custom of drinking coffee  first appeared in the affluent circles of Gdansk.

                                                                           Jan Matejko - "Sobieski at Vienna "

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries  drinking  coffee spread among the middle class. In rich homes a special department, kawiarki, was maintained-. Although the Polish coffee reached the East and the West, Turkish mocha was regarded as the best It was later  supplanted by different varieties of coffee from Brazil.

In the eighteenth century the influx of oriental sweets  increased. The sorbet, or frozen fruit drinksfried in honey fruits, candied fruits fried in sugar syrup, and especially having a spicy taste enjoyed recognition. The oriental sweets included  nuts, almonds, honey, sesame seeds, raisins, sugar, fat and spices with natural dyes. They aroused enthusiasm  by their taste, aroma and colour.  Makagigi, rachatłukum (which in Arabic means "throat comfort") and biscuits with kajmak (which in Turkish means the cream) were sold. In the nineteenth century  Krakow and Lviv welcomed a arrival of sweets such as halva, bambuchy, nugaty and many others.

Turkish coffee in the Polish style

 It is a coffee which I remember with the communistic time in Poland but some times you can order it in Polish restaurant.

2 tbsp ground coffe

boiling water

glass

Into the glass put ground coffee, 
pour boiling water and if you like add sugar.
Serve it with  cookies.

Enjoy!

The Lithuanian influence on the Polish cuisine - Bigos

In the fourteenth century Lithuania had the same kings as Poland.  In 1569 Poland and Lithuania  signed a union and one federal state was created. 
 

                                                                                                         Jan Matejko  "Lublin union"

In his poem “Pan Tadeusz” Adam Mickiewicz described  the culture mix which  resulted from the merger of these two countries. Mickiewicz wrote there that Poland and Lithuania were like a marriage that loves and hates each other at the same time. “Bóg łaczył a diabeł dzielił. (God reconciled but devil divided)”. The last separation was in 1918 when Poland and Lithuania regained independence as two separate countries.

Polish and Lithuanian culture and cuisine had a large influence on each other. Some traditional Polish meals originated in Lithuania. The borsch, bigos and cepelinai (pyzy), which belong to the Polish tradition, are typical Lithuanian dishes.  Lithuanian cuisine uses  lots of fresh cream in many dishes. Polish housewives started to use  fresh cream more often. Currently in every Polish fridge you can find a cup of fresh cream ready to use in soups, sauces, desserts or sometimes we add it to coffee.

                                                                       Andrzej Wajda "Pan Tadeusz" part of movie

Lithuania was rich in forests full of wild game and its rivers were full of fish. There were Kings who liked hunting in summer. The meat of wild game, mushrooms and fruit from Lithuania often dominated on  Polish tables. 

The mead, which was very popular among Polish nobility, comes from this country too. In his poem Mickiewicz described  nobility feasts, serving dishes and their preparation in Lithuaniain great detail.  At those times most of the Lithuanian nobility considered themselves as Poles and used the Polish language. The poem “Pan Tadeusz” isn’t only about the Lithuanian nobility, it is also about the impact of both nations on each other.

 I love this poem, especially descriptions of food. It is a historical poem but for me it is a very sentimental cooking book. 

                                                                                         Andrzej Wajda "Pan Tadeusz" part of movie

Now Lithuanian cuisine still has an influence on the Polish one but it not to such a huge extent.

Poles rediscovered  kindziuk, kugelis, bliny and bread drink. I think that the cuisine will be a platform for communicatione between Poles and Lithuanians.   

Bigos is my favorite dish which comes from Lithuania. Below is translation of part of poem "Pan Tadeusz" where is  described  Bigos.  

In the pots warmed the bigos; mere words cannot tell
Of its wondrous taste, colour and marvellous smell.
One can hear the words buzz, and the rhymes ebb and flow,
But its content no city digestion can know.
To appreciate the Lithuanian folksong and folk food,
You need health, live on land, and be back from the wood.
Without these, still a dish of no mediocre worth
Is bigos, made from legumes, best grown in the earth;
Pickled cabbage comes foremost, and properly chopped,
Which itself, is the saying, will in ones mouth hop;
In the boiler enclosed, with its moist bosom shields
Choicest morsels of meat raised on greenest of fields;
Then it simmers, till fire has extracted each drop
Of live juice, and the liquid boils over the top,
And the heady aroma wafts gently afar.

 Adam Mickiewicz, Pan Tadeusz, Book 4: Diplomacy and Hunt 

Translated by Marcel Weyland

Bigos recipe

1 kg. sauerkraut, washed and drained

1 kg white cabbage, shredded

250gram of sausage, sliced into ½" pieces

250 gram of smoked ham, cubed

250 gram of smoked pork, cubed

250 gram of  bacon, chopped

250 gram of beef or venison cubed

10 gram of dried mushrooms;

4 prunes, chopped

2 apples, cored and cubed

1 glass of red wine
1 tbsp of honey

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp juniper fruit; (optional)

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp peppercorns.

Prepare the ingredients as listed above. Simmer the cabbage until soft (1/2 to 1 hour), then drain. Meanwhile, cook the bacon and set aside, preserving the fat. In the bacon fat sauté the onions and garlic, and brown the remaining meat except the sausage. Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook: in a slow cooker, set on "low" for 5–10 hours; on the stove, cook briefly on medium and then simmer 2–3 hours.
Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat for serving. The flavor improves each time, peaking around the third day. Many like to freeze it solid before thawing, heating and eating. Traditionally, it was left out in the freezing cold to store.

The Austrian influence on the Polish cuisine - Vienna Schnitzel

 What is  Austrian cuisine  is difficult to determine.  Austrian experts say that "The Austrian National Cuisine" as a concept does not exist.  This has good reasons.  In the past the following parts of Europe belonged to the Austrian territory : the present Czech Republic and Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, ex-Yugoslavia, and the northern regions of Italy. ​​Each of the conquered nations had its own language, culture and also culinary traditions. It is therefore understandable that they had a substantial impact on what Austrian people cook and eat today. In contrast to the regional cuisines, Vienna built its own "Viennese cuisine” which spread under that name in the world. To the obtained from different parts of Europe recipes they added their own creations, often creating entirely new dishes, but from a distance similar to their prototypes.

Viennese cuisine had a big impact on Polish cuisine, especially on Krakow cuisine. The spirit of the Habsburg Empire cuisine still hovers over Krakow. When you are in Krakow, you can very easily find places where CK-cuisine  is served. CK-cuisine in Krakow means Vienna cuisine.  Between 1848 and 1918 the Grand Duchy of Krakow was created. It was dependent on Austria. This way,  Vienna cuisine had a very deep impact on Polish and especially Krakow cuisine.

                                                         Entry of Emperor Franz Joseph to Krakow - Juliusz Kossak

Polish cuisine owes Vienna cuisine "salceson" with pork served in mustard sauce as an appetizer, the Viennese schnitzel, and the Viennese eggs served at breakfast.

 Austrian cuisine has also clear influences on Krakow pastry shops which invariably offer two specialities from Vienna: Sacher cake and Piszinger. The first one which was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 is a chocolate cake layered with apricot jam and chocolate sauce. The second one is devised by a confectioner Oscar Pischinger and  is based on waffles, milk, butter, sugar and cocoa.  Viennese cheesecake served with vanilla cream or chocolate sauce is also of Austrian origin.

Below there is a recipe for my favourite Vienna Schnitzel.

4 veal cutlet from the thigh (about 200-250g each)
2-3 eggs
200 g breadcrumbs
200 g flour
salt
3 tablespoons pork lard or oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 lemon
bunch parsley

Beat the veal cutlet and season it with salt. Coat each chicken cutlet in flour, then dip in beaten eggs and toss in bread crumbs. Make sure the meat is evenly coated. Fry on both sides in hot lard or oil for 3-4 minutes.

When the schnitzel  becomes golden brown, drain it off the fat on a kitchen cloth and serve it with lemon and parsley.

Enjoy!

The Greek influence on the Polish cuisine - Greek Salad

The influence Greek cuisine on Polish cuisine is poor. Greeks have been known in Poland since the Middle Ages but Greek population in Poland has been very small.

After 1949, more Greeks came to Poland. During the Greek Civil War 14,000 refugees who supported communist guerrillas arrived in Poland. The Polish government organized a field hospital on the island of Wolin for them. Some of them came back to Greece but about 9,000 people moved on the South of Poland where they still live. The Greek minority has a strong influence on the development of Polish culture. Greeks have a lot of influence primarily on the creation of popular music in Poland. The most famous Greek musician with a Polish passport is a singer Eleni.

Thanks to this last emigration, the Greek cuisine is famous in Poland.

The most famous dish is the Greek salad ( choriatiki). Poles also copied the feta cheese. Polish Feta has little in common with the original cheese, but it is often used as a substitute of the feta cheese. Greeks who live in Zgorzelec made Zgorzelec cheese. It recalls traditional Greek feta, but in Polish conditions,  in addition to milk from goats and sheep, they also used cow milk. It isn't widely known in Poland, however it is considered one of the regional products.

Currently in Poland  traditional Greek cuisine is making a big comeback. There are  many restaurants with Greek menu and  shops where Poles can buy  original Greek food.

Some celebrated chefs who come from Greece popularize Greek food in Poland. Poles like the Greek cuisine because it is an alternative to Italian cuisine and it has introduced light and healthy dishes to the Polish cuisine.

Bellow recipe on classical Greek salad  

1 head crunchy lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 onion, cut in half and sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup olives
1  feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion in a large bowl. Pour enough olive oil over the salad to just coat it. Add the lemon juice and oregano. Season well with salt and pepper and toss the salad. Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste and toss again.

Add the crumbled feta cheese and the olives to the top of the salad before serving. 

Enjoy!!!

The Ukrainian influence on the Polish cuisine - Ukrainian borscht

For me one of the best cuisine  is the Ukrainian one. I love  Ukrainian soups and pierogi. Ukrainian cuisine has had a big impact on Polish cuisine. Some dishes which come from  Ukraine are known in Poland very well, and nobody usually wonders about where they come from. I mean dishes such as slips wrapped , Ukrainian borscht, boiled pierogi, stuffed cabbage, and kutia which Poles commonly think of as theirs.

The fertile Ukrainian soil yielded plenty of cereals and oilseeds, vegetables and fruit as well as honey. The chancellor Duchy Ruthenian Yuri Nemyrych confirmed the agricultural richness of Ukraine in the Polish Parliament during the approval of the Treaty of Hadiach.

In Ukraine  the production of cereals was relatively easy and it meant that the diet was based on farinaceous of dishes. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century there  was enough grain, not only for the Ukrainian and Polish population but the Ukrainian people were the most nourished population of Western Europe.  Ukraine was the granary of Europe, and Gdansk was the gate to this granary. This city was a centre of handling and transport of cereals.

The Ukrainian wheat flour was highly valued by Polish cooks.  Very popular in Poland “pierogi ruskie” (Ruthenian dumpling) originate from Ukraine.

In Poland  dumplings are often served with greaves from bacon - this way  comes from the Eastern neighbours of Poland.

One of thecharacteristics of Ukrainian cuisine is the use of animal fat not only to bake and fry, but they were also used to garnish dishes. Lard also is added to borscht, cabbage soup and broth. Greaves of  bacon are very tasty gravy for some meals, hałuszek and dumplings. In many Eastern regions of Ukraine  lard was eaten with bread, cucumbers and garlic for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Stewing dishes is another characteristic thing from Ukrainian cuisine which has had a big impact on Polish cuisine.  In Ukraine, since time immemorial the oven has had multiple functions. It was used to heat cook, bace, stew. Stewing is a method of preparing meals in the stove and it allows to preserve the natural taste and smell and it is much healthierthan frying or roasting on an open fire.

Currently the Ukrainian cuisine is known in Poland but only with the influence of Polish cuisine. The main soup of Ukrainians, the Ukrainian borscht,  is prepared very often in Poland.  In my country there are just a few restaurants where truly Ukrainian meals are served.  One of them is in Krakow.

How to make the Ukrainian borscht? Below you'll find a recipe. 

    0,5 kg  of beef with bone
    0.5 cup dry beans
    3 medium beet root
    0.5 medium cabbage
    5 medium potatoes
    3 medium carrots
    2 medium onions
    2 medium parsley roots
    2-3 bay leaves
    2-3 tbsp tomato paste
    1  garlic clove

   1tsp vinegar
    2 tbsp sunflower oil

3 tbsp fresh ceram
     salt, black pepper

   You will need a 5-6 liter cooking pot in order to contain your borscht.

   1. Soak dry beans for 2-3 hours.
   2. Cut the meat into pieces and place them in a pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off any fat on the surface. In 30 minutes add the soaked beans, cover and cook for about 1 hour.
   3. While the meat is cooking, chop the beet as thin as you can. Place the beet slices into a frying pan with sunflower or vegetable oil and fry until soft (but be careful not to make it too soft!). You can add 1 tea spoon of vinegar to save beet color if you'd like.
   4. Chop the cabbage (also trying to make the slices thin), peel and chop the potatoes.
   5. Chop 3 carrots, 2 onions and 2 parsley roots. Fry them until the onion is becoming golden.
   6. When the meat is ready add some salt, your 2-3 bay leaves, peppercorns and potatoes.
   7. In 5-10 minutes add your fried carrots, onions, parsley roots and beets. Also add the chopped cabbage. Now slow cook for about 10 minutes.
   8. Add 2-3 table spoons of tomato paste, wait until it boils.Add a little bit of sugar if it is too sour for you. Add fresh cream and stir soup and cook 3 minutes.  Serve hot.

   Enjoy!

The Tatar influence on the Polish cuisine - Tatar sauce

Tatars are one of the very exotic ethnic groups in Poland. In the thirteenth century during the Tatar invasions of Poland, the Polish met Tatars for the first time. Those invasions were deeply rooted in social consciousness which manifested itself in legends about Lajkonik
or the Krakow bugle call. In the fifteenth century, Tartars became allies of Poland and began to settle in Poland and Lithuania.

Polish Kings gave them many privileges. As a result during the wars they fought on the side of Poland. Tatars were good soldiers and they were rewarded by Kings. Polish Kings allowed them to create their own autonomous social group.
This ethnic group is the most different from other groups in Poland but its influence on Polish culture and cuisine is significant. Typical Tatar dishes are spicy, high-calorie and easy to prepare. Dairy products, vegetables and meat (especially sheep) play a major role in this cuisine. Dumplings (pierogi) are the most popular dish of flour. Tatars taught Poles to marinate meat, “tatar's lamb” was very popular. Its influence can be seen today in Polish cuisine, especially in the very popular Tartar sauce. The most famous dish with Tatar roots on Polish tables is " Tatar steak " or simply "the Tatar" - made from minced beef, eggs and spices, served raw. Some restaurants in Poland still serve this dish, but you have to be careful because this dish made from raw meat is dangerous for health.
I have two variations of the Tatar. Instead of raw meat I use chopped smoked salmon or chopped fresh tomatoes. I serve both dishes with olive oil, salt and black pepper.

What I like most are true Tatar dishes such as czebureki, dolma, Tatar skewers, płow. My favourite Tatar dessert is kołacz. It is a yeast cake filled with cottage cheese. If you want to try typical Tatar meals I invite you to Sokółka, Bohoniki, Bobrowniki. There still live Polish Tatars.
Below one oft the best cold sauce

Tatar sauce

50 dag mayonnaise

15 ml fresh cream
200 g. gherkin
150 g.marinated mushrooms
1 tbsp. mustard
pepper
salt
sugar

In bowl mix together mayonnaise, fresh cream, mustard, pepper, salt and sugar. Cut on small pieces gherkin and mushrooms and add they to bowl with sauce. Mix well sauce. Serve with hot meats like beef or pork or serve with smoked meats and bread. This sauce is very good to barbecue meats.

Enjoy!!!

The Italian influence on the Polish cuisine - Faworki

The Italian influence on the Polish cuisine dates back to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries when there were significant trade links with the Polish merchants of Genoa, Florence and Venice.
In the fourteenth century the court bills mentioned that royal cooks used fruit such as figs, raisins, almonds and lemons. In the fourteenth century Italian cuisine reached only the aristocratic mansions.


Bronisław Abramowicz "Wierzynek banquet"

The opinion that the Italian Queen Bona brought vegetables to Poland is untrue, since lettuce, beets, cabbage, turnips, carrots, peas and cauliflowers had been eaten as early as at the court of King Jagiello. The undeniable thing is that Queen Bona employed only Italians as cooks. They were also hired for the preparation of receptions for magnates. At the court of Queen Bona very large quantities of fruit were used. They included oranges, lemons, pomegranates, olives, figs, chestnuts, raisins, almonds and Italian vegetables, rice and various kinds of roots: black pepper, fennel, saffron, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, sugar, marzipan and olive oil.


Jan Matejko "Poisoning of Queen Bona"

Most Polish names of vegetables are derived from the Italian language (cauliflower, artichokes, leeks, onion, asparagus, beans, zucchini, lettuce). In the nineteenth century tomatoes, scorzonera, endive, spinach and chicory joined the list.
The Polish confectionery was created by Italians. The domain of Italian confectioners was ice cream, doughnuts, sugary drinks such as lemonade and orange soda and a chocolate cake with fruit and jelly, fruit syrups and fried chestnuts.
Doughnuts, which probably originate from the Roman Empire, currently are the symbol of Polish carnival.
On the last Thursday of the carnival in Poland Fat Thursday is celebrated . This day nobody counts calories and everybody eats doughnuts or other fried sweets. This tradition was born in Krakow in the sixteenth century where Queen Bona organized carnival balls. That's why Fat Thursday on my table is dominated by doughnuts and Faworki.


Pieter Bruegel "The Fight Between Carnival and Lent"

Last year I published a recipe for doughnuts. Today I publish a recipe for Faworki. This recipe came from my Grandmother's kitchen notebook. She didn’t like Italian cuisine and doughnuts. She didn’t understand my fascination with Italian cuisine but she made the best Faworki in the whole country. The taste of these sweets reminds me of her and our discussions about cuisine. She died a few weeks ago and she left me the notebook full of old recipes. Thanks Grandma.


FAWORKI
500g flour
5 egg yolks
100 ml fresh crème
2 tbsp rum
½ tsp salt
fat for deep frying
icing sugar

Flour, yolks, fresh crème, rum and salt mix together. Mix with your hands well, slowly and obviously with pleasure. Knead until the dough reaches a flexible consistency. When dough doesn’t stick to your hands it is ready.
Divide dough into four parts, and roll each one out very thin. Cut on strips 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. Make an incision 2 cm long in the middle part of each strip. Each strap take in his hand and horn of strap to scroll through an incision in the middle until you get a cookie similar to the one in the picture.

heat up a fat in wide pot. When it is hot put few Faworki and fry for gold colour one side and turn on and fry second side. Ready Faworki put on plate and sprinkle they with icing sugar and fry next part of cookies.
Serve cold down.
Enjoy!!!



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The influence of French cuisine on Polish cuisine -"Mizeria"

The influence of French cuisine on Polish cuisine goes back to the seventeenth century.
Mary Louise, the wife of a Polish king, brought her huge royal entourage to Poland. There were French chefs among them. They started to serve light French meals and wines, which was shocking for the Polish people. At that time Polish cuisine was heavier and it added to dish more spice than now. Fashion for French cuisine took on slowly. Later, more diplomats and priests travelled to France as the king's messengers and they also explored the cuisine of this country.

Bartłomiej Milwitz - Entry of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga of Poland into Gdańsk

The royal habits started to have an impact on the residences of the magnates. The magnates began to employ French chefs. They drew attention to the delicacy of dishes, menu variety and the decoration of dishes which were served by chefs. Necessary additions to the elaborate dishes included capers, anchovies and truffles. French wines competed with Hungarian and Italian ones.
In the seventeenth century, the French cuisine was only for very rich people and only on special events.

The French travellers resulted inthe great abundance of food, but very often lack of basic table utensils. Guests invited to adopt these manners were often forced to bring with them their own spoons, knives, forks and napkins. To remedy this situation, the magnates began to import equipment from France.

Jean-Pierre Norblin - Concert in the Park

In the eighteenth century the French art of cooking gained a growing number of followers.
Traditional Polish food was replaced by French meals. Roasts were administered with a suit of vegetables or meatballs. Vegetables were to be served as a separate dish. At the end of the dinner a salad, fruits and cheese were served. Desserts such as sweet pudding, omelets, soufflés, party, mousses, cakes and ice were novelty in Poland.
A new way of presentating and serving food on the tables was first introduced by means of the arrival of French mores in Poland.

Alfons Karpinski - painters and artists meeting at the cabaret Jama Michalika, Cracow

Polish cuisine was enriched with new techniques and methods of cooking and food preparation, such as:
-stuffing
-blanching (blanchir)
-browning (au gratin)
-marinating (mariner)
-larded (piquer)
-bread-crumbing (paner)
-cooking in water "au bain marie"

In the nineteenth century the art of French cooking became available to the wider community in restaurants. Restaurateurs imported luxury food such as oysters, lobsters, sole, turbot and tuna. French culinary art began to occupy a unique position in first-class restaurant menus, acting in competition with traditional Polish cuisine.

Now French cuisine has become a permanent part of Polish cuisine and has become an integral part of the Polish culture. Currently some Poles think that some meals are typically Polish while they come from the French cuisine. The most popular salad “mizeria” is a classic example. It is a cucumber salad which is served to pork chops or chicken for Sunday dinners.



Mizeria

0,5 kg cucumbers
1 medium onion
bunch of dill
100 ml fresh crème ( or natural yogurt)
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Salt, black pepper.

Cut in thin slices a cucumber and put into bowl. Cut in thin half- sliced onion, chopped dill and add to cucumber. Mix together fresh crème, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mixture add to vegetable and mix well. This salad is more healthy with natural yogurt instead fresh crème.

Enjoy!!!

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