Late spring in Poland is a true celebration of fresh, local produce. Markets and restaurant menus come alive with vibrant ingredients like strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, kohlrabi, and spinach. One of the seasonal stars is botwina—young beetroot leaves and roots—used in refreshing soups like botwinka. Fresh herbs such as dill and chives add a burst of flavor to…
Pierogi & Other stories: the meaning of fasting
Old Polish fasting cuisine was surprisingly rich and diverse, despite strict religious restrictions. During Lent and other fasting periods, meat, animal fats, and dairy were avoided, so cooks relied on grains, legumes, mushrooms, vegetables, and fish. As a result, dishes like barley soup, pea purée, cabbage with mushrooms, and herring in various marinades were commonly…
March and April on a plate
Polish cuisine is often associated with meat, such as breaded pork chops, sausages, pork dripping, and dumplings rich in lard and pork rind. However, Warsaw has become one of the most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly cities in recent years. Despite its meaty reputation, Poland’s culinary traditions offer plenty of inspiration for plant-based dishes. Many traditional recipes…
Sweet Carnival in Warsaw
Warsaw past and present is a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. So while visiting the city, go and try what the local patisseries and cafes offer to their guests. There are some special flavors that we associate with carnival: angel wings (in Polish: faworki) and Polish donuts called paczki. Find out more about…
November on your plate and tasty gifts from Warsaw
What does November taste like? Warsaw flavors to go? Many Varsovians will almost immediately answer: pańska skórka /‘Lord’s skin’. It a homemade candy sold at stalls in the Old Town and… at the entrances to Warsaw cemeteries on All Saints’ Day, which falls on November 1. But there are other delicacies you may try and get home…
Pierogi & Other stories: Polish Courtly Cuisine & Stanisław Czerniecki
September 1661, Łańcut. The impressive quadrilateral castle, both an elegant Baroque residence and an unconquered fortress, was getting ready for a wedding. Two mighty aristocratic families were to be joined in union: the Lubomirskis, the castle’s owners, and the Potockis. There were aristocratic guests coming from all around the Commonwealth of Two Nations, either in…
Pierogi & Other Stories: Fish in Polish Cuisine
Studying the history of Polish culinary culture feels like an angler’s dream. One-third of the oldest printed cookbook – Compendium ferculorum – is dedicated to fish recipes including crayfish, oysters and occasional snails. So, what fish dishes were popular among the Polish aristocracy called “szlachta”? Is it possible (and legal) to recreate the old Polish…
Pierogi & Other Stories: Herring
“Pierogi & Other Stories” is a series of articles and recipes introducing contemporary Polish cuisine to readers who speak English. The whole series can be found in the #cuisine tab on the English website culture.pl and my contribution to this project is a series of texts on fish in the Polish culinary traditions. So, let’s…
Lublin Onion Pletzls
The fourth episode of Jewish Food Tour is focused on the Ashkenazi flavours in the Lublin and Kazimierz Dolny area. It is also a regions renown for its picturesque landscapes, but are there any traces of Jewish food? Check it out!
Bialystoker from Podlasie
Podlasie – it is one of the most delicious travel destination in Poland you can think of. Well, at least in my opinion. In this episode I decided to look for Jewish flavors in Białystok and Tykocin. A look what I found!
Tours and stories by Agnieszka Kuś 