Matador Network's Blog, page 695
February 26, 2021
Most inspiring African proverbs
As six-year-olds in Zimbabwe, we were taught African proverbs before we were taught how to navigate the nuts and bolts of Shona (the most common language in the country). This approach left some students capable of dropping rich wisdom freely but not being able to ask you how your day was.
Many African proverbs are strongly tied to the earth and animals, conveying lessons of life often through daily, seemingly menial, procedures. An example of a Zimbabwean proverb is “there is honey but no bees” — describing a situation when you find something free for the taking and without consequence.
Here’s a list of African proverbs from around the continent. Some are known to come from specific ethnic groups, or countries while others have an unknown source and are listed simply as “African proverbs.” Have a read and pluck out some ancestral insight from the motherland to carry with you today.
1. A bird that flies off the earth and lands on an anthill is still on the ground. — Igbo proverb
2. He that beats the drum for the mad man to dance is no better than the mad man himself. — African proverb
3. Where water is the boss, there the land must obey. — African proverb
4. No matter how beautiful and well-crafted a coffin might look, it will not make anyone wish for death. — African proverb
5. When the shepherd comes home in peace, the milk is sweet. — Ethiopian proverb
6. A spider’s cobweb isn’t only its sleeping spring but also its food trap. — African proverb
7. If you do not have patience you cannot make beer. — Ovambo proverb
8. He who runs after good fortune runs away from peace. — African proverb
9. Teeth do not see poverty. — Masai proverb
10. You have little power over what’s not yours. — Zimbabwean proverb
11. If you pick up one end of the stick you also pick up the other. — Ethiopian proverb
12. Better little than too little. — Cameroonian proverb
13. You must attend to your business with the vendor in the market, and not to the noise of the market. — Beninese proverb
14. When you befriend a chief, remember that he sits on a rope. — Ugandan proverb
15. The night has ears. — Masai proverb
16. The child you sired hasn’t sired you. — Somali proverb
17. A doctor who invoked a storm on his people cannot prevent his house from destruction. — Nigerian proverb
18. An intelligent enemy is better than a stupid friend. — Senegalese proverb
19. The young bird does not crow until it hears the old ones. — Tswana proverb
20. If you carry the egg basket do not dance. — Ambede proverb
21. The food which is prepared has no master. — Malagasy proverb
22. The worlds of the elders do not lock all the doors; they leave the right door open. — Zambian proverb
23. Even the best cooking pot will not produce food. — African proverb
24. The child of a rat is a rat. — Malagasy proverb, similar to the Japanese idiom, “The child of a frog is a frog.”
25. Where you will sit when you are old shows where you stood in youth. — Yoruba proverb
26. He who is unable to dance says that the yard is stony. — Masai proverb
27. You cannot name a child that is not born. — African proverb
28. Do a good deed and throw it into the sea. — Egyptian proverb
29. When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches. — Nigerian proverb
30. Slander by the stream will be heard by the frogs. — Mozambican proverb
31. A child is a child of everyone. — Sudanese proverb
32. Even the lion, the king of the forest, protects himself against flies. — Ghanaian proverb
33. Birds sing not because they have answers but because they have songs. — African proverb
34. If your only tool is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail. — Gambian proverb
35. When you show the moon to a child, it sees only your finger. — Zambian proverb
36. It is crooked wood that shows the best sculptor. — African proverb
37. One who bathes willingly with cold water doesn’t feel the cold. — Fipa proverb
38. Earth is the queen of beds. — Namibian proverb
39. Be a mountain or lean on one. — Somali proverb
40. A flea can trouble a lion more than a lion can trouble a flea. — Kenyan proverb
41. Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it. — Ewe proverb
42. The death of an elderly man is like a burning library. — Ivorian proverb
43. Anger and madness are brothers. — African proverb
44. Do not follow a person who is running away. — Kenyan proverb
45. An orphaned calf licks its own back. — Kenyan proverb
46. Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands. — Nigerian proverb
47. He who burns down his house knows why ashes cost a fortune. — African proverb
48. If you are building a house and a nail breaks, do you stop building or do you change the nail? — Rwandan proverb
49. You cannot build a house for last year’s summer. — Ethiopian proverb
50. We desire to bequeath two things to our children. The first one is roots; the other one is wings. — Sudanese proverb 
A version of this article was previously published on February 2, 2017, and was updated on February 26, 2021, with more information.
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Study shows how far plastic travels
It’s easy to throw away a bottle or plastic bag and then completely forget about it. A new study, published in the PLOS One journal, examined the journey of plastic bottles that had been thrown into the Ganges River in India and tagged with a GPS tracking device and a custom-built enclosure to keep water out. Then, they tracked the bottles as they traveled downriver.
While many bottles found in the Ganges are collected by hand and sold as a way for locals to earn money, that’s not true of all bottles, including some used in the study. Emily Duncan, a researcher at the University of Exeter and lead author of the study, told Inverse that the longest-traveled bottle in the study went 1,767 miles downriver, which was both “amazing” and “quite worrying” as it showed how far a plastic bottle could travel, polluting the ecosystem, potentially endangering animals, and eventually ending up in the ocean.
Duncan hopes that the study will shine a light on the impact recycling and proper plastic disposal can actually have and encourage people to do better. “Everyone has used plastic bottles in their lives,” she said, adding that seeing how far they can travel may inspire people to take more ownership of their waste.
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Origins of famous cannabis strains
Buying cannabis no longer means settling for whatever your connection has on hand. At the best dispensaries in the United States, there are whole books of strain types to choose from. Each has its own description and characteristics, and sometimes the budtenders behind the counter can tell stories about where the cannabis comes from and where it was grown. Some people are even working to get cannabis regions recognized in the same way that wine regions are recognized.
Yet long before the strong, fast-growing hybrid strains that are popular in legal recreational states today ever existed, there were what are known as landrace strains. Landrace is an agricultural term that refers to plants or animals that have specific characteristics due to adapting to a specific region over time. In cannabis, a landrace strain is one with certain flavors, strengths, and growing patterns that make the variety unique.
“In today’s world, everything you’re purchasing is most likely a form of a hybrid phenotype, and the terms indica and sativa are more about describing where the plant originated from,” says Jared Leighty, development manager at Weedmaps. “Indica stems from the modern Latin word for India where that species originated. Sativa stems from the Latin word for cultivated and was grown in equatorial places in Africa and Central and South America. Landrace strains that have never been crossbred are very hard to find.”
From Asia, seeds traveled to Africa, Europe, and, over time, the Americas. The easy growing plant took to these new regions to form distinct attributes, which is why there are landrace strains from around the world. Many of them carry a name inspired by where they’re grown: Afghani from Afghanistan, for example, and Panama Red from Panama.
Today, landrace strains have been selectively bred and interbred to make hybrid strains that have more THC, shorter growing times, or higher yield. These hybrids make up the vast majority of what you’ll find at a dispensary, from Wedding Cake to Kush Mints to the other hybrids that are popular now.
Even when you do find a landrace strain, it’s not quite the same as the original because it was most likely grown in a different environment than where it evolved, so it could show different characteristics. Additionally, just about every modern strain has been tampered with to a certain degree to make it a commercially viable product.
Think of what defines a landrace strain as similar to what defines the terroir in a wine — a sauvignon blanc made with grapes grown in France will taste different than one from New Zealand or California.
“Strains are important for each and every consumer, whether they’ve been buying for years or if they’ve been newly introduced to the plant,” Leighty says. “The best way for consumers to choose their bud is to educate themselves and purchase from a retailer that has engaged and educated staff. Consumers should not only consider what they’re buying but who they’re buying from. An educated budtender is going to embolden the consumer to try out a variety of strains and test them to find their desired effects.”
There’s also more information than ever freely available through resources like Weedmaps’ strain searcher, Wikileaf, and Leafly if you want to fall down an online cannabis strain rabbit hole.
It’s impossible to know just how many landrace strains there are out there thanks to marijuana’s illegal status in much of the world. Those we do know about, however, are the base for some of the most popular strains. Your favorite hybrid strain likely came from a long line of careful artificial selection, but it all started with one or more landrace strains.
Landrace cannabis from Asia
Photo: Kseniia Markova/Shutterstock
Afghani: A pure indica landrace strain native to the dry mountains of Afghanistan. It’s believed to be one of the oldest varieties cultivated, according to Leafly. It’s difficult to find 100 percent Afghani cannabis, but it’s used in many popular hybrids for its strong relaxing effect and body high. Popular Afghani hybrids: Northern Lights, Amnesia Haze.
Hindu Kush: Another 100 percent indica strain that has a long history of use along the Hindu Kush mountains in what is today Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was brought from its arid home to the US in the 1960s and 1970s, Wikileaf notes, and is typically seen in hybrids (though since “kush” became a catchall for weed, not all strains with kush in the name are derived from Hindu Kush). Popular Hindu Kush hybrids: OG Kush, Purple Kush.
Thai: A sativa strain that comes from Southeast Asia that’s most at home in tropical climates. Another word for the strain is Thai Sticks because it was typically dried by tying the plant to sticks. It’s a strong landrace strain that leads to a fast and powerful, energetic head high. Its strength is one reason why it’s popular for hybrids. Popular Thai hybrids: Haze, Voodoo, Juicy Fruit, Chemdog, AK-47.
Landrace cannabis from AfricaDurban Poison: One of the most widely available landrace strains. It gets its name from the large South African port city of Durban. Legend has it that a guy named Ed Rosenthal (who went by “Sam the Skunkman”) brought it from South Africa to the US. Though most commercially grown Durban Poison has a different phenotype than the original landrace, it’s still a popular sativa strain thanks to its energetic, creative high. Popular Durban Poison hybrids: Girl Scout Cookies (or GSC), Cherry Pie, Durban Cookies.
Swazi Gold: A sativa landrace from Eswatini, a small country in southern Africa that was once known as Swaziland. It has a high THC level and gives users a cerebral and creative high. Swazi Gold is hard to find outside of southern Africa and isn’t used for many of the most popular hybrids.
Kilimanjaro: A high-THC, fast-acting sativa from the southeastern region of Kenya near Mount Kilimanjaro. Some say it gives an energetic vibe and head high, though it isn’t as popular or available in the US as other landrace strains and landrace hybrids are.
Landrace cannabis from the AmericasAcapulco Gold: One of the most famous landrace strains from the Americas. Acapulco Gold (also sometimes called Mexican Sativa) comes from Mexico and was one of the original high-THC strains available to people in the US. It was extremely popular for this reason, which led to it being overproduced and watered down in the ‘70s, according to a New York magazine story from the time. Still, High Times named it one of the 25 greatest strains of all time in 2014, both as a solo strain and because of its influence on its hybrids. Popular Acapulco Gold hybrids: Skunk No. 1, Thor’s Hammer, Blueberry.
Panama Red: A medium-level THC sativa strain originally from Panama. It had a burst of popularity in the 1960s, but its relatively long growing time put it at a disadvantage to other sativa strains that grew fast and have more THC. Popular Panama Red hybrids: Pan Jam.
Colombian Gold: This sativa brings euphoria without knocking a user out and comes from Colombia’s Santa Marta Mountains (fittingly, it’s sometimes called Santa Marta). It’s perhaps most famous for its role, along with Acapulco Gold and Afghani, in developing the ultra-popular Skunk hybrids. Popular Colombian Gold hybrids: Skunk No. 1, Harlequin.
Landrace cannabis from EuropeCannabis ruderalis: Technically this isn’t a strain but instead falls into a similar category along with indica and sativa. It hails from Eastern Europe and Siberia and is a small and fast-growing plant, though it has lower THC levels. What makes it special is that the plant flowers automatically instead of flowering based on the amount of light it receives. This both helps it survive in regions with super short growing seasons and makes it an attractive hybrid for growers who want a reliably flowering plant.
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Paris is closing its bird market
After over 213 years of operation, Paris’ historic live bird market is closing. Held every Sunday since 1808, the market has been a place to see and purchase exotic species such as canaries, parakeets, and zebra finches. Located on the Ile de la Cite, the market has drawn both locals and tourists over the centuries. The Paris city council agreed on the closure due to concerns about bird trafficking, which was brought up by an animal activist group.
“The market had become the epicentre of bird trafficking in the Paris region, including of endangered birds,” Paris Mayor Christophe Najdovski told Reuters, adding, “A second reason for closing it is that the conditions in which the birds are presented are no longer acceptable.”
Only seven of the 13 people who have licenses to sell birds are actually using them correctly. Plans to transition the bird vendors into other professions are being discussed. However, some sellers are quite skeptical. Albert Badalamenti, for example, has been on the market for 38 years. He told Reuters, “They said they would recycle us, find us another job. What I fear is bankruptcy. What are we going to do with all this stock?”
While the market closure brings looming financial uncertainty for vendors, this is a celebrated milestone for animal rights.
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Zodiac spa treatments
With astrology gaining traction in pop culture, hotels are embracing the trend in an effort to provide hyper-personalized services combining the physical, spiritual, and the quirky. Nana Princess, a luxury hotel on the Greek island of Crete, has curated a bespoke Star Sign Spa Menu where you can get treated to a high-end spa service based on the day you were born.
The spa caters to each sign based on the dominant beliefs surrounding its nature. “If you’re an Aries, you are known to overthink and carry stress in the head area, so the head massage with nourishing oils (including baobab, patawa, birch, soya, and sesame) will help aid restoration and balance,” a representative for the hotel shared with Matador Network. Leos, on the other hand, are believed to carry tension in the upper back, so the spa recommends a deep tissue massage like its Mysterious Crete treatment, which uses saffron. Cancer signs are believed to hold tension in the stomach area, so it’s suggested that a lymphatic massage and acupuncture can help. And Capricorns, who are thought to be the most skeptical sign of the zodiac, are prescribed one of the spa’s signature offerings, a tendon treatment called Gold Therapy.
Apart from spiritual elements, the spa is an ultra-modern facility at 4,593 square feet. It’s dubbed as a high-tech Space Age oasis, offering everything from classical to advanced treatments. Nana Princess itself offers suites and villas with their own plunge pools, some even featuring private gyms and spas. Nightly rates start at $292 per night for a Superior Room.
So if you’re looking to connect to your inner spirit and live in harmony with your zodiac makeup, this may just be the spa for you.
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Mexico loosening restrictions
The region of Quintana Roo in Mexico, known for its popular vacation destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, is loosening its COVID-19 restrictions, moving from orange to yellow, starting on March 1.
Mexico uses a stoplight system to demote the varying degrees of restrictions in each state, with red being the most restrictive and green being the least, and orange and yellow falling in between.
Moving from orange to yellow means beaches and public parks will be open at 60 percent capacity (up from 30 percent previously). Hotels, restaurants, historic sites, theaters, theme parks, golf courses, and tourist services are now also open at 60 percent capacity. Gyms and sports clubs are allowed to open at 70 percent in outdoor areas, and 50 percent in closed spaces.
While this might be welcome news for those planning spring break trips, it’s important to keep in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet. Safety protocols are still in place, and if you’re considering visiting Mexico this spring, it’s crucial to follow them.
Anyone going to Mexico is required to complete a health declaration form before arrival, and must be tested for COVID-19 before returning to the United States. Mask requirements are also in place throughout Mexico, including on beaches and at hotels, restaurants, and shops.
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February 25, 2021
Southern Hemisphere fall foliage
In the coming weeks, winter will begin its annual fade to spring across the Northern Hemisphere. Down south, the opposite is happening, and this means one thing: It’s leaf peepin’ time, Southern Hemisphere style. You may not be able to hop a flight to see the colors in person, but no one is stopping you from doing some digital peeping from home. These are the fall foliage hotspots in South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
1Bariloche beckons in summer with hiking and boating on Nahuel Huapi Lake, and it gets the most attention in winter, as skiers flock to the Cerro Catedral. But in the shoulder season, before the snow falls, the Cerro’s spires serve as a backdrop to a blaze of colors.Photo: mochilaosabatico/Shutterstock
2Just north of Bariloche, the mountains in San Martín de los Andes are blanketed in crimson and purple as the seasons change.Photo: Rifurcat/ShutterstockChile
1Chile’s fall foliage offerings are as diverse as the mountainous terrain of the country’s interior, ranging from open hill country shining in a coat of bright oranges and reds to secluded coves contrasting greens with deep and darker hues. Driving south in Chile around the fall equinox, you might be treated to this multi-colored view.Photo: Eva de Reus/Shutterstock
2In Torres del Paine farther south, the pale hues of glacier-etched peaks contrast with the vibrant foliage on the neighboring slope.Photo: cge2010/ShutterstockVictoria, Australia
1Most trees native to Australia don’t lose their leaves in winter and look much the same throughout the year. But pockets of bright colors are not uncommon in the state of Victoria, where fall is typically mild but parts of the state experience the bite of a crisp winter.At Nightengale Apple Orchards, rows of apples are accompanied by shining reds, yellows, and oranges.
Photo: Visit Victoria
2Windsor House, a bed and breakfast property in Walhalla, is surrounded by autumn colors.Photo: Visit Victoria
3Marysville’s High Street gives walkers the chance to stroll through the colors or enjoy a drink while taking in the season.Photo: Visit VictoriaSouth Island, New Zealand
1The top spot for fall foliage in New Zealand is Arrowtown, just north of Queenstown on the South Island. Here, mountainous terrain fed by the Arrow River puts on a show that’s each year visible from town, but even better outside of it.Photo: Visit New Zealand + David Wall
2At Arrowhead Golf Club, the scenery is better in Autumn.Photo: Destination Queenstown
3Purakaunui Falls, near the southeast coast, won’t be shown up, however. The falls put on quite a display come Autumn.Photo: Chingfoto/ShutterstockCape Town, South Africa
1South Africa’s wines long ago caught the world’s attention and while touring the vineyards in and around Cape Town is lovely at any time of year, fall is especially lovely - as the vineyards glow in brilliant autumn hues.Photo: Neil Bradfield/Shutterstock
2Historic architecture against a backdrop of Cape Town’s stunning mountainsides is highlighted by vine leaves glowing in the afternoon sun.Photo: DanielStevenson03/ShutterstockMore like thisParks + WildernessArgentina’s remote Puna desert is like Mars on Earth
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Bud Light Seltzer $1,000 prizes
Bud Light Seltzer just launched its new “Out of Office” seasonal variety pack of hard seltzer flavors to encourage people to get in the summer vacation spirit even though it’s still winter. The flavors include Watermelon Mojito, Classic Margarita, Mango Mai Tai, and Strawberry Daiquiri, and they’ll be served in 12-pack boxes starting March 1 through May 15. To celebrate the launch, they’re giving away $1,000 prizes for people to put toward their next vacation (or stockpile of seltzers).
To enter, seltzer fans are being asked to share their funniest out-of-office email messages on social media and use the hashtag #TasteTimeOff. You will be automatically entered into the weekly contest to win $1,000. You can also go to the official website, fill out a form with personal information, and write your out-of-office email there.
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on humor and creativity. The entries receiving the best scores from the judges will be named the winners.
On March 5, which is Employee Appreciation Day, Bud Light is also giving people the chance to win $25,000. More details will be made available before the contest goes live.
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Uniworld private cruis ship rentals
The cruising industry has had a tough time in 2020, and although people seem very keen to go back on the water, it would be normal for some concerns to linger. To alleviate fears sparked by close quarters, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is offering completely private cruises on all of their ships, for journeys running from eight to 25 days, complete with customizable itineraries.
Photo: Uniworld
Uniworld is taking luxury cruising to the next level, allowing guests to rent out an entire ship. That also means being able to customize dining options and entertainment onboard, as well as the shore excursions when you dock. Their ships cruise all around the world, from the Danube in Europe to the Nile in Egypt and all the way to Russia, India, and even Peru.
Photo: Uniworld
The S.S. La Venezia, Uniworld’s newest “floating boutique hotel” that debuted this year to cruise northern Italy, starts at $333,900 to rent the whole ship. If you bring the maximum number of guests (126), however, that’s just $2,650 per person, which isn’t a bad deal at all. Basically, you’re purchasing a package group vacation, except the “group” isn’t just your immediate family — it’s over 100 of your closest friends and acquaintances.
To inquire about bookings, email charters@uniworld.com or call 800-868-7905.
The post You can rent out an entire cruise ship to sail around the world this year appeared first on Matador Network.
What are kanapki
There likely isn’t an American today who doesn’t have at least a passing familiarity with sandwiches. Some of us ate them growing up, while for others sandwiches are a staple at office lunches and a recurring theme at breakfast. There’s a fair argument to be made that the sandwich is a national obsession in the United States. Which perhaps makes it easier for Americans to relate to another country with a sandwich obsession: Poland.
In Poland, open-faced sandwiches are called kanapki (or kanapka when you’re talking about more than one). Though you might not be blamed for assuming this dish is similar to a light snack — after all, the name comes from canape, the French word for a small, bite-size appetizer — kanapka are actually a full meal, and are prepared at pretty much any time of the day.
“I can assume that every Pole eats at least one kanapki a day,” says Karolina Klesta, the homecook and native of Poland who runs the blog Polish Foodies. “It’s the typical food you have for breakfast and supper in Poland.”
A typical breakfast spread in Poland might feature a kanapki as the centerpiece. According to Serious Eats, breakfast often includes a selection of hard boiled eggs, sliced ham and sausage, tomatoes, cucumber, and cheese. It all comes with sliced bread that you can use to assemble your own kanapki.
A kanapki might then be eaten again at lunch — or second breakfast as it’s commonly known in Poland. Common toppings include smoked salmon, pickles, radish, sardines, olives, cheese, sliced sausage, or pickled herring on rye, wheat, or pumpernickel bread. The base is usually an herb butter or, according to Klesta, a cottage cheese-like spread called gzik. Her preferred preparations include sour cream, chopped chives, radish, and boiled eggs that you “mince with a fork,” as well as sour cream, smoked mackerel, and onion.
Photo: StockphotoVideo/Shutterstock
“Poles love kanapki and will eat them everyday. Morning kanapki will most likely be topped with a variety of cheeses — like our favorite twaróg — farmer’s cheese or sliced eggs,” says Anna Hurning, author of Polish Your Kitchen: A Book of Memories. “Second breakfast and supper sandwiches can be prepared with smoked meats, meat or fish pâtés and greens. Poles love dark rye breads with seeds or crunchy whole wheat breads slathered with butter.” Her preferred garnishes are seasonal vegetables, like “sweet and ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, spicy red radishes, [and] pickles or sweet red peppers.”
Hurning argues that part of kanapka’s popularity in Poland is due to their versatility. A kanapki is simple to throw together, portable, and customizable. She compares their position in the pantheon of Polish cuisine to the beloved hamburger in the US.
Kanapka have a long history in Poland. Originally, kanapka were known as tartinka (from the French word for an open-faced sandwich, tartine) and they were almost exclusively served as hors d’oeuvres at cocktail parties among the wealthy in the early 1900s, as described in a story in the Polish culture side Culture.pl. At that time they were smaller, too. Some restaurants served them as well, notably a restaurant owner named Antoni Hawełka, who sold “fresh bread rolls lathered with cream butter” topped with ingredients like lobster and ham.
It wasn’t until the end of World War II that tartinka became kanapka: The size got bigger, Polish people of all economic backgrounds and classes started eating them, and they were served at all mealtimes, rather than just at fancy parties. As the kanapka became more democratized, the toppings changed too. This is when eggs, tomato, and mayo, for instance, became more common on a kanapki.
“In the past, where people in Poland were poor, [my grandparents] used to eat kanapka with butter and sugar,” Klesta says. “My grandma told me that it was their typical breakfast when they were young.” She adds that not even stale bread will stop a really dedicated person from enjoying kanapki. All you need to do is just “pour some water on the slice, then spread it with butter.”
Photo: travellifestyle/Shutterstock
In modern Poland, kanapka remains a beloved national culinary institution. Hurning tells me that she ate kanapka everyday growing up. Her favorite topping “is a fish and rice mixture, called paprykarz.”
“This traditional spread comes from the North-Western part of Poland, [from the] city of Szczecin, where I’m from,” Hurning says. “It is because [of] our close proximity to the Baltic Sea and availability of fish, this dish was born and is now famous all around the country. Aromatic fish is prepared with tomatoes, carrots, onions and spices, cooled and served on top of our favorite bread. I prepare it every time I feel home sick because it reminds me of home, it is a true comfort food for me.”
Klesta argues your best bet for eating a really tasty kanapki in Poland is to make your own with local ingredients which you can pick up at the supermarket or, if you have the ability, to try one in the home of a Polish friend. Kanapka are “too easy to make and too cheap to buy it in the restaurant,” she adds. But Hurning has a different perspective: If you want to experience a kanapki the “true Polish way,” you have to eat one at a restaurant in Poland.
“[Restaurants] will serve hearty, thick slices of bread with a traditional aromatic bacon spread called ‘smalec’ accompanied by slices of sour pickles,” she says. “This delicious sandwich reflects simplicity and resourcefulness of Polish cooking where ingredients are stretched to their fullest and nothing goes to waste.”
Whether you visit Poland and pick up a ready-to-eat kanapki at a bakery or restaurant or have the opportunity to sample a kanapki spread featuring local ingredients at the home of Polish friend, this open-faced sandwich is a must-try when you have a chance to visit Poland. Becoming familiar with kanapka is the first step in understanding Polish cuisine, and their traditions around the dining table. But getting your hands on a true Polish kanapki might also expand your conception of all the amazing things a sandwich can accomplish with the right toppings on hand.
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