Old Polish Traditions in the Kitchen and at the Table

by Maria Lemnis, Henryk Vitry

Here are nearly 100 recipes for such classic Polish favorites as "Beer Soup with Cream and Cottage Cheese," "Roast Beef Roll with Mushrooms," "Roast Pork with Caraway Polish Style," and "Old Polish Royal Mazurek." The recipes are interwoven with a briefly outlined history of Polish culinary customs. Short essays cover subjects like Polish hospitality, holiday traditions, even the exalted status of the mushroom. The recipes are traditional family fare.

Genres: Cooking, Cookbooks

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1979

Reviews

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collected recipes (sometimes with added on facts) and some of them had unusual preparation methods. So many recipes that surprised me as well, since I didn't grow up with them; soups made from beer, almond soup and adding figs to compote. Then again, I think some of the written recipes are growing less popular over time. My favourite part was all the history and the meanings behind traditions/facts, for example how gingerbread dates back to Slavic times, when with the introduction of spices,
the honey cake (used in Slavic rituals) became gingerbread.

[Patricia Woodruff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful blend of traditions interspersed with authentic old recipes. I would have liked a little more detail on the traditions, but it’s a good summary.

[Patti McDermott]

more of a history book that a recipe tome, it looked interesting but I have yet to read it.