Polish Food
Polish food is sumptuous, filling and warming to say the least, it also has many influences that allows for such a varied amount of tastes. When you think of Poland you do not tend to think of cuisine, but once you have tasted Polish food you will end up with a penchant for the taste explosions it delivers.
Polish food has been an ever evolving process over the centuries, because of this it has become a culture in its own right. You will find that there are many dishes that you will never have heard of, yet you will taste them and wonder why the rest of the world is not aware of these palate pleasing meals.
Main Polish food dishes
When you look at Polish cusine you will note that the main food types consumed are meats, winter vegetables and dumplings, cereals are widely consumed as well. This is not an exhaustive list and there are many other dishes that are regularly eaten.
Below are a few of the main Polish foods you can expect to see:
Kielbasa is a main staple of the Polish diet. Essentially Kielbasa means “Sausage” but there are many different types of Kielbasa that are eaten. Rather than being a main feature of meals you are most likely to find Kielbasa on plates around the table as a supplement to the meal. The sausages will be cut into bit size pieces for people to eat if and when they feel the urge.
Kielbasa is also a main supplement to drinking alcohol so you are likely to find plates of sausages on the table when people are drinking alcohol. This is most notable when drinking Vodka, the main drink consumed in Poland along with beer.
Kluski and variations thereof is another main staple of the Polish diet. For those that don’t know Kluski is a type of dumpling that is made from dough, boiled and then fried. You can find variations that include fillings and different ingredients to alter taste, texture and size.
Of the vegetables mostly eaten you will find that white cabbage (sauerkraut) is the most widely used.
Cabbage is one of the main components of Golabki. Golabki is essentially rice and minced meat with spices all wrapped up in a small cabbage parcel, it is similar to the Balkan variation called Sarmi.
Cabbage is also a main ingredient in Bigos, which is a type of stew. Bigos is a cabbage and meat stew that is generally made and eaten around winter time as a way to warm up the body; it is also extremely tasty.
Goulash is a meal that is popular in Poland. For the uninitiated the name doesn’t sound too appetising but the meal is very tasty. Goulash is meat, vegetables and noodles cooked for a long period to make a thick and tasty meal, the main spice component of Goulash is Paprika. While Goulash is the national dish of Hungary rather than Poland, it is still very much a staple of the Polish diet.
Chlodnik is another common dish in Poland and is a cold soup. Chlodnik has a vivid purple colouring that is derived from beetroots which makes up one of the main ingredients. The ingredients are beetroot, garlic and onion along with other root vegetables and meat if you choose. The vegetables are slow cooked for a long period to make a wonderful soup which is then cooled and served on hot days as a cold soup.
Polish Food Summary
While around Polish people or if you’re in Poland you can expect to be served any one of a number of wonderful Polish food dishes. If this is the case be sure to try the dish so you do not disrespect your company.
Polish food has been an important and integral part of the Polish culture for a thousand years so the Polish people put a lot of time and love into their meals. This shows in the amazing tastes that result from the food preparation and cooking process.
We are sure that when you try any of the Polish food dishes that make up the staple of the Polish diet, you will be won over immediately by the taste sensations they deliver.
Resource area
You will find amazing Polish food and recipe sites here
