Traditional Polish cuisine is very high in calories, but after trying it just once, you will no longer be able to resist the temptation. It combines the preparation of various types of meat (pork, chicken, beef), and is also famous for its excellent bread and delicious sausages (better than German sausages!).
The main ingredients of Polish dishes are beets, sauerkraut, cucumbers (pickles and gherkins), mushrooms, sausages, kohlrabi, sour cream and various herbs and spices (marjoram, dill, cumin, parsley and pepper). The symphony of taste of the Polish menu acquires a new flavor and sometimes exotic shades.
I offer you the top 10 best Polish dishes prepared according to traditional recipes:
Dumplings or Polish dumplings (Pierogi - Polish dumplings)
Dumplings are made from thinly rolled dough and a variety of fillings. The most popular are meat, sauerkraut and mushrooms, seasonal fruits (blueberries, strawberries, cherries), buckwheat, cottage cheese or boiled potatoes with fried onions (the so-called Russian dumplings). Dumplings are a traditional Polish dish that is always served at Christmas.
Rosol - broth or chicken soup
Rosul is the most common soup served in Poland. It’s especially nice to taste this soup on a cold Sunday after going to church. It is easy and quick to prepare and is usually served with homemade noodles. The ingredients needed for the broth are water, a piece of chicken, onion, some leeks, celery, parsley, cabbage, salt and pepper.
Stuffed cabbage rolls in cabbage leaves (Golabki - cabbage roll)
Stuffed cabbage is a typical traditional Polish dish of minced pork, rice, onions, mushrooms, wrapped in cabbage leaves.
You can also use poultry, lamb as a filling, or cook it without meat. Before serving, cabbage is simmered or fried in fat.
Polish pancakes
Thin Polish pancakes are served either with cheese, cottage cheese mixed with sugar, jam, fruit and powdered sugar, or with meat and vegetables - all fillings are good.
Lazanki with cabbage and mushrooms (Lazanki z kapusta i grzybami)
A very tasty and quite simple dish to prepare. You will need cabbage, pork, homemade pasta and vegetables (finely chopped onions and carrots).
Herring in oil with onion (Sledz w oleju z cebula / herring in oil with onion)
Herring can be prepared in different ways. However, in Poland there are two traditional ways of serving this fish: with sour cream and pickled onions or with butter and garlic.
Bigos / Hunter’s stew
This is an old Polish dish. The main ingredients are shredded sauerkraut, fresh cabbage (sometimes only sauerkraut is used), various types of meat and sausages, dried mushrooms, prunes, onions and spices.
Pork chop (Kotlet schabowy / breaded pork cutlet)
Pork chop is one of the most delicious and oldest Polish dishes. Breaded pork cutlet crumbles
bread crumbs (served with or without bones) and goes well with buttered potatoes and coleslaw. If you don't like pork, try making a chicken cutlet the same way.
Goulash (Gulasz / Goulash)
This dish originates from Hungary, and the Polish recipe is slightly different from the original. Stew with potatoes and vegetables is seasoned with fried onions and peppers.
And for dessert - bagels or Polish croissants (Dessert - Polish croissant cookies)
If you want something sweet for dessert, try Polish croissants. They are made from puff pastry or yeast and filled with jam.
Have you ever tried Polish cuisine? If yes, what is your favorite dish? Share your impressions with me!
Varied and magnificent. This is a synthesis of native Polish traditions together with the traditions of other cuisines, such as Ukrainian, Russian, Baltic, German and even Italian. Such diversity has led to the fact that food in Poland is so varied and colorful that everyone will find a dish to their liking. In general, all dishes are very filling and high-calorie, while being incredibly tasty. If you suddenly support diets or vegetarianism in Poland, you should forget about this. Poles love meat. And all dishes of Polish cuisine necessarily contain this delicious ingredient. It turns a dish into a storehouse of taste and nutrients, filling not only the stomach with warmth, but also the soul. Polish chefs know a lot about seasonings. They use them so carefully and, somehow, like a jeweler, that you only feel a light trail of their presence, which only emphasizes the taste, turning the food into a culinary masterpiece. But the national cuisine of Poland does not live on meat alone. Sour sauerkraut and cucumbers, red beets, fatty and tasty sour cream (lots of sour cream), various types of mushrooms and an incredible amount of sausages, flour products and vodka (with such an assortment, where would we be without it) make the national Polish cuisine varied and incredibly nutritious.
It's hard to believe, but a cult of soups has developed in Poland. Poles cannot live a day without this food. Even holidays are not complete without such a seemingly ordinary dish. Do you think that the soup will not surprise you? Then you should try the traditional soup called czernina. This is a soup made from goose, not breast, blood, with the addition of a broth of giblets, dried fruits, spices and a variety of vegetables. The composition is a little strange, but the taste is simply great, definitely worth a try.
The Chlodnik soup will be more familiar to us. It is prepared using beet kvass with the addition of fresh cucumber, boiled egg and dill. And where would we be without a huge amount of sour cream? The taste is similar to okroshka, only a little more interesting. And the bright color beckons you to try a spoonful.
It would be a crime to be in Poland and not try żurek. This is the quintessential Polish soup. It is prepared from rye flour, slightly fermented beforehand, and white sausage, smoked meat, spices and roots are also added. A large spoon of sour cream is required. It is served on the table in a bowl of bread, with an egg and, as an addition, there is also a piece of sausage. The soup is incredibly hearty and incredibly tasty. It is not uncommon to see Zurek at the festive Easter table.
But the gastronomic diversity does not end there. Along with red, traditional borscht, Poles also prepare white borscht. Its basis is a leaven of rye flour, potatoes and marjoram. It doesn’t look much like borscht, but it’s a very tasty dish in its own way.
White borschtAlso, if you really have no time for experiments, but want to eat, then you can try Krupnik - a soup made from barley groats, vegetables and meat.
KrupnikCabbage soup (Kapuśniak) is a soup in which the main ingredient is sauerkraut or fresh cabbage, clear chicken broth with noodles (Rosół z kurczaka), green or yellow pea soup (Grochówka) and mushroom soup, where various types of mushrooms are present, can be fresh or dried ones (Zupa grzybowa) will delight you with the traditionality of the ingredients, because we prepare such soups ourselves. A light trail of Poland is felt in seasonings and smoked meat, but nothing more.
SkitAnd don’t forget about another colorful soup: Beef tripe (Flaki wołowe) - this is a beef broth with tripe, meat and vegetables. Quite a fatty and filling dish. Removes the feeling of hunger seriously and for a long time.
Beef tripe What about snacks?
Snacks, like all dishes, delight with their nutritional value and unusualness. The most favorite snack of Poles is considered to be bread with lard (melted lard) spread on it. Lard seasoned with various spices on fresh, still hot, fragrant bread will not leave any Pole indifferent. And once you try it, you will become a fan of this snack.
Herring in sour cream with onions is another favorite snack among the Polish population.
Another variation of lard snack is lard, which is stuffed with dried plums and all this splendor is fried. The aroma is delicious and very unusual.
Tatar is considered to be the most unusual snack in Poland. A piece of raw beef, along with onion and raw yolk, is passed through a meat grinder or blender and eaten with great pleasure.
Rich traditional Polish cuisine and main courses.
When starting to get acquainted with the main dishes, you cannot ignore Pies (pierogi) - one of the favorite dishes of Poles. The most interesting thing is that Pies are nothing more than the dumplings we know. And our fillings are similar: boiled potatoes, cottage cheese, meat, mushrooms, sauerkraut, spinach. There are also sweet options. Pies can be filled with a variety of fruits, for example, plums, cherries, apples, as well as chocolate or jam. They are eaten boiled and fried. In such splendor, everyone will choose what they like.
The hallmark of traditional Polish cuisine is considered to be a dish called Bigos. Sauerkraut mixed with meat, sausages, sometimes with mushrooms, tomatoes and prunes, seasoned with various spices makes up Bigos. It is served hot. It is very important that the proportions of meat and cabbage should be the same. Bigos is often served with fresh black bread and some strong drink.
BigosDid you think that cabbage rolls are a dish of your national cuisine? So it's not like that. Stuffed cabbage rolls (gołąbki) are a traditional Polish treat. The Poles came up with the idea of wrapping rice and meat, mushrooms, cereals, potatoes and, indeed, everything your soul and stomach desires in a cabbage leaf.
Polish potato pancakes, or as they are also called, placki (placki ziemniaczane), are pancakes made from grated potatoes and mashed potatoes, which are fried in oil. Season generously with sour cream or apple sauce.
PlyackiMeat is the main product in Poland. Everything is prepared from it, from chops in breadcrumbs, rolls with mushrooms, kebabs, to meat in honey, beer, and wine. Duck stuffed with apples or chicken stuffed with mushrooms are suitable for conservative eaters. Boiled, fried, steamed meat – any type of meat will be offered to you in Poland.
Meat rollsWith all this meat splendor, it is impossible to imagine Polish cuisine, like German cuisine, without a variety of sausages. Polish sausages differ from their Germanic relatives in that they are prepared using several types of meat, a variety of spices, and sometimes the addition of grains or potatoes. The sausages are very tasty, juicy, aromatic and incredibly filling.
The most interesting sausage is considered to be Kashanke, or in our opinion, blood sausage. Buckwheat or barley groats are mixed with pork blood, seasoned with spices and all this splendor is poured into the pork intestine. Then it is boiled and fried on a grill or frying pan. The smell and appearance are strange, but the taste is a very interesting combination. Poles love Kaszanke very much and recommend it to every foreigner who will not be afraid to try this culinary masterpiece.
It is customary to serve national sauce – Tsvikli – with meat dishes. The sauce is a mixture of boiled grated beets, horseradish, vegetable oil, salt, pepper and vinegar. Once you try this incredible sauce, you will never need ketchup again.
ZwickliSo we got to the sweetest part - desserts. Polish sweets and pastries will outshine the taste of both French croissants and American donuts. Polish dances, don’t even think of calling this piece of culinary art a cake, have long been part of the arsenal of housewives around the world.
Shortbread cookies with jam or cottage cheese, folded into an envelope, are an incredible delicacy that both adults and children love. Tender, melting in the mouth, it gives incredible taste and pleasure.
Another masterpiece made from shortcrust pastry is Mazurka (mazurka\mazurek). This is a kind of pie - divided into several parts, each of which is smeared with different types of jam. It looks very bright and incredibly tasty. Sometimes it is sprinkled with powdered sugar, which makes the appearance even more impressive.
MazurkaPolish housewives bake an unusual babka for Easter. This is a tall yeasty babka, with raisins, candied fruits and cherries, richly decorated with glaze. Today it is also common to prepare curd babka. Tender, somewhat reminiscent of a cheesecake, it has become one of the favorite desserts among Poles.
No holiday is complete without Galaretka - fruit jelly decorated with whipped cream.
And for a long time now, everyone’s favorite Charlotte has become an international dish. Although its roots originate in Poland. Charlotte with apples, pears, cinnamon and other fruits has become a favorite dessert not only in Poland, but also abroad. Tasty, juicy and aromatic, it has long gained its popularity in world cuisines.
Poland is also famous for its drinks. Herbal vodka “Zubrovka” from the protected pure forests of Belovezhskaya Pushcha has worldwide fame. Heated beer with spices and honey is considered to have an interesting taste - the favorite drink of pannochek in Poland. And honey wine and balms, which are also called healing ones, have an incredible bouquet of aromas and tastes. You need to drink them carefully, because due to their incredible taste, it is difficult to choose the dosage.
Polish national cuisine sometimes surprises, sometimes frightens and shocks, but it is incredibly tasty, and once you try the dish at least once, you will no longer be able to refuse more. Bon appetit!
Poland is a country with a rich and glorious history and many interesting traditions, including gastronomic ones.
National Polish cuisine was formed on the basis of cuisines of different regions of the country, which have their own characteristic features. It was greatly influenced by the culinary customs of several peoples: Lithuanians, Magyars, Tatars, Armenians and Jews. A peculiar finishing “cut” of Polish cuisine was produced by chefs from and, who for centuries served at the court of Polish kings and aristocrats.
Polish national dishes are appetizing and varied - these include traditional fish dishes from the Baltic coast, potatoes and perogies from the eastern regions, soups based on Mazovia flour starter and duck meat dishes from Greater Poland.Polish chefs constantly use all kinds of gifts from the sea, forests, fields and rivers in their work. Here they have not yet forgotten how to bake rutabaga pancakes, smoke and prepare hawthorn sauce for game comber. Everything is used: fish, game, crayfish, wild berries and mushrooms.
Some features of Polish cuisine bring it closer to Russian cuisine. This applies, for example, to the use of a number of typical products that seem too exotic, or even completely inedible, for most foreign guests. Take sauerkraut, pickled mushrooms and cucumbers, fermented milk drinks and flour soups.
What food should you try in Poland? What local dishes should you try first?
Zurek – soup for all occasions (zurek)
A local variation of the “hangover” soup perfectly restores the normal functioning of the stomach and digestive system the next day after a heavy intake.
Żurek is an authentic Polish folk dish. Each region of the country prepares it differently. Only the soup base remains unchanged - a solution of rye flour, fermented on rye crusts. Then small differences begin: in cafes and taverns in Mazovia, horseradish, sour cream and garlic are sure to be added to the zurek to add a sharp taste. In other regions, the soup is filled with boiled eggs, slices of brisket, smoked and boiled sausage.
Bigos
What should a tired tourist try, fed up with the historical panoramas of Polish cities and barely dragging his feet? The answer lies on the surface, of course – bigos, one of the main attractions of local cuisine.
Visiting Poland and not getting enough of bigos is the same as visiting the Czech Republic and neglecting the baked boar’s knee or forgetting about it. In a word – “gastronomic crime”.
The classic Old Polish proportion is 1.5 kg of fresh and sauerkraut per 1 kg of all kinds of meat and sausage. A couple of mugs of good stuff in a cozy cafe, and hiking will again seem like an interesting and educational activity, rather than hard physical work.
Pike perch in Polish (sandacz po polsku)
One of the most popular dishes is a wonderful gastronomic combination of three natural gifts of the generous Polish land.
Tender lake pike perch meat fried in thin puff pastry with a spicy sauce of stewed chanterelles and crayfish tails - this is how this top dish of Polish cuisine is prepared in the best Warsaw restaurants.
Duck with apples (kaczka z jabłkami)
Another popular restaurant hit that you should definitely try in Poland. The classic combination of two typical Polish products makes this dish tastier than anywhere else.
Young farm ducks are marinated in mead, after which their meat becomes surprisingly tender and tasty. The second indispensable ingredient of the dish is the main agricultural pride of the country: Polish apples.
Duck with apples is especially good in establishments in cities and towns in Greater Poland (Poznan, Kalisz, Gniezno). The best time for tasting is autumn, when the new apple harvest is ripening.
Polish dumplings (pierogi)
It would seem that what could be unusual about dumplings? You definitely won’t surprise tourists from Ukraine and Belarus with them? However, not everything is so simple - in Poland, the preparation of perogs (this is their local name) has been brought to the culinary absolute, so all tourists must try them.
Their most common variety is perogies with mushrooms and cabbage, sculpted in the shape of a crescent. A clear historical reference to the centuries-old struggle of the Polish people with the Ottoman Empire. These dumplings can be found in establishments in any Polish city.
In the eastern regions, large perogies stuffed with minced mushrooms are popular. In Lesser Poland (the south of the country) they prepare so-called “Russian” perogies stuffed with potatoes, onions and cottage cheese.
Flasks in Polish (flaczki)
This traditional Polish dish was borrowed from Lithuanian cuisine, as a result of the mutual cultural influence of the two countries during the period of union. The favorite dish of Queen Jadwiga and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello, who became the founder of the Jagiellonian dynasty.
It is not customary to cook it at home, so even the Poles themselves, as a rule, eat it in cafes and restaurants. Boiled and then stewed beef tripe has the consistency of something like a thick soup. The flasks are usually served with meatballs made from beef or pork liver (pulpets), as well as dumplings and blood sausage.
This delicious dish is a good option for a luxurious Polish breakfast. And, by the way, it is quite possible to purchase it in a store (in a bank) and take it with you as a souvenir from Poland when returning home.
Sorcerers (kołduny)
Behind this magic word are just small beef dumplings. This is another proof of large-scale cultural exchange between different parts of the once huge state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Sorcerers in different variations are present in the cuisines of neighboring peoples: Poles, Belarusians and Lithuanians. They are usually eaten whole, without losing a drop of the delicious juicy broth.
Goose roll (rolada z gęsi)
Historically, one of the main Polish Christmas dishes, both among Catholics and Protestants. But you can try it not only during the New Year holidays.
In and Warsaw it is prepared in a very sophisticated way: minced goose meat, veal, nuts and dried fruits are placed in marinated goose breast fillet. Blackberry-cognac sauce and dried plums give the dish a sweetish taste.
Stuffed cabbage rolls (golabki)
Once upon a time, in the old days, cabbage rolls in Polish cuisine were usually filled with buckwheat porridge, zhur or borscht.
If you order this dish in any place these days, there is a high probability that you will receive standard cabbage rolls made from boiled cabbage leaves with boiled rice, fried minced pork and onions with mushroom sauce. However, it turns out quite tasty.
Papal "Kremowka" (kremowka)
A cake that became incredibly popular at the very end of the 20th century thanks to Pontiff John Paul II. It was his public childhood memories of the wonderful taste of Napoleon cake, bought in a simple market confectionery, that created a real sensation among Polish confectioners.
Then, in 1999, during the pope’s visit to his hometown of Wadowice, all the pastries and cakes that at least somehow resembled Napoleon in appearance were bought up there in one evening.
Since then, the papal “Kremuvki” has been in great demand among tourists and local residents and is one of the must-try ones.
If you can say about any cuisine that it warms the soul, then it is definitely Polish cuisine. Eggs, sour cream, cabbage, mushrooms and meat - a lot of meat! – this is what defines Polish cuisine, making it hearty and nutritious, uplifting and giving strength.
Krakow. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theoryclub/
Connoisseurs will find in Polish cuisine traces of the influence of neighboring peoples: Hungarians, Germans, Belarusians, Russians, and even! Well, the uninitiated person will simply salivate from all these various combinations. So, get to the table, sir!
Where to start: Polish soups
As a rule, all meals in Poland begin with soups. And there are a great many of them here. Definitely the most unusual of them is “czernina” - soup made from goose blood. In addition to the main ingredient, goose giblet broth, boiled dried fruits, vegetables and spices are added to it. This soup is very popular in Poland.
Goose blood soup - Czernina. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcins/
Another common soup is Chlodnik. To some, it may resemble borscht due to its bright beetroot color. But this soup is more like our okroshka, only with beet kvass. Kvass is made from beet broth, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, dill and, of course, sour cream are added to it!
Polish cold soup - Kholodnik (chlodnik). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lokon/
Another Polish soup is żurek, which is made from fermented rye flour with the addition of white sausage, smoked meat, roots and spices. Served with sour cream.
Mushrooms are a frequent guest in Polish cuisine. The abundance of mushrooms in Polish forests in the old days, and now in supermarkets, makes it possible to prepare the so-called mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa), the basis of which is a variety of mushrooms, the range of which varies depending on the season or the taste of the cook.
Polish mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/domel/
And after a good soup, you can start with the main courses.
Second courses
Polish “pies” (pierogi) are actually dumplings. With meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms or potatoes - they can be boiled or fried, but equally tasty in any form. They can also be sweet: with cherries, apples and other fruits or even chocolate! Who likes what?
Polish “pies” (pierogi). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elysepasquale/
Bigos is one of the most famous national dishes outside Poland, somewhat reminiscent of cabbage soup, but in the form of a second course. There are an unlimited number of cooking recipes. It is prepared from meat (usually pork) and sauerkraut, sometimes prunes are added, sometimes mushrooms and sausages, sometimes even rice - there are a lot of options.
Polish national dish is Bigos. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/donotlick/
Poles also love cabbage rolls (gołąbki) stuffed with minced meat and rice, stewed in a weak tomato sauce. Mushrooms and other ingredients (cereals, potatoes, etc.) can also be added to the filling. In general, it is believed that cabbage rolls are a national Polish dish, borrowed from their neighbors (including us).
Polish dish - cabbage rolls (gołąbki). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matteoantonante/
Polish placki (not to be confused with Ukrainian!) or potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane) - are prepared from raw grated or boiled and mashed potatoes, fried in butter and served with sour cream or apple sauce.
Polish placki - potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleksandraw/
No collection about Polish cuisine would be complete without mentioning Polish sausages (kielbasa). They are very similar to, but much tastier! They are prepared from several types of meat, sometimes with the addition of cereals or potatoes. There are many types of Polish sausages - garlic, marjoram and other spices make them special.
Polish sausages. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40600430@N07/
Do you still have room for dessert after this meal? Oh, don't say no! - you haven't seen them yet.
Polish desserts
Poland is famous for its soups and hearty main courses, and charming and delicious desserts not only complement it, they make it perfect! Polish sweets are popular among both Poles and non-Poles alike.
Cookies with jam (Kolaczki) are the most famous of them. These are shortbread cookies, folded into an envelope, from which joyfully bright jam or jam, or delicate curd peeks out. In the old days, these cookies were a traditional Christmas treat, but now they are eaten all year round. It’s really better to eat it fresh - it’s good if there is someone in Poland who can prepare these cookies for you. Well, if not, don’t worry! You can also buy them in local supermarkets. They never stale.
Polish cookies with jam - Kolaczki. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039559@N03/
Mazurka or mazurek (mazurka\mazurek) is not only a dance, as you might think. This is a wonderful pie, which, like cookies with jam, is baked from shortcrust pastry. It differs in that it is rolled out into a thin layer, divided into segments, and generously coated with different types of fruit jam. It turns out very beautiful and tasty. And when it is lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar, it seems that the Christmas fairy tale has already begun, and it is very close!
Polish pie - mazurek. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85571090@N00/
And of course, the Polish grandmother! Traditionally, this product made from yeast dough was baked for Easter, so it is somewhat reminiscent of our Easter cake: a tall form, topped with fruit, or chocolate, or creamy glaze. But there are many more ingredients in Polish babka. And among them, of course... vodka! And also a lot of raisins, candied fruits, dried cherries!
Chocolate babka. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bananamondaes/
Recently, curd and chocolate babkas have become increasingly popular. I wonder what kind of babka you would like to try?
It's difficult to end this article on this note. I want to write and write, because Polish cuisine is close to us in its taste combinations, traditions, it is diverse and limitless! Why write, I want to try, try... What about you?
Polish cuisine is a culinary tradition close in spirit to Russian cuisine. It has developed over many centuries under the influence of various historical circumstances. Over its long history, the Polish people have managed to intertwine with many other peoples of central and eastern Europe, whose influence is also noticeable in modern Polish traditional cuisine. In addition to the Slavs and peoples of central Europe, Polish cuisine was also influenced by the French, Italians and Jews.Polish cuisine is distinguished by its extensive use of meat (pork, chicken and beef are popular, depending on the region) and vegetables (especially cabbage and potatoes). Also in Polish cuisine, cereals are very actively used, from which Poles prepare dumplings, numerous porridges, and bake bread. In addition, eggs and dairy products occupy an important place in the Polish diet. In general, Polish cuisine is very hearty and, as a rule, quite fatty.
Most traditional Polish dishes are not easy to prepare. The Poles, like many other Eastern European peoples, do not spare their time and prepare quite complex traditional dishes. And holiday (Christmas, Easter, etc.) dishes here sometimes take several days to prepare.
Traditionally, the main meal in Poland is lunch, which occurs around 2 pm. Lunch consists of three courses. For the first course, as in Russia, soup is always served - this is usually the well-known rassolnik, tomato soup, beetroot borscht or the more festive zurek. Along with the soup, as a rule, some kind of appetizer is served to the table (a tradition also characteristic of Ukrainian cuisine) - chopped vegetables (fresh or pickled), lard, herring, dried meat, etc.
The main course of the Polish dinner table almost always includes meat. Poles prepare meat in a wide variety of ways - fried, stewed with vegetables and sauces, baked, rolled into minced meat and fried into cutlets and meatballs, made into sausages and frankfurters. A side dish for meat dishes is usually boiled potatoes or some kind of grain porridge.
The lunch meal ends with dessert. The most popular Polish desserts are poppy seed cookies, yeast cake and various pies with fillings.
It is important to emphasize that modern Polish cuisine is not homogeneous - it varies from region to region. Thus, in the northeastern regions of Poland, Lithuanian dishes are very popular, in the eastern regions - Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian, in the western regions - German and Austrian, in the southern regions - Czech and Slovakian.
It is difficult to single out the most popular Polish traditional dishes, because, as mentioned above, in different regions of Poland they eat completely differently. However, traditional Polish dishes are considered to be: beetroot borscht, holodnik (cold borscht with kefir), żurek (soup with sausage and egg), dumplings with various fillings, bigos (stewed sauerkraut with meat), pork cutlets, golonka (stewed pork knuckle), cabbage rolls, goulash, zrazy, hoof-shaped potato zrazy, makowiec (poppy seed cake) and syrnik (Polish cottage cheese).
There is no dominant drink in Polish cuisine. Among alcoholic drinks, Poles, depending on the occasion and region, prefer vodka, beer, wine or various liqueurs; among non-alcoholic drinks, tea, juices, compotes and coffee.
