Traditional food and beverages from southern Poland

Hm… I made up a title and right after that noticed that it is almost impossible to write about all traditional dishes even only from southern Poland. To face this problem I decided to divide Polish Carpathians into smaller regions and write about several dishes from each region. I had a chance to taste all of them :)

PODHALE, ORAWA, SPISZ – AROUND THE TATRAS

Moskol

It is a potato pancake made on a griddle. It is around 1 cm thick, made of mashed potatoes, flower and water. Moskols are served warm and with butter (even garlick butter!), sometimes also with bryndza and bacon. It used to be a very popular dish in Podhale region thanks to its simplicity and availability of cheap ingredients from which it is made of. Nowadays it is not so popular because in many houses are modern kitchens without the traditional griddle. But you can taste it in Zakopane and around in some guesthouses or restaurants e.g. Kraczma Sabala in Zakopane. 

Oscypek

Oscypek is a sheep's milk yellow cheese made in Podhale. It is firm, smoked and salty. Oscypek is also known as a shepherds cheese. You can buy it in many places in Zakopane and surroundings, in shops, on stands along the road. It is so popular that you will also find it in shops all over the country but the best is from its land of origin. Hiking in the Tatra, Pieniny and other Carpathian mountains in Poland you have a chance to visit traditional shepherds huts where the cheese is produced. I like to eat it warmed up (grilled) and with cranberry jam. Maybe it is not traditional way of eating but tasty ;)

Ice cream from Nowy Targ

Mhhmm…jummy. This is ice cream for patient people – sometimes the queue in front of the ice cream parlor is so long… but it is worth waiting. The ice cream has homemade taste and shape and is being sold by weight. You can buy it on a market square in Nowy Targ or on Krupowki street in Zakopane. The name of the shop is Zarneccy. 

Bryndza

It is the traditional white cheese made from mainly sheep’s but also cow’s milk. It is made in Podhale region and Beskid Mountains. Bryndza has salty, slightly sour and spicy taste. It is perfect together with bread or moskols but often it is used as an ingredient for preparing other dishes. In order to produce bryndza you need to pass through 10 stages of production.

Bread backed on cabbage leaf

Delicious! Especially when it is fresh, eaten with butter ;) It is springy, with crispy crust and it has gentle flavor of cabbage. It is an traditional dish from Orava (close to Babia Gora mountain).

WESTERN BESKIDY

Sliwowica Lacka

It is the traditional drink from Lacko with alcohol content more than 70%. “Sliwowica” means that it is made of plums. Lacko is famous for arboriculture.

Kolocz from Cieszyn area

Delicious cake – I use to buy it whenever I am visiting the Silesian Beskids. Bottom and top of kołocz is a baked yeast dough. Inside there is a poppy seed, cheese or apple filling. Top of kołocz is adorned with crumble sometimes sprinkled with powdered sugar.

 

BIESZCZADY and BESKID NISKI

Proziaki

These are pancakes made on a griddle. They consist of wheat flour or wheat-rye flour, eggs, sour cream, water, salt, sugar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Proziaki are very typical for Subcarpathian region (south-eastern Poland). They taste delicious with fresh butter, cool milk or sweet cream.

TO BE CONTINUED…

When to visit Polish and Slovak mountains?

What is the best time to visit Polish and Slovak mountain areas? What should you take under consideration choosing the time of your trip?

Think about:

- weather conditions typical for each region and the time of the year,

- specific characteristics of the region,

- purpose of your trip (sightseeing, hiking, skiing, spa, partying, etc.)

- your personal preferences (you prefer peace and quiet or you don't mind crowds of tourists, etc.).

Spring

The weather in spring is unpredictable (it is unpredictable in the mountains in general;). You may be positively surprised or disappointed. 

SKIING: If you come for downhill skiing the snow conditions can let you down a bit. Slopes placed in the higher parts of the mountains may be still well prepared because of the low temperature and usage of the ski guns. Those are ski resorts in the Tatra Mountains (especially in Slovakia) and around and in the Low Tatras. The other areas are rather closed at that time.

On the other hand spring may be the best time for alpine skiing lovers. If the winter was snowy enough there may still lie great amounts of good snow. The best areas for alpine skiing are the Polish Tatra Mountains (in Slovakia only few areas are available for skiers). The trails are open to skiers until the special regulation is issued by the Tatra National Park.

 

HIKING: Early spring in the lower mountains may be hard for hikers because of the melting snow. In the higher mountains you can still encounter winter conditions. Hiking in the Tatra Mountains, Low Tatras, Velka and Mala Fatra, Babia Góra – remeber about avalanche risk! The most amazing thing about spring is nature waking up to life! Only in that time of the year you will see meadows covered with violet carpets of crocuses – wonderful! Other typical for mountain valleys flowers are yellow kingcups (marsh marigolds).  

CULTURAL EVENTS: Spring time is not rich in cultural events, especially early spring. The most important holiday is Easter. Religion is still vivid among Poles and thanks to this you may see and take part in all celebrations. The best option is to spend Easter with local family i.e. at one of the farm stays. 

NOTICE: 1^st-3^rd  May is a so called „long weekend” in Poland according to national holiday. Therefore in all tourist destinations (especially in the Tatra Mountains) are crowds of people. If you have possibility try to plan your trip to Poland at another time. 

Summer

Summer in Poland and Slovakia is variable. It is often rainy in July, in August the weather is more stable. That is why many people choose the end of summer for spending holidays in the mountains. 

HIKING: Summer is a perfect time for hiking in any mountains in Poland and Slovakia. The only thing you have to be aware are thunderstorms and heat waves – better plan your route taking into account the weather forecast. The same is with cycling tips.

CULTURAL EVENTS: Summer abound in cultural events like festivals, concerts. All tourists resorts prepare some attractions for visitors. Even in small villages you may take part in some interesting festivities. In Poland many of them concern the traditions of  mountain dwellers. You may find information about current events at local tourist information offices. The one festival I would like to mention is International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane – it gathers artists-highlanders from all over the world (official website).

NOTICE: Summer time is a vacation time what means that some popular tourist destinations may be overcrowded. For example in Zakopane and Polish Tatras you will meet lots of people while at the same time in Slovak Tatras tourist traffic will be reasonable. The same is with parts of the Pieniny Mountains or Bieszczady. It does not mean that you should not come to Poland and Slovakia in summer – you just have to choose the places carefully reading about them or asking local people. I.e. villages of Beskid Niski, Eastern Bieszczady are still a refuge of peace and quiet.

I suggest to avoid visiting popular tourist destinations in Poland on 15^th August (religious holiday and “long weekend”). It is also hard to find attractive accommodation at that time if you don’t book in advance! Also in Slovakia in the middle of August people organize “Národný výstup na Kriváň” = “National ascending the Mountain Kriváň” in the High Tatras – imagine hundreds of people climbing one mountain… ;) 

Autumn

Fall is also a capricious season of the year. Generally the beginning of autumn may be beautiful – it is still not so cold and the weather is sunny. But as time goes by the weather becomes more unpredictable. Sometimes is dry and sunny, leaves on the trees turn yellow and the mountain landscape is amazing. But it may also be cold and rainy…

HIKING: Autumn is my favorite season for hiking trips in Poland and Slovakia :) Only then you can see the amazing views in the morning, when the mists remain in the bottoms of valleys and mountain peaks protrude above them. Only then you walk through colorful forest with yellow, orange, red and green around you. The Bieszczady Mountains in Poland is one of the favorite destination for hiking lovers - these mountains are famous for their beautiful autumn scenery. In Slovakia the same is with Velka Fatra (Greater Fatra). Also Pieniny in Poland and Slovak Paradise in Slovakia are beautiful at that time – colors of autumn look wonderful among white limestone rocks!

In the Tatra Mountains you may already meet winter conditions with snow in higher parts of the mountains. Such a conditions are often very difficult and dangerous for hikers – you can easily slip on a rock and fall down the wall. Special equipment like crampons and ice ax may be useful. Hiking trails in the Slovak Tatra Mountains are not accessible to public between 1 November and 15 June.

If you plan several-days trekkings with sleeping in a tent – remember that the temperature may fall below zero!

CULTURAL EVENTS: There are still some interesting cultural events in the beginning of autumn but later you can attend some events only in bigger tourist resorts.

Winter

Sometimes it begins in November, sometimes in January ;) It is not certain that Christmas will be white and frosty in towns and villages but in the mountains probably yes. 

SKIING: Skiers may be almost 100% certain that slopes will be covered with snow due to artificial snowmaking. More about skiing areas in Poland you can read here and here. Alpine skiing and backcountry skiing depends on the depth of snow. Last 2 years were perfect for this kind of activity. Remember – before going higher in the mountains check avalanche risk level! 

HIKING: Special equipment like crampons and ice ax may be useful in the Tatra Mountains. In lower mountain ranges hiking poles and snowshoes (optionally) are enough. Remember about taking avalanche kit while hiking in the Tatra Mountains, Low Tatras, Greater and Lower Fatra, Bieszczady, Babia Gora.

CULTURAL EVENTS: Winter is a high season that is why it is full of any cultural events.

NOTICE: Famous ski resorts may be a bit overcrowded - many people love spending winter vacations in the mountains :)

Enjoy! :)

Farm stay in Poland

Villages in Poland are characterized by authenticity - families have lived there for many generations, cultivating role and growing animals, what is rare in many other European countries nowadays. People from the Carpathian villages joined daily activities together with hosting visitors - coming to their place you can take part in tradition, culture or simply a rural life.

If you are searching for authenticity and want to get off the beaten tracks, a rural holidays in the mountains suit you perfectly. In a farmhouse you find hospitality of a highlander family and see how the everyday life the countryside looks like. You can participate in local traditions and even help with a farm work like feeding animals, picking fruits and vegetables, riding horses, learning about herbs or how a farm functions. It is an amazing experience for both children and adults. Very interesting may be also spending a night in a barn, bee yard or on a rancho.

During the farm stay you can taste local food and buy local products. Many of them like milk, breadstuff, vegetables or fruits come from farms own crops and animal husbandries. It is an interesting suggestion if you are leading a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature. Dreams about a real rest in peaceful surroundings, simplicity, no hurry and closeness of the nature come true on countryside holidays.

Handicraft is still practiced in Carpathian Mountains. Visit local artists’ workshops – it is an occasion to see violin maker’s, blacksmith’s or regional outfit maker’s workshop. You can also take part in artistic workshops, experience a sleigh ride and bonfire or listen to a regional band.

  

Together with Andrzej we have visited many farm stays in southern Poland. In Polish they are called “agroturystyka”. At each farm we were welcomed warmly and people were very eager to show their places. During our visits we have a chance to meet great and people.

WARNING: Unfortunatelly many lodgings that you find in the internet calling themselves “farm stays” lack atmosphere, are situated in noisy area or have nothing to do with farming. The problem is also that very often the best places do not have websites in other languages but Polish what makes difficult for foreign visitors to find them.