Polish cuisine
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[[Image:Polish pastries.jpg|300px|thumb|Polish pastries.]]
'''Polish Cuisine''' ([[Polish language|Polish]]: ''kuchnia polska'') is a mixture of [[Slavs|Slavic]] culinary traditions. It is rich in meat, especially chicken and pork, and winter vegetables (cabbage in the dish [[bigos]]), and spices, as well as different kinds of [[noodle]]s the most notable of which are the [[pierogi]]. It is related to other Slavic cuisines in usage of ''[[kasza]]'' and other [[cereal]]s. Generally speaking, Polish cuisine is substantial. The traditional cuisine generally is demanding and Poles allow themselves a generous amount of time to prepare and enjoy their festive meals, with some meals (like Christmas eve or Easter Breakfast) taking a number of days to prepare in their entirety.
Traditionally, the main meal is eaten at about 2pm and is usually composed of three courses, starting with a soup, such as popular bouillon or tomato or more festive [[barszcz]] (beet) or [[żurek]] (sour rye meal mash), followed perhaps in a restaurant by an appetizer of herring (prepared in either cream, oil, or vinegar). Other popular appetizers are various cured meats, vegetables or fish in [[aspic]]. The main course is usually meaty including a roast or [[kotlet schabowy]] (breaded pork cutlet). Vegetables, currently replaced by leaf salad, were not very long ago most commonly served as 'surowka' - shredded root vegetabes with lemon and sugar (carrot, celeriac, beetroot) or fermented cabbage (kapusta kwaszona). The sides are usually boiled potaotes or more tradishionally kasha (cereals). Meals often conclude with a dessert such as [[makowiec]] (poppy seed cake), or [[drożdżówka]], a type of yeast cake. Other Polish specialities include [[chłodnik]] (a chilled beet or fruit soup for hot days), [[golonka]] (pork knuckles cooked with vegetables), [[kołduny]] (meat dumplings), [[zrazy]] (stuffed slices of beef), [[salceson]] and [[flaczki]] ([[tripe]]).
==History==
===Middle Ages===
During the Late [[Middle Ages]] the cuisine of [[Poland]] was very heavy and [[spice|spicy]]. Two main ingredients were meat (both [[Game (food)|game]] and beef) and cereal. As the territory of Poland was densely forested, use of [[edible mushroom|mushrooms]], forest fruits, [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s and [[honey]] was also widespread. Thanks to close trade relations with [[Asia]], the price of [[spice]]s (such as [[juniper]], [[black pepper|pepper]] and [[nutmeg]]) was much lower than in the rest of [[Europe]], and spicy sauces became popular. The usage of two basic sauces (the ''jucha czerwona'' and ''jucha szara'', or red and white blood in contemporary Polish) remained widespread at least until 18th century.<ref name="Nowak">{{pl icon}} {{cite journal | author =Wojciech Staszewski | year =2006 | month =August | title =Bycze jądra z grilla|journal =[[Gazeta Wyborcza]] | volume = | issue = | pages = | id = | url =http://serwisy.gazeta.pl/df/1,34467,3558017.html | accessdate =2006-08-25 }}</ref>
The most popular beverages were [[beer]], including the very lightly-fermented barley-water, podpiwek, and [[mead]] -- however in the 16th century the upper classes started importing [[Hungary|Hungarian]] wines. After distilled spirits became common in Europe, [[vodka]] became popular, especially among the lower classes.
There is only circumstantial evidence of vodka's origination in Poland. First, the development of the distillation process in France during the 14th century, the knowledge of the process would most likely pass through Germany, Poland etc. because of geographic location. Second, the first known recorded use of the word 'vodka' exists in a Polish document from 1405{{Fact|date=May 2007}}.
===Renaissance===
With the ascension of the Italian queen [[Bona Sforza]], the second wife of [[Sigismund I of Poland]], in 1518, countless cooks were brought to [[Poland]] from [[Italy]] and [[France]]. Although native vegetable foods were an ancient and intrinsic part of the cuisine, this began a period in which vegetables such as [[lettuce]], [[Leek (vegetable)|leek]], [[celeriac]] and [[cabbage]] were more widely used. Even today, such vegetables as leeks, carrots and celery are known in [[Polish language|Polish]] as ''włoszczyzna'', which refers to ''Włochy'', the Polish name of [[Italy]].
===The Republic===
[[Image:Bigos02.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Bigos]]]]
Until the [[Partitions of Poland|Partitions]], [[Poland]] was one of the largest countries in the world, encompassing many regions with their own, distinctive culinary traditions. Among the most influential in that period were [[Lithuanian cuisine|Lithuanian]], [[Turkish cuisine|Turkish]] and [[Hungarian cuisine]]. With the subsequent decline of Poland, and the grain production crisis that followed [[The Deluge (Polish history)|The Deluge]], potatoes began to replace the traditional use of cereal. Also, because of numerous wars with the [[Ottoman Empire]], [[coffee]] became popular.
===Partitions===
Under the partitions, the cuisine of Poland became heavily influenced by cuisines of the surrounding empires. This included [[Russian cuisine|Russian]] and [[German cuisine|German]] cuisines, but also the culinary traditions of most nations of the [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian]] empire. In the Russian-occupied part of the country, tea displaced the then-popular coffee. Under German influence the tradition of making [[weisswurst|white sausage]]s was adopted in [[Greater Poland]]. Perhaps the most influential was the culinary tradition of multi-national empire of [[Austria-Hungary]], which led to development of a Central European cuisine in [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]].
[[Image:Ruskie.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Pierogi]]]]
The 19th century also saw the creation of the first Polish cook-book, by [[Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa]], who based her work on the 18th century diaries of the [[szlachta]].
===After World War II===
After the end of [[World War II]], Poland fell under Communist occupation. Restaurants were at first [[nationalization|nationalized]] and then mostly closed down by the authorities. Instead, the communists envisioned a net of [[lunch room]]s for the workers at various companies, and [[Bar mleczny|milk bar]]s. The very few restaurants that survived the 1940s and 1950s were state-owned and were mostly unavailable to common people due to high prices. The lunch rooms promoted mostly inexpensive meals, including in soups of all kinds and noodles such as pierogi. A typical second course consisted of some sort of a ground meat [[cutlet]] served with potatoes. The ''kotlet schabowy'' is similar to the Austrian [[Wiener schnitzel]].
With time, the [[shortage economy]] led to chronic shortages of meat, eggs, coffee, tea and other basic ingredients of daily use. Many products like chocolate, sugar, meat were rationed, with a specific limit depending on social class and health requirements. Physical workers and pregnant women were generally entitled to more food products. Imports were restricted, so much of food supply was domestic. Thus no tropical fruits (citrus, banana, pineapple etc.) were available and fruits and vegetables vere mostly seasonal: occurring only in the summer. For most of the year the Poles had to live by with only domestic winter fruit and vegetables: apples, onions, potatoes, cabbage, root vegetables.
This situation led in turn to gradual replacement of traditional Polish cuisine with food prepared of anything that was available at the moment. Among the popular dishes introduced by the public restaurants was an ''egg cutlet'', a sort of a hamburger made of minced or instant egg and [[flour]]. The traditional recipes were mostly preserved during the [[Wigilia]] feast (Christmas Eve), for which most families tried to prepare 12 traditional courses.
==Modern era==
[[Image:Polish meat counter.jpg|300px|thumb|Polish meat store.]]
With the end of communism in Poland in 1989, restaurants started to be opened once again and basic foodstuffs were once again easily obtainable. This led to a gradual return of traditional Polish cuisine, both in everyday life and in restaurants. In addition, restaurants and supermarkets promote the usage of ingredients typical to other cuisines of the world. Among the most notable of ingredients that started to be commonly used in Poland were [[Cucurbitaceae|cucurbit]], [[zucchini]] and all kinds of fish. During communist times, these were available mostly in the seaside regions.
Recent years have seen the advent of a [[slow food]] movement, and a number of TV programmes devoted to traditional Polish cuisine have gained much popularity.
At the same time, fast food is growing more and more popular in Poland. Apart from McDonald's and KFC, Pizza Hut is very popular, as well as many Polish pizza chains. Pizza in Poland is characterized by the Polish habit of using ketchup on top of the pizza, rather than sauce. There are many small-scale, quick-service restaurants which usually serve items such as zapiekanka (baguette with cheese, sometimes [[meat]] and/or [[button mushroom]] and ketchup), [[kebap]], hamburgers, hot dogs and kielbasa.
==Common dishes found on a national level==
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Soups|Common soups found on a national level]]
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Main course|Common main courses found on a national level]]
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Dessert|Common desserts found on a national level]]
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Beverages|Common beverages found on a national level]]
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Folk medicine|Common folk medicine dishes found on a national level]]
==Regional cuisine==
Poland has a number of unique regional cuisines with regional differences in preparations and ingredients
===[[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Galicia|Common dishes found in Galicia cuisine]]
===Eastern Poland===
====[[Kresy]]====
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Kresy|Common dishes found in Kresy cuisine]]
====[[Podlasie]]====
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Podlasie|Common dishes found in Podlasie cuisine]]
====North====
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#North|Common dishes found in northern Polish cuisine]]
===[[Masovia]] (including [[Warsaw]])===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Masovia|Common dishes found in Masovia cuisine]]
===[[Masuria]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Masuria|Common dishes found in Masuria cuisine]]
===[[Pomerania]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Pomerania|Common dishes found in Pomerania cuisine]]
===[[Silesia]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Silesia|Common dishes found in Silesia cuisine]]
===[[Tatra mountains]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Tatra mountains|Common dishes found in Tatra mountains cuisine]]
===[[Greater Poland]]===
*[[List of Polish cuisine dishes#Greater Poland|Common dishes found in Greater Poland cuisine]]
==Ingredients==
*''kapusta kiszona'' - [[sauerkraut]]
*''[[polish style pickled cucumber|ogórek kiszony]]'' - salted sour [[cucumber]], a [[Pickling|pickle]] prepared in a similar way to ''sauerkraut''
*''[[kielbasa|kiełbasa]]'' - Polish sausage, comes in a wide variety of versions
*''[[śmietana]]'' - a type of sour cream
==Notes and references==
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==External links==
*[http://www.kramarczuk.com Excellent Polish Food from Minnesota]
*[http://www.polana.com Great Source for Authentic Polish Food in Illinois]
*[http://www.polishdeli.info/polish,cuisine.php short summary on the Polish Cuisine]
*[http://www.poland.gov.pl/?document=411&PHPSESSID=531220f72393544bee9b977356d2b805 Polish cuisine at Poland.gov]
*[http://www.polishforums.com/polish_food_cuisine-f8_0.html Discuss Polish Food and Cuisine at PolishForums.com ]
*[http://www.cosmopolis.ch/lifestyle/warsaw/restaurant_la_rotisserie.htm The gourmet restaurant La Rôtisserie in Warsaw presented by cosmopolis.ch]
*[http://www.warsaw-life.com/poland/polish-food Warsaw Life Guide to Polish Cuisine]
*[http://www.polisheats.com Traditional Polish Food Online]
*[http://www.polishfood.com Gourmet Polish Cuisine, recipes and food. ]
{{cuisine}}
[[Category:Polish cuisine| ]]
[[de:Polnische Küche]]
[[es:Gastronomía de Polonia]]
[[fr:Cuisine polonaise]]
[[ko:폴란드 요리]]
[[id:Masakan Polandia]]
[[he:המטבח הפולני]]
[[hu:Lengyel konyha]]
[[pl:Kuchnia polska]]
[[pt:Culinária da Polônia]]
[[ru:Польская кухня]]
[[uk:Польська кухня]]