Poland

Pierogi

Half-moon dumplings filled with potato and curd, cabbage, or blueberries, boiled then fried.

Bigos

Sauerkraut and meat stewed and reheated for days until the flavour turns deep and sour.

Żurek

Sour rye soup with white sausage and half an egg, served in a bread bowl at Easter.

Kotlet schabowy

Breaded pork cutlet fried in lard, served with potatoes and dill-dressed cucumber.

Barszcz czerwony

Clear beetroot broth, sour and deep red, drunk from a cup with little dumplings.

Gołąbki

Cabbage leaves wrapped around rice and minced pork, baked in tomato sauce.

Placki ziemniaczane

Grated potato pancakes fried crisp and served with sour cream or goulash.

Kiełbasa

Smoked garlic sausage, grilled, boiled, or sliced cold onto rye bread.

Rosół

Long-simmered chicken broth with noodles, Sunday's first course in every house.

Flaki

Tripe soup with marjoram and root vegetables, thickened and served very hot.

Oscypek

Smoked sheep's cheese from the Tatras, grilled and served with cranberry jam.

Śledź

Salt herring in oil with onion or in cream with apple, eaten with cold vodka.

Zapiekanka

Half a baguette grilled with mushrooms and cheese, sauced with ketchup from a bottle.

Pączki

Rose-jam doughnuts fried by the million on the Thursday before Lent.

Sernik

Dense cheesecake made with twaróg curd, baked plain or with raisins.

Makowiec

Yeast roll spiralled around sweet poppy seed paste, baked for Christmas.

Szarlotka

Apple cake with a crumb or shortcrust lid, served warm with whipped cream.

Kompot

Fruit boiled with a little sugar and drunk cold, the homemade alternative to juice.

Wódka

Rye or potato spirit drunk cold in one go, never sipped and never mixed.

Miód pitny

Honey wine graded by how much water the honey was cut with, aged for years.