by Leanne Smoliak
Our son’s best friends were getting married in Pulawy, Poland and we were invited. We decided to make it a road trip with our son and daughter-in-law and her mum.
First stop Krakow. The central square is magnificent. Beautiful historic buildings surround a glorious market, chock-full of artisanal crafts, cheeses, meats to take home or to eat there, everything beautifully presented. Of course, we had all the various sausages and accoutrements.
Eating at a bar mleczny (milk bar) was high on our list.
Some are in handsome old structures with ornate chandeliers, and some are cafeterias. They are a holdover from the communist era when the government subsidized the food for workers. The tradition continues. Today Poland still foots the bill for most of your milk bar meal. We enjoyed traditional foods like borscht, cabbage salads, soups, fried porkchops and pierogi. All told, we visited three milk bars and spent, on average, $7 per person at each. Thank you, Poland.
We also visited modern contemporary restaurants, and we found the food to be delicious and super seasonal. In September, pork was the protein of choice and mushrooms were everywhere. We had some of the best mushroom soups, always with pencil-thin handmade noodles.
And in Lublin, where my grandmother was born, we saw lody (ice cream carts) everywhere. Apparently, lody is the first word children learn.
The wedding: Oh, what a wedding. The ceremony took place in a 300-year-old church and the reception in the Czartoryski Palace (dating from 1671) complete with peacocks roaming the grounds. The wedding began at 5 in the evening and ended around 3 in the morning.
First, we had a four-course dinner, followed by a dance break; then another full dinner, this time three courses, followed by, you guessed it, dancing. After the cutting of the cake, an entire smoked pig was presented, doused in vodka, then set on fire. After the flames died down, it was served with two more courses. The last full buffet was more beautiful savouries and desserts. Did I mention there were two bottles of vodka on each table? The band performed eight sets with five outfit changes and played everything from traditional music to Pink to Van Halen. Everybody danced, including all the babcia.
It was, hands down, the most exquisite, spectacular wedding we have ever attended. Not to mention, the bride and groom are a wonderful couple.
We ate some of the best food of our trip at a small guest house in the brooding Tatra Mountains. The husband was the chef, his wife the server and their mushroom soup recipe is below.
The food is always something we are most interested in, but, being in this country with its centuries of history was profound. The Jewish quarter in Krakow, and Auschwitz-Birkenau, where we walked with heavy hearts thinking about the atrocities that occurred here 80 years ago. I came home with a menorah to serve as a reminder.
We can’t wait to go back to Poland. We have so much more to explore. Warsaw, Gdansk, the salt mines. We have yet to eat a pork knuckle, and we want more rye soup, sauerkraut soup, pork in any variation, duck, short ribs, mushrooms, borscht, pierogies, beer and local ciders.
It was our first time in this wonderful country, but it won’t be our last.
Zupa Grzybowa (Wild Mushroom Soup)
Mushroom soup from the Tatra Mountains guesthouse
We found delicious wild mushroom soup on so many menus. This recipe is adapted from one we enjoyed at a guest house near Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains.
| 1-2 oz | dried wild mushrooms (porcini, morels or what you have in your pantry) |
| 10-12 | cremini mushrooms sliced |
| 1 med | onion, medium dice |
| 1 med | carrot, medium dice |
| 1 rib | celery, medium dice |
| 2 T | butter |
| 2 T | flour |
| 8 c | chicken (or vegetable) stock |
| 2 T | chopped fresh dill |
| salt and pepper | |
| 1c | crème fraiche or sour cream |
| 1 c | cooked thin soup noodles |
The night before you plan to make the soup add the wild mushrooms to 1 cup of hot water and let sit overnight. In the morning, drain the water, rinse the mushrooms, and add a fresh cup of hot water to the mushrooms. Soak for 4-6 hours.
In a medium to large pot melt the butter and add the cremini mushrooms, onion, carrot and celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the flour and stir until the butter has absorbed the flour. Add stock and bring to a simmer.
Drain the wild mushrooms and add the mushroom water to the soup. Chop the drained mushrooms into medium pieces and add to the soup. Simmer at least one hour. Season.
Stir in the dill and ½c of the crème fraiche or sour cream. Divide the cooked noodles between 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over and finish with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.
Serves 4.