By Ken, Teacher in Warsaw
Congratulations! You’ve got a job, figured out where you’ll be staying and you’ve booked your flights and you’re super excited to be coming to Poland. But how about the food, I hear you ask? Here are my personal picks from the vast array of food and drink in Poland.
Pierogi
No list of Polish food would be complete without mentioning Pierogi! Pierogi is arguably the most well-known Polish dish worldwide, and it’s wonderfully simple. Pierogi are Poland’s answer to dumplings, and they come in all kinds of flavours and variations. My personal favourites are meat pierogi (Pierogi z mięsem) and cabbage and mushroom pierogi (pierogi z kapustą i grzybami). I often have them with “salatka”, which is generally mixed salad in some sort of sauce. Definitely recommended!
Kabanos
A very popular snack eaten cold, and ideal for post-gym workout! They are thin, dry sausages that don’t need to be refrigerated and so can be eaten and taken on the move. There are many, many different kinds of kabanos ranging from cheese kabanos to chilli kabanos, and even vegan kabanos are available! They are packed full of protein and are normally made from wieprzowina (pork), with a slightly chewy texture. Think beef jerky, but thicker. A very filling snack, and one I’m sure you’ll love! There are also bigger sausages called kielbasa which are full of flavour and are amazing if grilled or eaten cold.
Jagodzianki
For all of you with a hankering for sweets – this is a must! I only just discovered them, and I absolutely love them! Jagodzianki are referred to as “blueberry buns” and are a very traditional Polish food.
Jagodzianki are buns stuffed with sweet and tangy blueberries. The blueberries are wrapped in a sweet, yeasty dough which is also sometimes itself covered in sugar. What you’re left with is a sublimely delicious bun that is sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth! And they go perfectly with tea or coffee.
Kefir
This is an extremely popular drink in Poland, and is a fermented milk drink. It’s actually quite difficult to explain the flavour aa it’s honestly NOTHING like I’ve had before, so here goes….
Kefir has a yogurt-y substance and taste but it isn’t yogurt. It tastes sour, but isn’t like sour cream and it’s also a little….fizzy. I know, right? Totally strange and confusing but once you get past the initial confusing mix of ingredients and tastes it’s actually really good. It is also very healthy for you, boosts your immune system and can apparently help towards preventing cancer. Kefir comes in different flavours also.
Ogórek Kiszony (pickled cucumbers)
Last but not least we have pickled cucumbers. These are popular not only in Poland but also in other central and Eastern European countries. They are made by placing the cucumbers in a jar or barrel for a couple of days in a fluid mixture containing many different herbs and seasonings. During these days the cucumbers ferment and what you are left with is a delicious snack, and is also used in many Polish dishes including soup, which is very very nice indeed! It might go without saying, but don’t eat them before a date! As much as they are tasty they can also be very strong!
I should also add that the food is very fresh here. I haven’t had a bad thing to eat here, and that includes ordering food from restaurants (Glovo and Wolt are Poland’s answer to Ubereats but Ubereats does exist in Poland incase you were wondering!). If you move here you’re in for a treat. And I didn’t even mention the vodka or beers…..
Anyway if this has got your mouth watering, why not apply?
