Posts tagged with "traditions"

Na Zdrowie – My Top Polish Vodkas

Posted by Katarzyna 21 Comments
May 8 2010

The weekend is here! And what better way to start the weekend than with a cocktail to unwind? Well, today’s post is a Polish-focused review of some tasty libations from the mother country.

In Poland, and in Polish homes here in the US, alcohol consumption is an essential part of social tradition. I remember, growing up, one of the most important errands my Dad had to complete before a birthday party, dinner party or any other celebration was to go to the liquor store. He had to make sure he had a few traditional liquors for mixers for the ladies, and, by and far the most important, a few good bottles of vodka (wódka) to drink with the men. The vodka was used for mixers too, but more often consumed straight, as a shot.

Poland has a rich, long history of distilling some of the most wonderful vodkas in the world. They are widely known for using potatoes, but are also well-known for using rye (żyto), spelt (pszenica orkisz), as well as some less traditional ingredients like honey (miód), molasses (melasa) and even sugar beets (buraki cukrowe).  Vodkas in Poland come in three general varieties. There are some flavored vodkas, called wódki wytrawne, which are flavored with herbs, grasses, flowers or roots and represent the area they are made. Pure, unflavored vodka is called wódka czysta, translating as “clean vodka”, which essentially means they are clear and free of any additives. Then there are the other flavored vodkas, not to be confused with those mentioned previously, which have flavors added, both natural and artificial. These include the popular flavors of vanilla, lemon, cherry or orange. Vodkas in this category are called wódki smakowe, which translates to “taste vodkas”. The difference between the flavored groups is how they are actually flavored. The wytrawne are made with the infusion of the herb or root into the vodka. The smakowe‘s flavor is an additive, but I think it’s more gimmick that anything else.

I have been fortunate to sample several Polish vodkas. So without further adieu, here are my top three that I have had to date. Needless to say, this is a fun research item for me, so stay tuned for more as I quench my thirst and review. For the review, one of my favorite cocktails, and my usual if you want to call it that, is a vodka tonic. Yum. And it’s even better when made with a smooth Polish vodka. I usually rate a vodka first by taking a shot of it alone, then final judgment is how it mingles with my lime and tonic.

1. Chopin
Chopin vodka is distilled from a favorite starch used in Polish cuisine, the potato (ziemniak or kartofel). It is one of the smoothest vodkas I have ever tried. And I know vodkas are pure alcohols, so it is tough to claim they have a taste, but they do. And this one I think is a little sweet, possibly from the distillation from a starch? I don’t know. I do know that I like the mild sweetness when it hits, then a nice mild burn, followed by no aftertaste whatsoever. And drinking this vodka mingled with a lime (limonka) and tonic (tonik) is like heaven in a glass (niebo w szklance) for me. This vodka is as smooth as its namesake’s piano sonatas… sorry, I just had to! Just delicious!

2. Belvedere
This vodka is from the same makers of Chopin, however it is a golden rye-based vodka versus it’s potato-based cousin. This one too is very smooth to me. I don’t think it is sweet – a little bitter actually, however, it really has a vanilla-like (waniliowy) flavor to it and if I could call a vodka creamy, this would be a vanilla creamy kind of vodka. The burn on this one is far moderate, and it definitely leaves a lingering after-taste of vanilla. Mixed with lime and tonic, this too is one of the smoothest drinks you will ever swallow.

3. Sobieski
The top two on my list are a bit pricier than this one. This one I like to keep in the house as the good standy-by. It’s fairly inexpensive and NEVER disappoints. Named after the last great King of Poland, Sobieski is a vodka made from Dankowski rye. This one too is bitter, however, it does have a sweet finish. There is little to no burn going down, and that sweet finish makes this a great shot. And at the price, this is one you keep chilled and have available at whim to mix with tonic or your choice of mixer.

So, there are my top three vodkas for now. They make terrific shots and even tastier drinks. Tell me what you think, and better yet, share some of your favorite Polish vodkas or recipes in our comments! And remember, every shot always goes down better with a Na Zdrowie!

Do następnego czytania…

In writing this post, I came across an article that suggested that Poles were fundamentally bred to drink, and the government did little to restrict consumption. The reason stated was that the revenue received from the Polish alcohol industry, which until 1990 was a government monopoly, was too important, and discouraging excessive drinking would be detrimental to profits. I think this brings up a very interesting point of discussion, and I look forward to reading your comments.

Here is the article from the US Library of Congress: http://countrystudies.us/poland/45.htm

Easter – Wielkanoc

Posted by Anna No Comments
Apr 3 2010

Anna’s comment –
I asked Adam to write about Easter knowing full well that he would be reluctant to do so. And also knowing full well that he would object to the idea that being Polish equals being Catholic. But unfortunately, for what it’s worth, Poland is perceived as a Catholic country, and Easter is a religious holiday. An important one, at that.

So here is Adam’s Easter write-up:

As this is the time of Easter I was asked to write about Polish traditions connected with this specific holiday. I do have some mixed feelings writing about this topic. First of all, I do not feel that religion should be connected with nationality, and I don’t see Catholic religious rituals as something specifically connected with being Polish. As Polish people do also come as atheists and followers of other faiths. Although Catholic rituals in Poland sometimes seem removed from their religious roots and appear nothing more but as simply – traditions. And this is probably the most popular approach.

First Easterish celebrations begin one week before Easter – on Palm Sunday (niedziela palmowa). On this day people bring decorative “palms” to church to get them sprinkled with Holy Water, which surely has some deep religious meaning. In many villages there are special competitions for the biggest or most beautiful “palm”. Those palms are then taken back home, and kept as Easter decorations.

Proper Easter begins in Poland on Holy Saturday (Wielka Sobota, literally Great Saturday). This is the day of preparations. Easter is not Easter without certain props – that are connected with spring, and everything waking up and refreshing. These props are of course eggs (jaja, jajka), but also bunnies, chickens. Many people arrange tree branches with fresh pussy willows (bazie) in a vase. Eggs need to be colored and turned into pisanki. There are many different ways of doing it, and it’s usually a fun activity for kids. In some regions people simply boil eggs with onions, beets or other natural ingredients – which turn the eggshells red. Some people first use melted wax to create patterns on eggs, and then dip them in color. All painted (waxed over) areas are then white. Some people cut small patterns in paper and stick them to eggs. Others prefer to empty the egg, and make a wydmuszka. They pierce a little hole with a needle at the top and bottom of an egg and then blow air inside and the insides of the egg come out through the hole. And then color the shell.

When the eggs are ready, people put them together with a piece of white sausage (biała kiełbasa), a bit of salt, some bread into a specially decorated little basket. This basket (święconka) is then taken to church on Holy Saturday and after some religious abracadabra its contents are all ready for use on Sunday.

Sunday breakfast is the crucial point of Polish Easter. Before the breakfast eggs from the basket are cut and people at the table share them giving good wishes to everyone there. Traditional Easter breakfast consists of żurek (soup made from fermented flour), boiled white sausage, pates, eggs in many forms and cakes (like baba drożdżowa – lit. yeasty peasant woman, name comes from a traditional holiday folk dress peasant women used to wear, which this cake resembles in shape.

Celebrations continue on Easter Monday (lany poniedziałek), called in Polish śmigus dyngus or śmingus dyngus. It’s a day when people try to splash one another (by sometimes very nasty surprise, of course) with water. It is said to bring good luck. It comes from peasant traditions, when back in the olden days usually single young men splashed young single girls. Today everyone splashes everyone, and the young ones are most engaged in this process. It is advised to stay at home on this day, as it is possible that hoards of youngsters will get you and soak you wet with buckets of water. This is śmigus dyngus taken to extreme.

Some people prefer to be exempt from all the Easter hassle and travel for the long weekend break:)

Tak czy owak Polski Blog życzy Wam wesołych świąt i smacznego jajka
Anyway Polish Blog wishes you happy holidays and tasty eggs (that’s what people do wish one another in Poland).

Visiting – part 2

Posted by Anna 5 Comments
Mar 24 2010

Since Adam’s post about going z wizytą (to visit someone) is proving quite popular (to read it, check the previous entry on the blog), let me expand on it a bit.

The “cut your meat before eating” stuff is confusing some readers. Sorry. In retrospect I realize it should have been phrased somewhat differently.

OK, so here we go (w gości, LOL!)

In Poland, it seems to be common to hold widelec (fork) in your left hand and nóż (knife) – in your right hand. You only cut a little bit of the food – as much as will fit onto the fork in one go. Daintily lift it and shove it in your mouth in a very sophisticated manner – trying not to drop any food bits along the way. And then repeat the whole procedure – cut, place on the fork (which is still in your left hand, by the way), eat, and so on.

A very European way of eating, which becomes a highly refined method of torture if you are unlucky enough to be served groszek z marchewką (green peas and carrots) along with your ziemniaki (potatoes) and mięso (meat).

As a kid I thought it rather tedious and unproductive and decided that cutting all the food all at once before eating was the way to go. Then put down the knife, transfer the fork to your right hand and enjoy.

Last year in Poland I saw more and more people eating that way, so it seems to me that it’s becoming more accepted now than it was once upon a time. Back in the olden days eating like that was a sure sign of very poor table manners.

Now, about kapcie (slippers).
Poland is not the only country in the world where taking your shoes off upon entering someone’s home is common. As a person who’s stuck doing all the floor mopping and vacuuming, I like this custom. So if you want to visit me, make sure your socks are clean.

And about Polish hospitality (gościnność).
I know of families (I come from one) where the first question you are asked when you visit is “Jadłaś już obiad?” (Have you had dinner yet?, when asking a familiar female) and then regardless of your answer, you are served a full meal. Which of course you should eat, because otherwise you’ll end up looking like an ungrateful prick with appalling manners.

But as everything else when it comes to all things Polish, this post should come with the following disclaimer – your experience may vary.

Visiting – the rules

Posted by Anna 6 Comments
Mar 22 2010

Today Adam explains what to do and what to expect if you’re going to visit a Polish person in his/her natural habitat. Read on:

Continuing the topic of advice for travelers and the occasional foreigner living in Poland, this time I decided to follow your suggestions and cover visiting someone at home (iść w gości).

Rule number one is that there are (unfortunately) no rules. What I mean by that, is, that contrary to some cultures where some customs need to be observed, in Poland there is no strict code to follow. Things vary from region to region, from city to city and from home to home. You are on your own, and moving in the savoir vivre mist. The general trend is the change from a warm and hospitable “country of the East” into the cold and stiff “country of the North”.

For instance: you would like to visit someone, should you announce yourself in advance? First of all, contrary to popular stereotypes about hospitable Poles, some people would rather not receive guests at home. Going out is becoming increasingly popular in Poland, and causes less hassle. I am one of those who usually don’t receive guests, and therefore I seldom visit anyone else at home. I would rather wait for someone’s invitation. I can imagine asking someone if I could pop round, but that would have to be someone close. Many people, especially in central and eastern parts of the country, Warsaw, and rural areas would, on the other hand, be more likely to happily receive unannounced guests. It is therefore worth to know your friends’ preferences.

When you are visiting someone, should you bring anything with you? Generally you don’t have to, however it would be a nice touch if you did. Flowers and wine? These would apply to some rather formal dinner parties, and even then I wouldn’t really advise them. A good idea, unless your hosts are on a diet, would be a box of chocolates. And among all kinds of chocolates, I would advise to avoid the cheapest and the most expensive (and tiniest).

The best idea of all times is a box of Ptasie Mleczko (literally “bird’s milk”), chocolate covered milk souffle, a Polish favorite. A great idea would be to bring a small gift (also food or drink) connected with the place of your origin or residence.

Some people, again looking at stereotypes, would think about bringing wódka (vodka). If you do know your hosts well, and you are sure they will not take such a gift in wrong way, and you know you will be drinking hard liquor, you may consider it. Among people I know it is rather rare to entertain with alcohol, other than wine – and that still seldom.

What may surprise you is that some people may ask you to take your shoes off and wear guest slippers (kapcie dla gości). And people visiting you also may feel obliged to take shoes off and wear slippers. Think about it in advance. If you have no problem with it, than everyone is happy.

I never take my shoes off in someone’s house. But I do have a few of “emergency” disposable beauty-salon slippers, just in case. I just don’t like the idea of sharing footwear. I would take it with me when visiting someone who I know expects guests to take shoes off and is uncompromising. I would also offer it to those visiting me, who cannot be convinced it is alright for them to wear their shoes on my carpets. Consider getting a pair.

What can you expect during your visit? Some people, regardless if this was what was scheduled, will offer you a rich meal of many dishes, including cakes. This is the old-style hospitality that is becoming more and more rare. Sometimes, especially when there was no mention of a meal in the invitation, you can expect tea/coffee and cookies.

During a meal, you do not have to eat everything. It would be a good idea to at least try everything you are given, even if you anticipate it might not be to your taste. A note to Americans: people will be surprised to see you cut your meats before eating, but you can go ahead with it, it might begin an interesting conversation.

Try to leave when your hosts are still hungry for your presence. It is always better than to leave them feeling you stayed too long.

Anna’s comment – all of my Polish relatives cut their meat before eating, they say it’s easier that way. I never thought it was anything unusual until it was pointed out to me by an American (of all people)!

Środa Popielcowa – Ash Wednesday

Posted by Anna No Comments
Feb 17 2010

So…. Karnawał (carnival) is over! No more parties, no more dancing, no more drinking until you fall down under the table. It’s all about somber (and sober) penance now.

Yes, today was Środa Popielcowa (Ash Wednesday), and in a country as Catholic as Poland that is indeed an important observance. The beginning of Wielki Post (Lent). The time for personal sacrifices in the name of religion.

How is Lent observed in Polish families? It all depends on how religious they are. Most people would simply give up eating meat on Fridays during those 40 days before Easter. And I remember that babcia (grandmother) had also said something about herrings. Apparently, only herrings without cream are acceptable during lent. And coffee without sugar. And no dessert.

And let’s not forget about rekolekcje wielkopostne (Lent retreat) when you go to church and pray. As far as I remember (though I might be wrong, personally, I’ve never participated in those activities), rekolekcje end in Spowiedź Wielkanocna (Easter confession). Every Catholic should go to confession at least once a year and that’s what Spowiedź Wielkanocna is for.

I don’t know if it still works like that, but a few years back, parishes distributed confession slips to all faithful (old enough to need confession) during Lent. Then when you were actually in the confessional doing your confessing, you gave that slip to the priest. That way the church knew who participated and who didn’t.

So, now we have 40 (well, 39 now) days of prayer, penance and sacrifice ahead of us to prepare us for Wielkanoc (Easter).

And speaking of sacrifice, what are you giving up for Lent this year?

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