Polish cuisine

Polish cuisine is a style of cooking and food preparation originating from Poland. It has evolved over the centuries due to historical circumstances. Polish cuisine shares many similarities with other Slavic countries, especially Czech cuisine, Slovak cuisine, and Russian cuisine. It has also been widely influenced by other Central European cuisines, namely German cuisine, Austrian cuisine, Hungarian cuisine, as well as Jewish, French, Italian, and Turkish cuisine.

History

Polish cuisine in the Middle Ages was based on grains such as millet, rye, wheat, and barley. Meat products, widely used in today's Polish recipes, were not as common because of the high cost. The evolution of Polish cuisine began in the 16th century when new crops were introduced from the New World, including maize, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Ingredients

The most typical ingredients used in Polish cuisine are sauerkraut, beetroot, cucumbers (gherkins), sour cream, kohlrabi, mushrooms, sausages and smoked sausage. A meal owes its taste to the herbs and spices used; such as marjoram, dill, caraway seeds, parsley, or pepper. The most popular desserts are cakes and pastries.

Dishes

Famous Polish dishes include pierogi, kielbasa, bigos, rolada, sauerkraut, golabki, and paczki. Polish cuisine also has a variety of soups like zurek, barszcz, and rosol.

Beverages

Vodka and beer are the two most commonly consumed alcoholic beverages in Poland. Tea and coffee are popular non-alcoholic beverages.

See also

• List of Polish dishes
• Culture of Poland
• History of Poland

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