Last year our students were writing about Christmas holidays traditions in Poland .
This year they have been looking for some information about Polish Christmas dishes.
They would like to share their knowledge of the subject with their pen friends from Spain.
This year they have been looking for some information about Polish Christmas dishes.
They would like to share their knowledge of the subject with their pen friends from Spain.
Christmas dishes in Poland
Traditional Christmas Eve supper called Wigilia usually consists of borscht with uszka (small dumplings) – a classic Polish Christmas Eve starter, followed by fried carp, carp fillet with potato salad, carp in aspic etc. Carp provides a main component of the Christmas Eve meal across Poland. Other popular dishes include pickled matjas herring, rollmops, pierogi with sauerkraut and forest mushrooms, pierogi filled with white cheese and potatoes, gołąbki (cabbage rolls) with forest mushrooms, fish soup, kiełbasa sausages, hams and bigos (savory stew of cabbage and meat) and vegetable salads. Among popular desserts are various fruits like oranges among others, poppy seed cake makowiec (makówki in Silesia), fruit compote, kluski with poppyseed, kutia sweet grain pudding in the eastern regions, like (Białystok) and ginger bread. Regional dishes include żurek, siemieniotka (in Silesia), and kołduny - mushrooms or meat stuffed dumplings in the eastern regions.
The evening Supper
Barszcz with uszka, one of Polish Wigilia traditional dishes
After the First Star appears in the sky and after sharing the Christmas wafer (opłatek), the Supper begins. A traditional Christmas meal in Poland includes fried carp and Borscht (beetroot soup) with Uszka (ravioli). Carp provides a main component of the Christmas Eve meal across Poland; carp fillet, carp in aspic etc. Wigilia is observed as a Black Fast meaning that most Poles abstain from eating red meat on this day. Many households also prepare a great variety of special Christmas rollmops, matjas herring, poppy seed cakes (makowiec), dried fruit compote and other delicacies including edible Christmas ornaments. Common dishes are various fruits (oranges, tropical fruits) and salads. Regional dishes include żurek, siemieniotka (in Silesia), mushroom soup, different salads, pierogi filled with cheese and potatoes as well as cooked dried mushrooms and cabbage (kapusta) or cabbage and yellow peas; gołąbki (cabbage rolls), kluski with poppyseed, kutia, and makówki (in Silesia).
The number of country courses is traditionally established to be either twelve or an odd number (in Silesia); Twelve is symbolic of the number of months in the year is good as well as to celebrate the twelve disciples of Jesus.
The Shepherd's Mass
Some families as well as individual worshipers attend the traditional midnight mass/Shepherd's Mass (pasterka), where Christmas carols are also sung.
A major part of the Wigilia festivities is the opening of gifts. The children often open their gifts and hand out the gifts for the adults from under the tree. The gift-giver in Polish tradition is Saint Nicholas or the Gwiazdka – his feminine counterpart – the little Star of Bethlehem.
The Christmas breakfast
Christmas Day is a national holiday in Poland and most Poles spend the day feasting with their family. Christmas breakfast often consists of scrambled eggs, cold-cuts served with horseradish sauce, smoked or fried salmon, marinated salads, coffee, tea and cakes, i.e. chocolate cake, piernik (gingerbread cakes, etc.
It is still believed that whatever happens on Christmas Eve(Wigilia) has an impact on the following year. So, if a quarrel should arise, it foretells a quarrelsome and troublesome year.
The evening Supper
Barszcz with uszka, one of Polish Wigilia traditional dishes
After the First Star appears in the sky and after sharing the Christmas wafer (opłatek), the Supper begins. A traditional Christmas meal in Poland includes fried carp and Borscht (beetroot soup) with Uszka (ravioli). Carp provides a main component of the Christmas Eve meal across Poland; carp fillet, carp in aspic etc. Wigilia is observed as a Black Fast meaning that most Poles abstain from eating red meat on this day. Many households also prepare a great variety of special Christmas rollmops, matjas herring, poppy seed cakes (makowiec), dried fruit compote and other delicacies including edible Christmas ornaments. Common dishes are various fruits (oranges, tropical fruits) and salads. Regional dishes include żurek, siemieniotka (in Silesia), mushroom soup, different salads, pierogi filled with cheese and potatoes as well as cooked dried mushrooms and cabbage (kapusta) or cabbage and yellow peas; gołąbki (cabbage rolls), kluski with poppyseed, kutia, and makówki (in Silesia).
The number of country courses is traditionally established to be either twelve or an odd number (in Silesia); Twelve is symbolic of the number of months in the year is good as well as to celebrate the twelve disciples of Jesus.
The Shepherd's Mass
Some families as well as individual worshipers attend the traditional midnight mass/Shepherd's Mass (pasterka), where Christmas carols are also sung.
A major part of the Wigilia festivities is the opening of gifts. The children often open their gifts and hand out the gifts for the adults from under the tree. The gift-giver in Polish tradition is Saint Nicholas or the Gwiazdka – his feminine counterpart – the little Star of Bethlehem.
The Christmas breakfast
Christmas Day is a national holiday in Poland and most Poles spend the day feasting with their family. Christmas breakfast often consists of scrambled eggs, cold-cuts served with horseradish sauce, smoked or fried salmon, marinated salads, coffee, tea and cakes, i.e. chocolate cake, piernik (gingerbread cakes, etc.
It is still believed that whatever happens on Christmas Eve(Wigilia) has an impact on the following year. So, if a quarrel should arise, it foretells a quarrelsome and troublesome year.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
