Flavor of Poland

One of the most colorful and breathtaking natural landscapes of Poland is found along its southern border. Aleksandra explores the folk art and history of the Podhale region, sampling some of its best delicacies – smoked sheep’s milk cheeses, spiced, mulled wine, lamb shank, potato pancakes, sauerkraut soup (Kwaœnica), and much more.

Lublin is the capital of the Lubelskie region of Poland, a melting pot of all Polish flavors. In the episode, Aleksandra will explore the history of Lublin through its city center where she samples the region’s specialty, the Cebularz, with one of the locals and takes a trip to the charming village of Kazimierz Dolny for a dinner composed of the region’s traditional specialties.

.The capital city of the Holy Cross Province in south-central Poland is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Aleksandra explores the history and culture of the region and samples its delicious homemade culinary traditions. Kasiołki, Byki, Pasternocek, Spyrok, Zalewajka, and Pokrzywianka are some favorite local dishes, the products of the region’s home cooks and recipes developed from the heart.

Toruń, the capital of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region of Poland, boasts many original Polish flavors. Aleksandra strolls through the Old Market Square and visits the Kopernik Confectionary Factory, home of the city’s famous sweets, a more than 700-year-old tradition. In Malbork (Pomeranian region), Aleksandra tours Teutonic Knight’s Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This is the birthplace of Poland, and its cuisine is as rich as its history – in the 17th century, Greater Poland was described as a “land flowing of milk and honey.” Aleksandra will take audiences on an exploration of the iconic historical points associated with the region, and samples the flavors associated with this most ancient part of Polish history.

Wroclaw, the capital city of Lower Silesia, was from its very beginnings a popular place. Its culinary landscape is influenced by tastes of the Southeastern borderlands, Jewish, German, Czech, Balkan, Ukrainian, and pre-war Polish tastes, and rooted in its local products, including fish, honey, homemade breads, local beers, goat’s cheeses, beef dishes, and some of the finest wines in Poland.

The bustling city capital of Silesia and its cuisine are inseparable from the area's industrial landscape. The everyday work life of the locals gave birth to a warm and hearty menu full of filling dishes rich in flavor. Aleksandra visits the Guido Mine in Zabrze (an old coalmine), tours the city center of Katowice, and finishes with a meal at a couple of Katowice’s modern restaurants.

Sea breezes, tall ships, and great Polish seafood – this is what visitors experience in the Pomeranian region of Poland. Aleksandra samples the best of Poland’s Baltic tastes - grilled, fresh-caught fish, herring tartar, or lobster paired with local craft beers and even an amber soup.

The land of a Thousand Lakes, “The Green Lungs of Poland,” “one of nature’s wonders…” These are just a few titles Poland’s majestic Warmian-Masurian region has earned. Aleksandra takes audiences on a tour of this region, visiting its capital city of Olsztyn, enjoying regional dishes at lakeside restaurants, and visiting one of the largest snail farms in Poland, in the village of Krasin.

The Podlaskie region is the most diverse province in Poland, producing a cuisine that combines simplicity, variety, and rich flavor. Aleksandra tours the city center of Białystok, visits Łomża, an open-air museum in Nowogród, and The Tykocin Synagogue, and finishes her tour with a trip to the countryside where, together with local experts, she bakes one of the region’s traditional cakes – Sękacz!

Rzeszów is the capital of the Subcarpathian region of Poland, an area of the country that abounds in forests and majestic nature. It is a true blend of various traditions, cultures and flavors that rose out of the natural landscape. Aleksandra takes a tour of this region, crossing the forests of Rzeszów, and visiting Dubiecko Castle, trying the everyday and upscale dishes of the region.

Located in the Mazovia region, Warsaw is the capital of Poland and its largest city. It is full of historical, cultural and culinary riches, rooted in old-fashioned French influences and a rich Russian cuisine worthy of the tsars. Here, Poland’s modern culinary masters reach back into Poland’s national history and tradition to develop new tastes that shock and amaze.