May 9th, 2012
Your summer in Poland can be all about visiting culinary festivals and tasting regional fare if you’re a foodie and want to be amazed by the diversity and deliciousness of Polish cuisine. Some festivals have already started at Easter holiday but more are planned in various regions and cities throughout Poland. One can be visiting and tasting delicious foods and meeting locals who made them at various destinations just about every weekend May through September!
 "Ogolnopolski Festiwal Dobrego Smaku" - "National Festival of Good Flavors" in Poznan, Poland. If you’re into cheeses, and Who isn’t? head to Sandomierz, May 18 -20, 2012 for Time For Good Cheese Festival or to Lidzbark Warminski June 1 -3, 2012 for Festival of Farmers & Traditional Cheese held at the Hotel Krasicki**** Mazury which recently won ”Best New Hotel Construction & Design” in Europe and the world award during International Best Hotels Awards held in London. On August 12, 2012 visit Zakopane and the Oscypki and All Cheeses Festival.
 "Czas Dobrego Sera" - "Time for Good Cheese" festival in Sandomierz, Poland. In Chorzow, Upper Silesia region, on May 26th, 2012 join the fun at the annual Silesian Flavors Festival. Same weekend, in Lodz, 24-27 May, 2012, highly recommended annual culinary event called Festival of Good Flavors is a must to experience or wait till August 9 – 12, 2012 and head to Poznan for the National Festival of Good Flavors.
 "Zasmakuj w Malopolsce" - "Taste in Lessen Poland" - invites you to visit and taste regional foods of Lesser Poland region. In Malopolska – Lesser Poland - with Krakow as the regional capital alone, you’ll find festivals devoted to all kinds of regional foods which all are part of the “Taste Malopolska” campaign: fruit, vegetables, honey, carp, garlic, Lisiecka sausage, cheeses, beans, cabbage, plums, potato and even chickens. This link gives more information about each of the culinary festival in Malopolska: Zasmakuj w Malopolsce Learn more about the Delicacies of Malopolska by following this link: Delicacies of Malopolska
Check Events & Festivals in Poland Calendar posted on Poland Culinary Vacations blog before planning your weekends in Poland this summer or join us on our culinary trips where we often make stops at the regional cultural and food festivals as part of our program! Smacznego:)
Tags: cheese festivals, chorzow, Cracow, food festivals, hotel krasicki, Krakow, lesser poland, lidzbark warminski, lisiecka sausage, lodz, malopolska, mazury, oscypek, Polish cuisine, Polish food, poznan, sandomierz, silesia, upper silesia
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April 28th, 2012
Poland Culinary Vacations Offers One-Day & Three-Day Polish Cooking Classes and City Culinary Adventures – All Year Long!
If you are traveling to Poland or already are in Poland and don’t have time for our week-long cooking vacations, we also offer one-day cooking classes in cooperation with The Culinary Institute in Cracow, in the Lesser Poland region. Hands-on cooking classes are typically four hours long and include preparation of a three course Polish meal with drinks. The recipes will be decided shortly before the start of the class based upon the freshest seasonal ingredients available at the time. Classes culminate in a tasting of all the dishes prepared in class. Sometimes visits and shopping at the food markets are also included where you can savor the flavors of fresh local produce and authentic local life. To book your cooking class in Cracow click here: One-day Polish Cooking Class in Cracow
 One-Day Polish Cooking Class at the Culinary Institute in Cracow Traveling to Warsaw instead? Join a local guide and chefs on a “Three-Day Culinary Adventure Around Warsaw”! Experience the best of Warsaw’s sights and Polish gastronomy in a perfect three-day adventure where we take care of all the organizing and all you have to do is enjoy yourselves! To learn more and book your “Three-Day Culinary Adventure Around Warsaw” Click here
Happy traveling and cooking in Poland!
Tags: chefs in Poland, cooking classes, cooking classes in warsaw, cooking in warsaw, Cracow, Cracow travel, Culinary Adventures, culinary institute in Cracow, food tours, fun things to do in Krakow, Poland vacations, Polish cooking, polish cooking in warsaw, Polish cuisine, Polish food, things to do in warsaw, Warsaw
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March 31st, 2012
In their February 2012 issue, Lonely Planet Magaznie UK Edition featured one-day Polish cooking courses offered at the Culinary Institute in Cracow through Poland Culinary Vacations. “Make Polish food in Krakow” is recommended as part of “food & drink weekends/52 best weekends away!” among other offers such as: touring Viennese coffee shops and baking bread in Scottish farmhouse.
 Lonely Planet Magazine - February 2012 If you’re planning on traveling to Krakow, Poland this year and don’t have time for our week-long cooking vacations you can get a quick introduction to Polish cuisine by attending a one-day Polish cooking class in Krakow designed to teach preparation of a three-course gourmet meal. Poland Culinary Vacations and the Culinary Institute in Cracow have teamed up to create these special classes. To learn more about Polish cooking classes in Krakow and to register please follow this link: One-day Polish cooking classes at the Culinary Institute in Cracow Happy cooking!
Tags: chefs in Poland, cooking classes, cooking in Poland, cooking vacations, Cracow, Cracow travel, culinary institute in Cracow, fun things to do in Krakow, Krakow, Krakow tours, Krakow travel, One-day cooking classes, Polish cuisine, Polish food, things to do in Cracow
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February 29th, 2012
Although Poland is not among the European leaders in exporting cheese, cheese is very popular in Poland and grocery stores sell many types of cheeses in variety of flavours. There are as many as 60 varieties listed on The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland website on the List of Regional and Traditional Products made in Poland. The most famous – oscypek – has been recognized by the European Union and is a protected trade name under the European Union’s Protected Designation.
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Tags: bryndza, cooking tours, Cracow, Cracow travel, Culinary Adventures, culinary tours, culinary vacation, food tours, fun things to do in Krakow, moskole, oscypek, oscypki, polish cheese, polish cheesecake, sheep cheese, twarog, tylzycki, Zakopane
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February 24th, 2012
 Eating outdoor lunch in Gronko village, Lesser Poland region.
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Tags: cooking classes in poland, cooking holidays, cooking in Poland, cooking lessons, cooking vacations, Culinary Adventures, Discover Poland, food tours, Gdansk Sopot Gdynia Malbork "polish food" "polish cooking" "poland vacation" "poland tours" "baltic sea" kaszuby kashubia, Krakow tours, Poland tours, Polish food, polish vacation, things to do in Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, wroclaw market square, Zakopane
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February 5th, 2012
 Highlander selling oscypki cheese at summer festival. If you’re heading to Krakow, Warsaw , Wroclaw and/or Gdansk, Poland this summer and fall, plan to attend culinary, cultural and harvest festivals in those four cities and surrounding areas. You’ll taste great regional cuisine and get to sing and dance with the locals. What a treat!
JUNE – AUGUST 2012
KRAKOW
Regional Food Contest in Lopuszna – Taste hundreds of delicious highlander-style home-made recipes – 15 July 2012 in Lopuszna, Lesser Poland region
Oscypek and All Cheeses Festival- A celebration of all cheeses - 12 August 2012 in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region
Pierogi Festival- Polish stuffed dumplings festival – 15 – 19 August 2012 – location: Maly Rynek square in Krakow, Lesser Poland region
XLV Sabalowe Bajania- Annual festival of the local folklore – 9 – 12 August 2012 in Bukowina Tatrzanska, Lesser Poland region
43rd International Highland Folklore Festival- Highlanders from all over the world descend on Zakopane – 23 – 31 August, 2012 – Zakopane, Lesser Poland region
Malopolska Taste Festival– Grand Finale – 24 & 26 August 2012 – location: Plac Wolnica, Kazimierz district, Krakow in Lesser Poland region
VI International Wine Day – August, 2012 – location: Jaslo, Lesser Poland region
WARSAW
XV Biesiada Weselna – Celebrating Polish Wedding Traditions – 24 – 25 June, 2012, Wegrow, Mazovia region
VII International Folk Festival “Warsfolk” – Folk ensambles from all over the world perform in Warsaw - 16 – 19, August, 2012, Warsaw, Poland
XIX Kurpie Bee-Keepers Festival – Honey, regional food and bread festival - 26 August, 2012 – Myszyniec, Mazovia region
WROCLAW
Ceramics Festival in Boleslawiec- Boleslawiec Polish pottery festival – 22 – 26 August 2012 – Boleslawiec, Lower Silesia region
IX Lower Silesia Soup Festival – 19 August 2012 – Jedlina Zdroj, Lower Silesia region
XIV International Bread Fair- Polish Baker of the Year competition and more – 24 -26 August, 2012 – Jawor, Lower Silesia region
Flour Fest – Breads and sweets on display – 26 August 2012 – Botanical Garden in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia region
Polish-Czech Harvest Festival- 26 August 2012 – Lawica village, Klodzko Commune in Lower Silesia region.
GDANSK
Fishermen Sea Pilgrimage by Boats – 29 June, 2012 in Puck, Pomerania region of Poland.
Kashubian Strawberry Harvest - 1 July, 2012 in Zlota Gora near Kartuzy, Pomerania region of Poland.
Wdzydze Fair – 15 July, 2012 in Wdzydze, Pomerania region of Poland.
Kashubian Fair & Regional Cuisine – 21 – 22, July, 2012 – in Kartuzy, Pomerania region of Poland.
St. Dominik’s Fair & Bread Festival - 28 July – 18 August, 2012 in Gdansk, Pomerania region of Poland.
Polish Championships in Tobacco Snuffing – 29 July, 2012 in Chmielno, Pomerania region of Poland.
Pomerania Fair & Regional Cuisine – July/August, 2012 – in Bytow, Bytow Castle, Pomerania region of Poland.
International Folklore Festival – July/August, 2012 – in different Kashubian towns, Pomerania region of Poland.
Kashubian Flavors/ Malënowi Bęks – End of strawberry harvest – July/August, 2012 – in Wygoda Laczynska, Pomerania region of Poland.
Magic Malbork and Medieval Fair – 11 August, 2012 in Malbork, Pomerania region of Poland.
The Cod Fish Harvest – Polish Seafood Championships – at the end of August in Gdynia, Pomerania region of Poland.
Days with Music and Bread – every Saturday and Sunday in July and August – in Kluki at the Slavic Village Museum, Pomerania region of Poland.
 Harvest Festival in Klodzko, Lower Silesia region of Poland. SEPTEMBER 2012
KRAKOW
Krakow Honey Harvest – XVIII Bee-Keepers Festival – 31 August – 1 September 2012 – Plac Wolnica, Kazimierz district, Krakow in Lesser Poland region
XI Bean Day Celebration - 8 & 9 September, 2012 – Zakliczyn, Lesser Poland region
WARSAW
Mazovian Bread Festival – Annual best Mazovian breads and harvest festival - 18 September, 2012 – in Wegrow, Mazovia region
V Ecology Fair in Ostroleka – 26 September, 2012 - in Ostroleka, Mazovia region
WROCLAW
Jelenia Gora Fair– 1 & 2 September, 2012 – in Jelenia Gora, Lower Silesia region
XI International Bee-Keepers Fair– 1 & 2 September, 2012 – in Jelenia Gora, Lower Silesia region
Potato Day Celebration- 15 September, 2012 – in Pstrazna, Lower Silesia region
Wine Day Celebration in the Treasure City- 8 & 9 September, 2012 – in Sroda Slaska, Lower Silesia region
GDANSK
Regional Contest for Best Pomeranian Fruit Cordial – 1 September, 2012 in Swolowo, Pomerania region of Poland.
Forest People Mushroom Holiday - 15 September, 2012 in Bory Tucholskie, Osieczna, Pomerania region of Poland.
Cysterian Fair - 16 September, 2012 in Pelplin, Pomerania region of Poland.
Kashubian Singers Convention – 16 September, 2012 in Zukowo, Pomerania region of Poland.
Potato Harvest – 16 September in Wdzydze Kiszewskie, Pomerania region of Poland.
Tags: cooking festivals, cooking in Poland, Cracow, culinary festivals, food festivals, Krakow, Poland tours, Polish food, Warsaw, Wroclaw
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January 27th, 2012
Our January 2012 Newsletter is out!
See great DISCOUNT OFFERS for SOLO TRAVELERS and our NEW 2012 Culinary Vacation “Coastal Cooking in Pomerania and Gdansk”!
 - Gdansk, Pomerania region of Poland.
Have the Best of Both Worlds While Visiting Poland in 2012 – Great Sightseeing and Wonderful Cuisine!
Poland Culinary Vacations are carefully crafted to provide you with an authentic Polish experience. If you’re looking for good value on your 2012 travel to Europe, we can assure you that you’ll find it with us. Our small group tours offer both culinary and cultural activities in major regions including those in beautiful quaint villages in the countryside which are truly unforgettable. Read more…
Until next time…Happy Travels!
Tags: cooking classes, cooking in Poland, cooking tours, Culinary Adventures, culinary institute in Cracow, culinary tours, Discover Poland, Gdansk Sopot Gdynia Malbork "polish food" "polish cooking" "poland vacation" "poland tours" "baltic sea" kaszuby kashubia, One-day cooking classes, Polish food, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Zakopane
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December 30th, 2011
HAVE A FUN & COLORFUL YEAR!
 Happy New Year! Szczesliwego Nowego Roku! May your New Year be filled with peace and prosperity and Thank You for your continued support of Poland Culinary Vacations. We’ve enjoyed traveling and cooking with you in 2011 and are very excited about adding new Poland culinary adventures for you in 2012.
Here’s our New Year offer: if you register and pay in full for any of our 2012 culinary tours in Poland before January 10, you will save 15%. We wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!
Tags: Cracow, Cracow travel, Culinary Adventures, Discover Poland, Gdansk, One-day cooking classes, pierogi, Poland tours, Poland vacations, Polish cooking, Polish cuisine, Polish food, things to do in Cracow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Zakopane
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December 24th, 2011
Christmas trees, lights and colorful ornaments usually come to mind when we think about Christmas. However, in Poland, Christmas celebrations are always related to feasting and unique dishes served only during the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Similarly to Easter, Poles have rich culinary traditions as they celebrate The Birth of Christ. The preparations start many days before Christmas because traditionally there are twelve dishes served during the Christmas Eve dinner. Today, not every Polish household follows this custom but even if there are not exactly twelve dishes, they are very unique and rarely served at any other time of the year. Moreover, the number twelve is very symbolic; there were twelve apostles and twelve months in a year.
 Pieces of blessed wafer - opłatek During the Christmas Eve dinner pieces of blessed wafer or oplatek are handed around and broken. This beautiful tradition is kept not only in Poland but all over the world among people of Polish ancestry.
 Herring with onion served during the Christmas Eve dinner Wigilia dinner is traditionally a meatless fare. Fish, such as carp or herring is often served. Other typical dishes include cabbage stew with mushrooms, Christmas Eve borscht with dumplings or barszcz z uszkami and dumplings with various fillings or pierogi. For dessert, there’s poppy seed roll or makowiec, honey-spiced cake or piernik, fruit cake, fruit compote and gingerbread cookies orpierniczki. In some parts of Poland, kutia is served, a very unique dessert with wheat and honey. Similar, but not so sweet is makówki, a dessert made of bread, poppy seeds and honey. Makówki is a South – Western Poland delicacy and kutia is popular in Eastern and Central Poland.
 Makowiec - poppy seed roll All the dishes are put on a carefully set table. Traditionally straw is put under white tablecloth. There is also an additional seat kept for a stranger who may appear during the Christmas Eve and would be invited to join in the feast. After Wigilia dinner, families sing Christmas carols or kolędy and exchange presents. At midnight, many people in Poland, even non-Christians, attend the midnight Mass, known as Pasterka – “the Mass of the Shepherds”.
 Home-made gingerbread cookies or pierniki beautifully decorated with various sprinkles. See the recipe below.
To bake Polish Gingerbread Cookies please try this easy recipe:
Polish Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
10 dkg or 4oz of honey
7 flat teaspoons of spices (ginger, nutmeg, cloves)
1 tablespoon of water (should be added to honey)
30 dkg or 10oz of flour
30 dkg or 10oz of butter
8 teaspoons of sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons of baking soda
sprinkles
chocolate
Preparation:
Dissolve spices with honey and a teaspoon of warm water and let the mixture cool down. In a large bowl, combine and knead flour, butter, sugar, eggs and honey. Place dough in the refrigerator for half an hour. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Put on a greased form and heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius or 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 20min.
Tags: christmas in poland, cooking in Poland, pierogi, Polish food
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November 30th, 2011
If you’re planning to travel to Poland this December, you must visit Christmas markets now being organized in major cities. You’ll notice that Polish Christmas markets have a specific character and are often located in beautifully decorated, historic Market Squares. Christmas markets in Poland are popular among both locals and tourists and even the smallest markets will give you a good idea of how Poles celebrate the Christmas season. You’ll find unique, hand-made gifts, regional cheeses, meats, breads, beer, hot chocolate, sweets and mulled wine. Whether you’re visiting Wrocław, Kraków, Warsaw or Gdańsk get into the holiday spirit at Christmas markets these cities offer.
 Sweets and gingerbread beautifully wrapped for sale during a Christmas market in Upper Silesia region of Poland  These interesting looking balls are made of rice and honey and are very light and tasty. Next to rice balls, traditional food is also displayed; marinated mushrooms and oscypki - smoked sheep cheese If you’re heading to Lesser Poland, don’t forget to visit the Krakow Christmas Market held in the Market Square. This is the largest and most famous Christmas market in Poland. It always attracts lots of visitors. In wooden stalls wrapped in Christmas lights you’ll find: hand-made Christmas tree ornaments, ceramic decorations, regional food and delicious hot spiced wine.
Christmas Market of Krakow – Market Square
From November 25 to December 26, 2011
 Display of beautiful hand-made Christmas figurines In Warsaw’s Castle Square, in front of the Royal Castle – the main Christmas market is held every year. Another Christmas market can be found in front of the Palace of Science and Culture. Both of them take place throughout December and although smaller than the one offerd in Krakow, many great attractions await all visitors.
Christmas Markets of Warsaw - Old Town and Palace of Science and Culture From November 26, 2011 to January 8, 2012
 Christmas wreath The Christmas Market of Wroclaw takes place on the main square in the heart of the old town from November to December. When visiting this historic city in Lower Silesia, you can’t miss it’s Christmas market if you want to get into the holiday mood in no time. Find unique gifts and plenty of mouth-watering foods, bring your family and friends and enjoy arts, crafts and music.
Christmas Market of Wroclaw - Market Square
From November 25 to December 23, 2011
 Christmas cards made by primary school children Gdańsk Christmas Fair will be organized for the 16th time this year. Visitors can buy original gifts, tree ornaments and meet Santa on December 6th!
Gdansk Christmas Fair – Targ Weglowy
From December 5 to December 23, 2011
To learn more about Christmas Markets in Poland, view additional photos and videos, please visit the following website (use Google translate feature to translate text):
http://www.polskawita.pl/inspiracje/jarmarki-bozonarodzeniowe.html
Tags: christmas in poland, christmas markets, Discover Poland, Gdansk Sopot Gdynia Malbork "polish food" "polish cooking" "poland vacation" "poland tours" "baltic sea" kaszuby kashubia, poland traditions, Polish food, things to do in Krakow, Warsaw, wroclaw market square
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(Happy Travels & Bon Appétit!)
