Archive for September, 2009

Day Five – Thursday

We left Zakopane and Podhale region early Thursday morning and headed back to Krakow.  On the way we stopped in town of Nowy Targ and did some shopping at the Nowy Targ open market which is very popular among the locals and neighboring Slovakians.

 

Highlander in Nowy Targ, Lesser Poland region.

Highlander in Nowy Targ, Lesser Poland region.

Market in Nowy Targ, Lesser Poland region.

Market in Nowy Targ, Lesser Poland region.

Fresh cucumbers at Nowy Targ Market, Lesser Poland region.

Fresh cucumbers at Nowy Targ Market, Lesser Poland region.

Sunflowers at Nowy Targ Market in Lesser Poland region.

Sunflowers at Nowy Targ Market in Lesser Poland region.

Once back in Krakow and had a delicious pierogi lunch at Pod Aniolami restaurant  http://www.podaniolami.pl/  before heading up to Wawel Royal Castle.  Pod Aniolami is located in a 13th century building at the Royal Route, leading from the Wawel Castle to the Main Market Square.

Fried pierogi served with cranberries in Krakow, Poland.

Fried pierogi served with cranberries in Krakow, Poland.

Wawel Royal Castle was home to three dynasties of Poland’s monarchs. We also visited Wawel Cathedral where many Polish kings and their family members are buried.

Hiking up to Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.

Hiking up to Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.

Touring Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.

Touring Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.

We had a delicious dinner at Ancora restaurant http://www.ancora-restaurant.com/_pl/  Offering modern Polish cuisine Ancora is the creation of chef Adam Chrzastowski. Recommended by Michelin Guide in 2008 and 2009.  A must restaurant to visit while in Krakow, Poland.

Delicious food at Ancora restaurant in Krakow, Poland.

Delicious food at Ancora restaurant in Krakow, Poland.

After dinner guests checked into Turowka Hotel  www.turowka.pl near Wieliczka Salt Mine, their home for next two nights.  Turowak is a **** Hotel and the building of the hotel dates back to 1811.  It’s an exceptional place to stay while exploring Lesser Poland region because of the relaxing atmosphere, great food and luxurious spa facility.
On Friday morning we headed to The Culinary Institute in Cracow for a Polish cooking class with chefs Marek Widomski and Rafal Targosz. Stay tuned and Smacznego! 

Day Four – Wednesday

Wednesday was our third and last cooking class with Podhale region women.  We headed to Gronkow village and again after brief introductions got right into cooking.

Cooking with women from Gronkow village in Lesser Poland region.

Cooking with women from Gronkow village in Lesser Poland region.

Making kluski scynane - potato noodles.

Making kluski scynane - potato noodles.

Nell showing cooked potato noodles.

Nell showing cooked potato noodles.

Cooking and having a great time.

Cooking and having a great time.

It was a beautiful, sunny day so again we decided to have our lunch in the outside garden.  We set up a small table and covered it with white, hand-made table cloth. It looked festive and inviting! 

Setting up our table for lunch in the garden.

Setting up our table for lunch in the garden.

We had delicious soup made with fresh Boston lettuce, potatoes, potato noodles, beans with mushrooms, drank herb tea and home-made nalewki – fruit cordials.

Enjoying delicious lunch with women from Gronkow village in Lesser Poland.

Enjoying delicious lunch with women from Gronkow village in Lesser Poland.

Enjoying great regional cuisine and coversation in Gronkow village, Lesser Poland.

Enjoying great regional cuisine and conversation in Gronkow village, Lesser Poland.

Kolacz – the sweet cheese filled coffee cake we made earlier was ready for us as we were finishing our lunch.  It looked beautiful and tasted sooooo good! Fabulous! 

Beautiful, freshly baked kolacz - a yeast-raised, sweet cheese filled cake.

Beautiful, freshly baked kolacz - a yeast-raised, sweet cheese filled cake.

Kolacz - sweet cheese filled coffee cake.

Kolacz - sweet cheese filled coffee cake.

Having a delicious lunch in Gronkow village garden with out hosts.

Having a delicious lunch in Gronkow village garden with out hosts.

After dessert, tea, coffee and listening to Gronkow women singing for us we said our Goodbyes! It was a lovely time in Gronkow and the food and hospitality of Gronkow women will always remain in our memory.
Our guests wanted to spend more time at the beautiful and relaxing Villa Marilor www.hotelmarilor.com so after cooking class we returned to the hotel.  Villa Marilor is a 5-star hotel which was once a small palace and is a historical and an architectural monument.

Villa Marior Palace/*****Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Villa Marior Palace/*****Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland at night.

Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland at night.

Blue room at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Blue room at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

A bathroom at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

A bathroom at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Swimming pool at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Swimming pool at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Sauna at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel Spa in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Sauna at Villa Marilor Palace/Hotel Spa in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

For dinner we headed to Karczma Czarci Jar in Zakopane www.czarcijar.pl . Karczma Czarci Jar offers delicious regional cuisine and great atmosphere in a quiet neighborhood of Zakopane.

Karczma Czarci Jar  - a regional restaurant in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Karczma Czarci Jar - a regional restaurant in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Preparing food at Karczma Czarci Jar in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Preparing food at Karczma Czarci Jar in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region.

Musicians in regional costumes at Karczma Czarci Jar in Zakopane, Lesser Poland.

Musicians in regional costumes at Karczma Czarci Jar in Zakopane, Lesser Poland.

On Thursday morning we left Zakopane and slowly made our way back to Krakow and Wieliczka to begin the urban portion of cooking vacation in Lesser Poland.  Stay tuned and Smacznego!