When abroad, there are the iconic sights to see, events you may have traveled the globe to attend, and of course, food to try. The problem comes with picking out the best foods! You don't want to play hit or miss when time is short, so check out some of the best foods to try the next time you're in Poland. Placki ziemniaczane These delicious pancakes are similar to latkes, but instead of just potato and onion, they also have carrot, parsnips, and other vegetables. Kick off your meal with these savory spuds - either sprinkled with sugar or dipped in a dollop of sour cream. Grilled oscypek While you're still enjoying the beginning of your meal, why not try some grilled oscypek, more easily pronounced as "sheeps cheese?" This delicious smoked cheese is made of salted sheeps milk from sheep that are exclusively found in Poland's Tatra Mountain region. There's no better place to try it! Rosol Soup or salad? Digging into a bowl of Rosol, pronounced ruh-soo, can instantly transport you to a simpler time. This Polish chicken noodle soup is very common, and it's the perfect thing for warming the body on a cold day. It's made with chicken, cabbage, onion, leeks, celery, and of course, homemade noodles. Barszcz You may have heard of the Russian borscht, but this is barszcz, the Polish version served as a beetroot consomme. Containing onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and sometimes root parsely, this soup is usually preseted as the first course on Christmas Eve, with uszki (little ears) dumplings on the side. Meat or bacon is sometimes added to this soup, but never on Christmas! Bigos Stews are highly popular in a cold country, and bigos is probably the heartiest on this list. Loaded with white cabbage, sauerkraut, meat and sausage, whole or pureed tomato, onions, honey, mushrooms, and sometimes prunes, bigos is an incredibly traditional dish, served with rye bread or mashed potatoes. With the variety of meats in the stew, it earned itself the nickname "Hunter's Stew." While the combination of foods might seem odd, its a must-try while in Poland. Polskie nalesniki These crepe-like pancakes can be served up with either sweet or savory fillings and toppings. An assortments of jam, powdered sugar, sweetened quark, fruit, cheese, vegetables, meat, and more can be added, mixed together and spread out over the pancake. While all these toppings are enticing, it's best to stick with sweet or savory in a single pancake. Kotlet schabowy Similar to Viennese schitzel or the Japanese katsu, the Polish kotlet is made of pork tenderloin or a pork chop, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried. This dish dates all the way back to the 19th century, and goes perfectly with buttered potatoes and cabbage salad. For those who are not a fan of pork, chicken is also popular. Kebab Polish kebab is not quite the same thing as a shish-kebab. This popular street food starts on a large rotating stick to cook, and gets shaved off straight onto a roll. Topped with red and white cabbage, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and a variety of sauces, it's a meal in your hand. Plus the abundance of kebab huts make it easy to find. Sernik Made with twarog, a special type of fresh cheese, sernik is almost like a cheesecake. Instead of creamy and thick, the consistancy is almost like feta cheese, and usually comes with rasins mixed in, and a layer of chocolate across the top. Paczki That's right, jelly-filled doughnuts are origionally Polish! Paczki, pronounced pOHnch-kee, are traditionally smaller than the average doughnut, stuffed with jam, rolled in powdered sugar, and served with flair on Fat Tuesday. While jam is traditional, they can now be filled with sweet cheese, pudding, or even Nutella! Pierniki This honey cake is almost like a gingerbread cookie, but soft, moist, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and doused in a chocolate glaze or icing. Basically, it's just better. Pierniki, also known as Torun gingerbread, are usually served in a heart shape, and can be filled with jelly as well! Makowiec Considered one of the most traditional Polish desserts, makowiec is a simple poppyseed cake-like pastry that is served up for the holidays. You'll find these little swirling desserts on the Christmas and Easter dessert tables in Polish homes. If you get the opportunity to try one, go for it! They're delicious and offer a taste of genuine Polish culture. Last, but not least...
Pierogi There's no way we could leave out the most iconic Polish food, even if it isn't the most popular meal in Poland. These tasty dumplings are usually stuffed with meat, mushrooms and sauerkraut, and occasionally seasonal berries, buckwheat, sweet cottage cheese, or friend onions. They're always served on Christmas, and contrary to the American version, never have mashed potatoes inside.
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There may not be a more culturally unifying drink than coffee. Coffee lovers can be found everywhere from Vietnam to Colombia, while the humble bean takes on many different forms. If you consider yourself a fan, check out how these ten countries drink their coffee. Italy: Espresso Un caffè, per favore? That’s a phrase you’ll hear a lot in Italy, where drinking espresso is practically a religious experience. A single espresso is known as un caffè, and Italians love their tiny but mighty coffee in the morning or afternoon. If you really want to look like a local, order it loudly and sip it quickly while standing up. In Rome, the drink to try is Espresso Romano, which is a shot of espresso served with a slice of lemon. France: Café au lait As fancy as it sounds, a café au lait is simply coffee and hot milk. Many French begin their day with this piping hot drink, served in mugs or bowls wide enough for dunking baguettes or croissants. It’s similar to a latte, but instead of espresso, a café au lait is made with regular coffee. In France, you may get the coffee and milk separately to add yourself. Colombia: Tinto Despite producing some of the best coffee in the world, much of the good stuff gets exported to the U.S. and Europe, leaving subpar product in Colombia. Regardless, you should definitely try a tinto while you’re there, which is the most popular way Colombians drink their coffee. This dark, super sweet coffee can be found from street carts to roadside cafes. If you really want to try premium beans, head to the Zona Cafetera and visit a finca, or coffee plantation. Australia: Flat White Aussies love their flat whites, which are basically lattes but with a very thin layer of microfoam. While the origins of the flat white remain disputed (New Zealand also claims to have invented the drink), it’s no secret that the flat white has gained an international reputation. Even Starbucks sells it! Southeast Asia: Kopi Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia all love their kopi, which is the Malay word for coffee. You can’t visit these countries without patronizing a kopitiam, a traditional coffee shop serving light snacks and a variety of coffee drinks like kopi o (hot black coffee with sugar) and kopi si peng (iced coffee with evaporated milk and sugar). Sweden: Kaffe When a country has entire pastries centered around coffee, you know their coffee has got to be good. In Sweden, part of the daily ritual is fika, which is a short coffee break at 9am and again at 3pm. It’s meant to be shared with colleagues, friends or family, and is accompanied by a variety of sweet pastries known as kaffebröd (coffee bread). While you’ll find everything from lattes to cappuccinos, the Swedish standard is a classic black drip coffee. Turkey: Kahve Served after meals or with dessert, Turkish coffee is a thick, strong and sweet cup of joe. Very fine coffee grounds are brewed in a copper pot called a cezve, sometimes adding in spices like cardamom. But coffee in Turkey isn’t just for enjoying; it’s part of the traditional wedding custom, and used for fortune-telling with leftover grounds at the bottom of the cup. Finland: Kahvi You can’t mention coffee culture without Finland, which happens to be the country that drinks the most coffee per capita. Maybe it’s because they get so few hours of daylight and need to stay awake or maybe they just like the taste - either way, the Finns love their kahvi! One of the most unique ways to drink coffee in Finland is kaffeost, which is coffee poured over cubes of cheese called juustoleipä. Greece: Frappé Coffee purists may stick their noses up over this frothy delight made with instant coffee, evaporated milk and ice-cold water. The drink’s creation was actually an accident; a Nescafé representative wanted to make instant coffee but didn’t have any hot water, so he instead mixed cold water and ice cubes in a shaker and voila, the Greek frappé was born. Coffee drinking in Greece isn’t just part of the culture - it has also been linked to longevity on the island of Ikaria, where residents often live well past the age of 100. Vietnam: Cafe Sua Da One of the most popular beverages in Vietnam is cà phê sữa đá, or Vietnamese iced coffee. Made by brewing concentrated coffee over condensed milk, the drink is the perfect refreshing drink for hot days. Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam in 1857 by a French Catholic priest, and the country soon became one of the biggest exporters of coffee. As fresh milk was in short supply, condensed milk became the popular add-in to this now internationally- known coffee drink. Adventurous drinkers can try egg coffee in Hanoi, which is brewed coffee with milk and an egg yolk. Ethiopia: Buna
Considered the birthplace of coffee (known as buna), Ethiopia has a coffee culture that is unparalled from any place else on earth. Gathered in a special part of the home, green beans are roasted right before your eyes and brewed in a jebena, or clay coffee pot. These coffee ceremonies can last nearly three hours, and sometimes occur multiple times a day. If you really want to get to the heart of coffee, there's no place like Ethiopia. |
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