Product Description A perennial best-seller, this is the most extensive and varied Polish cookbook ever published. More than 2200 recipes use easily available American ingredients and measurements. Modern Polish cuisine is a blend of hearty peasant dishes and more elegant gourmet fare, incorporating a broad cross-section of cultural influences. The book includes numerous cultural notes, historical accounts of Polish culinary traditions, and descriptive line drawings. Its expanded edition includes information on Polish products available in the United States, such as plum butter (powid la), honey mushrooms (opie nka), and kielbasa, and their culinary uses.
A highly respected book for Polish cuisineNovember 2, 2008 Zelie Nic(Pittsburgh) My wife's a Pole, and os I bought this for her despite the fact that I've never had a Polish dish I've liked. But if you thought Polish food was nothing but sausages, cabbage, and mixing nasty fish into your otherwise fine patatoes (as I did) then prepare to expand your definition of what Polish food is all about! There's some really good food in here.
A few people have cited problems with the directions, which are presented in paragraph form without the typical list of ingredients needed followed by a numerically ordered process. You will need to adjust, but the recipes are short and simple. Few recipes are longer than this review that you're reading right now. Just read the recipe first, make sure you have all the items you need. It's not so hard!
I also like how the titles of each dish are in English AND Polish, though I'll never, ever be able to say those strange Eastern European words.
The book is well organized too. The large section concerning the many Polish ways of preparing rabbit however, will probably never be exhausted by most Americans, as few grocers supply the meat.
Polish Heritage CookeryNovember 1, 2008 Stefan Karpiniec(Tasmania) Did not like set out of book. Would prefer ingredients at the top then the recipe underneath. Hard to find ingredients.
Great selectionDecember 12, 2007 Cindy J Masmar 4 out of 5 found this review helpful
At first glance the book was disappointing and daunting primarily because the recipes are in paragraph format without a list of ingredients; however, after sitting down with the book I found it to be authentic and very easy to use. The selections are immense and covered the gamut of Polish cuisine. I would recommend this book highly.
Best Polish CookbookMay 14, 2007 K. Salvetta(Clifton, NJ, USA) 3 out of 3 found this review helpful
It's the best! Whatever my sister or I have tried from this cookbook tastes *just* like Babci used to make!!! I'd recommend this one to any cook who wants to eat like he or she used to at their grandmother's house!
Has become a kitchen mainstay!November 28, 2006 Pio(Orange County, CA) 7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I had no exposure to Polish cooking until I got a Polish boyfriend. I ended up with this book and I am now a big fan of Polish food. Who knew there was more than Perogies at the local fair? This book literally has EVERY recipe even a Pole could want and I have been reliably informed that the recipes are very authentic. I know I have enjoyed making many of them and have also been very surprised at how scrumptious the results have been. You could buy this book just for the dessert recipes alone but I love the soups and special hearty foods like bigos. I do wish this book had more photos but if it did, it would impossible to lift. I have found the recipes easy to follow although a bit inconvenient in that the ingredients are listed within the directions. Then again, maybe that is good because it makes me read the entire recipe before I gather the ingredients. Some of these recipes take some time to prepare so you need to read before you make up your menu. I have other Polish cookbooks but I think this is the only one a person needs. A good investment.
