Christmas flavours of Małopolska. Culinary Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
What does Christmas taste like in Małopolska? Exquisite! Of dishes that draw on the region’s culinary heritage and traditions passed down for generations, and exude local flair. The list of regional and traditional products includes all the best and authentic dishes from every corner of Małopolska. What are the region’s culinary staples of Christmas Eve and the rest of the festive season? Check out our guide to Małopolska’s Christmas cuisine.
Peas and cabbage
If you mean cabbage, then it must be from Charsznica, where it has been grown and pickled with reverence for centuries using the same methods. In yester years, cabbage was harvested by hand; today this process is supported by machines. Pickling itself, however, has not changed for centuries. Salt is the only additive, and the fermentation takes place naturally, without preservatives. For Christmas Eve dinner, the cabbage is mixed with peas or beans. Beans are best sourced from the farmlands of Małopolska. It could be e.g. the Polish “independence bean” – with a cherry eagle-shaped mark on the edge. During the partition period, it was treated as a national symbol, and when its cultivation was prohibited, it was grown in secret, hidden among potatoes. The tradition of planting the bean has survived in the Sącz region, and it is worth supporting not only during the Christmas period. Of course, cabbage also goes together well with the “Handsome Johnny” bean from the Dunajec Valley. Not only is it huge and contains a lot of magnesium, but it also has a sweet taste and soft skin.