The Best of Polish Cooking [Paperback]

Karen West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2000

Now updated with a new chapter on Lighter Polish Fare! First published in 1983, this classic resource for Polish cuisine has been a favorite with home chefs for many years. This new edition includes a chapter on Light Polish Fare with ingenious tips for reducing fat, calories and cholesterol, without compromising the flavor of fine Polish cuisine. Fragrant herbal rubs and vinegars add panache without calories. Alternatives and conversion tables for butter, sour cream and milk will help readers lighten other recipes as well.

In an easy-to-use menu format, the author arranges complementary and harmonious foods together--all organized in seasonal cycles. Spring menus include "Braised Spring Lamb with Cabbage," "Baby Carrots Polonaise," and "Wild Strawberries with Sour Cream." Cool and light summer menus make the most of fresh fruits and vegetables: "Frosty Artichoke Salad," "Fresh Peas with Dill Butter," and "Chilled Blueberry Soup." Autumn recipes include "Polish Sausage simmered in Wine," "Apple Raisin Cake," and "Hunter's Stew." The winter chapter highlights plentiful offerings such as "Roast Duck Served with Red Cabbage," "Smoked Salmon Omelets" and "Christmas Eve Bread."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karen West is a writer whose recent publications include American Business English and a novel, The Sovereignty of the Dragons (Macmillan, 1999). She is currently working on a Taiwanese cookbook for Hippocrene Books. She resides in Round Rock, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books; Expanded edition (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078180826X
• ISBN-13: 978-0781808262
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > European > Polish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delicious change of pace from our everyday fare, January 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Best of Polish Cooking (Paperback)

I bought this book because of its price. I had no idea how popular it would be with my family. So far, every recipe I've tried has been a big hit. The contents are arranged into seasonal meals, such as "Easter Dinner for 10" and "Winter Brunch for 4." This makes it easy to choose dishes that work well together. In the back are sections on "Vodka Beverages," "Salads," and "Light Polish Fare." The recipes are relatively simple, and full of unexpected, delicious twists. (Who would have thought that horseradish gives just the right punch to carrot & apple salad?) I'm especially impressed by the Walnut Torte and the Cabbage, Leek, and Orange Salad. (My family has actually been taking second helpings of their veggies, thanks to this and other unique salads.) I never knew I could make anything so delicious and different at home. Some of the recipes were a bit time consuming, but most of the labor went into things like peeling potatoes and slicing mushrooms. Once the fruits and veggies are prepared, many recipes are easy and speedy. Just be forewarned that the yields are larger than you might expect. Many dishes for four people could easily feed six or more - and most of the planned meals include more courses than my family can eat in a sitting. However, we've been enjoying choosing a couple of dishes each night, and everything's so delicious that leftovers aren't a problem for long.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Offers a cornucopia of seasonal delights, February 23, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Polish Cooking (Paperback)

Now in an revised and expanded edition, Karen West's The Best Of Polish Cooking continues to offer the kitchen cook a wealth of authentic, traditional Polish cuisine in an easy-to-use menu format bringing complementary dishes together for memorable dining. From Freshly Baked Potato Bread, Braised Spring Lamb with Cabbage, and Polish Sausage Simmered in Wine, to Tangy Apple and Leek Salad, Eggplant Crisps, and Tangerine Vodka, The Best Of Polish Cooking offers a cornucopia of seasonal delights spanning the entire the year.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pyszny! (Outstandingly Delicious), August 2, 2007

By 

Jan Peczkis "Scholar and Thinker" (Chicago IL, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Best of Polish Cooking (Paperback)

One distinctive feature of this cookbook is the grouping of foods relative to the four seasons of the year. Also, the name of every dish is written out in Polish along with a full English-language translation.

This book traces the history of some of the Polish dishes. One also learns that the culinary customs of the Polish nobility had been influenced by those of the nobility of France, Czechoslovakia, Saxony, Hungary, and Italy.

There is discussion of an elaborate, multi-course Easter dinner for ten people. And, besides the more common Polish dishes, West provides details on the preparation of the roast suckling pig.