Customer Reviews

Old Warsaw Cookbook

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I cannot comment on the significance (or lack thereof) of the lack of information on relevant oven temperatures. No doubt, however, these useful recipes were developed and widely used in Poland despite the lack of cooking ovens that provided temperatures!

This book gives a history of foods in Poland. One learns that such staples as the bigos, boiled beef, and kielbasa antedate the 16th century. Mushroom picking is described as a social event. Wine is seldom consumed at Polish dinners; vodka is.

Dishes are grouped according to type: soups, fish, hot sauces, dairy dishes, Christmas foods, Easter foods, etc. There is discussion of pierogi, knedle, nalesniki (blintzes), mazurek, various fruit dishes, etc. Sour cream is commonly used in fish dishes.

This book unavoidably re-awakens memories in every Pole or Polonus. Who could forget the Christmas Eve oplatek, kutia, or the sumptuous Easter dinner that ended the 40-day Lenten fast?

This book also touches on recipes from Italy, Spain, England, and Armenia.

This book is a disappointment. It is the first cookbook that I have read that contains baking recipes without including the required oven temperature. It is not for serious food lovers.

I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking Polish recipes - in fact I would gladly return it if it were possible.

As someone who is interested in Polish and Eastern European history, I must say the historical and cultural notes found throughout the book are invaluable.

The recipes are mostly simple, with few ingredients and little flair, but there are hundreds of 'em in here, and it would be easy to find something to please every person at the table. I am particularly intrigued by the many beet, poultry and cake recipes in this book. There are a handful of more complicated recipes too, for cooks who are seeking a challenging dish they can prepare to test skill.

As another reviewer mentioned, the recipes do not list cooking temps or times, but anybody who's ever made a pot roast, a roast chicken, a cake, etc., should not have trouble figuring this out. It takes five seconds to Google "baked chicken recipe" to see how to set your oven... I have the 1958 edition of this book; I have seen other cookbooks from this era that omit cooking temps. From what I understand, conventional ovens were not common in Eastern Europe at this time, so temps may have been left out for that reason?

This book reminded me of all the traditional polish dishes my grandmother made. Just skimming through the recipes brought back the fantastic smells and tastes of her cooking.