Part memoir and part travelogue, this unique cookbook that the story of Beata Zatorska's childhood in rural Poland, mixing stories of her youth and her grandmother’s handwritten recipes with stunning photos of Poland in summer. Included are more than 60 recipes for traditional Polish home cooked meals, from poppyseed cake and pierogi to fruit-flavored summer liqueurs. The photography—ranging across locales such as Warsaw, Poznan, the Tatra Mountains, and the Baltic Sea—showcases the Polish landscape and its influence on the country’s distinct cuisine.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“A magical book, full of warmth and charm.” —Sunday Telegraph
“A priceless gift and cookery guide for Polish migrants and cooking enthusiasts worldwide, but also a precious guide to Poland and Polish culture.” —Polish Times
“A sumptuous and heartwarming book, with stunning photography.” —Mostly Food Journal
“From fold-out endpapers featuring colorful, folksy textiles, to the lace overprint on the front cover, the textures are so rich they almost render the experience three dimensional. Rose Petal Jam is at once evocative, enlightening and compelling.” —Foodtripper
"In addition to being a serious cookbook with more than 50 Polish recipes (from pierogi to poppy-seed cake) taken from Beata's grandmother's handwritten notes, as miraculously preserved as preserves, Rose Petal Jam is also part memoir and part travelogue, the story of Beata's idyllic childhood in the rural Karkonosze Mountains and her later day adventurous travels with Simon in Poland today. But there's more. Rose Petal Jam's cover took my breath away with an exquisite photograph of rose petals, sugar crystals and a wooden pestle. (Simon's mother is the Australian landscape painter Pat Prentice. The photography in this book is numbingly beautiful; No doubt in my mind that Simon has his mother's eye.)" —Charlotte Safavi, Huffington Post
About the Author
Beata Zatorska was raised in a remote village in rural Poland and emigrated to Australia when she was 19. She has been a family doctor for more than 20 years. Simon Target has written and directed award-winning television documentaries and directed numerous television food shows with chefs such as Curtis Stone, Rick Stein, and Donna Hay.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Maureen
Format:Hardcover
Rose Petal Jam is an artistic gem...an extraordinary collaboration by the husband and wife team! The concept of intertwining the story of their summer journey to discover the Poland of today with Beata's magical childhood memories of her homeland and the inspirational grandmother who raised her, along with treasured, traditional Polish recipes captivates the reader. Simon's breathtaking photos of those prepared dishes and the beauty of Poland elevate the book to an exceptional artistic level. It is a must for those who wish to celebrate this rich Polish heritage.
I loved it.
I loved it.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By A. Pieprzyk
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I caught sight of this book by chance as a facebook ad. What a buy it has been!
I laughed, I cried, I remembered and I now cook!
I left Poland at the age of seven but my roots will always be there and the spirit of my homeland flows in my veins.
I have tried many recipes from this book and have been delighted by the results.
I found myself modifying various methods and ingredients according to my taste but its the food I love and remember.
It has been my dream to cook the food of my homeland and now I am living the dream. This book comes highly recommended.
I give it four stars because sometimes the timing and instructions to the cooking process needs to be modified slightly but all round a gem!!!
Look out four a further three books coming soon!
I laughed, I cried, I remembered and I now cook!
I left Poland at the age of seven but my roots will always be there and the spirit of my homeland flows in my veins.
I have tried many recipes from this book and have been delighted by the results.
I found myself modifying various methods and ingredients according to my taste but its the food I love and remember.
It has been my dream to cook the food of my homeland and now I am living the dream. This book comes highly recommended.
I give it four stars because sometimes the timing and instructions to the cooking process needs to be modified slightly but all round a gem!!!
Look out four a further three books coming soon!
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Visually stunning; good recipes; accurately conveys summer atmosphere in Poland
July 23, 2012
By monster
Format:Hardcover
[Context, bias: my immediate family and I immigrated from Poland to Canada when I was 4 (I'm now 30). I can still speak/read/write in Polish and I've been back to Poland a few times since we immigrated, but my day-to-day life is very happily Canadian. I worry about losing touch with Polish culture, especially once my parents pass away.]
I came across this book while browsing through the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards - it won a "Best in the World" prize. Once I looked inside, I fell in love because it's beautifully put together, well organized, well written, and best of all, it matches my own mother's descriptions of Poland. [Beata Zatorska's memoirs are very much like my family's story, except that my family most recently settled in central Poland rather than the south-west.] The photography in the book also does an excellent job of conveying the atmosphere that I experienced on my own trips to Poland in 1994, 1999 and 2009.
If I were to collect my knowledge of Polish summers and food into a book, I would have made a book like this. I have other Poland-themed books but I don't really like them. This, on the other hand, is a book that I enjoy today on my own for its stories, poems, photos and recipes. It is a book that I can happily show to North Americans if they want to know about where I'm from, and it is interesting and valuable for anyone who wants to learn about life in Central Europe. It is a book that I would want to show to my half-Polish kids to help them develop an interest in that part of their heritage.
Perhaps the best way to sum up my opinion of this book is as follows: in my 8 years of being an Amazon customer, I have never written an Amazon review until now. After owning this book for a few weeks, I felt it was very important to let other people know how wonderful it is.
I came across this book while browsing through the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards - it won a "Best in the World" prize. Once I looked inside, I fell in love because it's beautifully put together, well organized, well written, and best of all, it matches my own mother's descriptions of Poland. [Beata Zatorska's memoirs are very much like my family's story, except that my family most recently settled in central Poland rather than the south-west.] The photography in the book also does an excellent job of conveying the atmosphere that I experienced on my own trips to Poland in 1994, 1999 and 2009.
If I were to collect my knowledge of Polish summers and food into a book, I would have made a book like this. I have other Poland-themed books but I don't really like them. This, on the other hand, is a book that I enjoy today on my own for its stories, poems, photos and recipes. It is a book that I can happily show to North Americans if they want to know about where I'm from, and it is interesting and valuable for anyone who wants to learn about life in Central Europe. It is a book that I would want to show to my half-Polish kids to help them develop an interest in that part of their heritage.
Perhaps the best way to sum up my opinion of this book is as follows: in my 8 years of being an Amazon customer, I have never written an Amazon review until now. After owning this book for a few weeks, I felt it was very important to let other people know how wonderful it is.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Collection of Memories of Babcia
Wonderful book and delightful authors!!! The book is not only a collection of beautiful recipes but an album of wonderful childhood memories that are evoked by the dishes and... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Prada
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rose Petal Jam A must have
Very well presented, not only is it a great cook book but also a beautiful book on Poland, I think its just great.
Published 26 days ago by jan ness
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely wonderful
I left Poland around the same time as the author did. The stories of people and places warmed my heart. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Anna Morris
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Just Recipes
Even if you're not going to make the recipes or not of Polish heritage, you will enjoy this book. It's not just a collection of family recipies, it's a recollection of family... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carol A. Rightnour
5.0 out of 5 stars
a book to remember
this book touched me, the recipes of Beatas family and grandmother resembled the aromas of my childhood summers in Poland and brought back feelings of nostalgia. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ania
5.0 out of 5 stars
History of a life blend with cooking
I think this book was touching, evocative and delicious. I specially like the way is written. I travelled to Poland years ago with my mother and somehow i relate what i read in the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paola V. Faăndez Garcăa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sumptuous and Elegant Treasure
I will just affirm all of the best comments made about this lovely book. It's a joy to peruse, even if you never intend to cook any of the wonderfully authentic recipes in it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Proud of your Polish heritage? Then buy this book!
Although I first found this book while browsing cookbooks, I must say that this is more of a memoir and travelogue than a true recipe book. Read more
Published 5 months ago by I Do The Speed Limit
5.0 out of 5 stars
The one and only Polish cookbook to buy!!
I am in LOVE with this book!! I am a military spouse currently living in Poland and was looking for a cookbook that would teach me how to cook some of this wonderful food that I... Read more
Published 6 months ago by James J Kagele
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Rose Petal Jam": a delightful book
A highly original, beautifully conceived and produced book. The author, Beata Zatorska, writes eloquently and warmly about the country of her youth. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Endi
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