Polish Culinary Paths
The diet of the ancient Slavs also included plenty of legumes such as peas, lentils, beans, broad beans and vegetables. Most probably people were already familiar with pickling methods by then. Meat wasn’t served very often and came mainly from farming. In villages people kept pigs, hens, ducks and geese, whereas local rivers supplied plenty of fish. The villagers’ diet was supplemented with fresh and dried apples, pears, raspberries and plums. Local forests served as a pantry full of berries, herbs, edible wild plants and game. Since most people liked the sweet taste, many dishes were flavoured with honey. Food was consumed with hands or wooden spoons and served with beverages such as water, milk, beer and mead (an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey and water). · As food was considered extremely valuable, it was also offered in sacrifice to gods, spirits and demons in order to express gratitude for their kindness as well as to appease all hostile spirits and ensure protection from all evil. It was particularly important to win the favour of friendly guardian spirits that took care of the household and animals. These spirits were offered a sacrifice in the form of various tasty treats. · Today, the Slavic culture is back in favour and continues to inspire the world of literature, music, video games and culinary art. In Poland, there are numerous historical reenactment societies that popularise old traditions, cuisine and crafts. There are annual thematic festivals, e.g. Festival of Slavs and Vikings in Wolin, Stado — Slavic Culture Festival, and events organised by the Archaeological Museum in Biskupin. · In the 10th century, Mieszko I (922–992), a prince from the Piast dynasty, was baptised and thus incorporated Poland into the Christian culture. This event had a considerable impact on the development of various spheres of life, including the local cuisine. One of the key issues in this respect was fasting — abstinence from eating meat and reducing portions of food during certain periods throughout the year. It is worth mentioning that the concept of Christian fasting was established on the basis of the culinary aspect of humorism in the 3rd and 4th century A.D. The concept of humorism recommended balancing hot meals, the consumption of which led to over-excitement and bad behaviour. The products considered good for consumption were fish, frogs, snails, crayfish, turtles, all vegetables, sugar, sweets and spices. · Poland was one of those countries where periods of fasting were strictly obeyed for centuries. And since these restrictions applied to over half of the year, cooks had to really use their creativity in order to serve meals that were not only tasty but also in line with the strict rules. In consequence, the prohibition of eating meat contributed to the development of fish dishes.
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