Ethnic Chicago food (Warsaw: pierogi, restaurants, bars)

[linicx]

Over the years I have experienced some wondeful Chicago food. But what I really want to know is what is the main difference between Polish and Czech foods. To my knowledge I have nevr eaten an authentic polish meal. My knowledge of these particular foods is very limited. I would like to learn.

My SIL is Polish and will be visiting this summer. I would like to be able to prepare a simple meal. Help is appreciated.

Thanks .

[nana053]

Not Chicago particularly, but..

Polish Food & Recipes | 100 Best foods from Poland

[moskiter]

go to a Polish buffet (Staropolska, Red Apple, Old Warsaw) and try everything a little. I myself like the most pierogi, kotlety with patatoes, kopytka, nalesniki, bigos, golabki, barszcz (borscht), rosol (chicken soup). Copy one name and paste into Google Images - it will show you how it looks like. There are also many good Polish restaurants where you can take her, buffets are not as good. Polish food is very influenced by German and Russian/Ukrainian/Belarusian food because Poland was often a part of Germany and Russia (total of 300 years).

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by linicx

Over the years I have experienced some wondeful Chicago food. But what I really want to know is what is the main difference between Polish and Czech foods. To my knowledge I have nevr eaten an authentic polish meal. My knowledge of these particular foods is very limited. I would like to learn.

My SIL is Polish and will be visiting this summer. I would like to be able to prepare a simple meal. Help is appreciated.

Thanks .

If you can get some good quality Polish Sausage in your area, google the term kielbasa recipe and examine all the results. Most will be accompanied by sauerkraut, cabbage and or potatoes. A good kielbasa dish is almost universally a hit with Poles. If you feel a bit more adventurous Bigos (hunters stew) and golabki (stuffed cabbage) are real popular.

As for sides, potato pancakes, boiled potatoes with parsley and dill, mashed potatoes with dill or basic sauerkraut will keep the meal authentic.

Most importantly be sure to have fresh Polish rye bread and butter on hand. Jewish or Bavarian rye are good substitutes. Also look up recipes for Polish style cucumber salad. It's a simple and delicious side dish that is basically cucmbers, onions and sour cream. Good luck.

[tonythetuna]

Linicx, isn't the title of this thread misleading?

[ToriaT]

In some cases its similar. However signature Czech dishes, at least in Chicago are Roast Pork, sauerkraut and dumplings (knedlicky). Also roast duck. YOu can google this to see recipes. A lot of the dishes might be similar but have different names. I have not heard of pierogi as a Czech dish but maybe it has a different name.

[Irishtom29]

Bohemian food seems to have more of a German influence than Polish food, maybe because they were under the Hapsburgs for so long. I dunno; I ate in many Bohemian and Polish joints but I don't claim any expertise, I just eat the stuff.

[Attrill]

They share a lot of ingredients, due to similarities in climate and crops. Poland is a lot larger, and has many regional specialties, whereas Czech cuisine is basically a regional area of Bohemian cuisine, and shares more with Southern German (Bavarian) cuisine than Polish cuisine does.

Czech cuisine is heavier on pork and duck. It has very little fish or seafood (carp and herring are fairly common in some regions of Poland). Beer is more common in Czech cuisine, and is frequently used as an ingredient or braising liquid. Both have very similar potato pancake dishes. There are some equivalents that show the differences between the cuisines: Poland=Pierogi, Czech=Dumplings. Poland=Kielbasa, Czech=Bratwurst. Poland=Vodka, Czech=Slivovitz.

[ToriaT]

True but not all equivalents are the same. Pierogies and knedlicky are two different things very dissimilar as is kielbasa and bratwurst. I do agree Czech food seems to share an influence with German food in some ways.