Cookbook – Journey From A Polish Kitchen

I have been buying lots of Polish cookery books lately, some new and some second hand.
In Gdańsk, I bought “Wilno”, which is written in Polish.
In England, I then came across “Lithuanian Tradition Food”
The original was written in Lithuanian.
This version has been translated into English.

As Poland & Lithuania were joined together for centuries it is not surprising that there are many similar recipes to Polish ones.
As ingredients do not have borders, there is a long list of them that you will find in both traditions.
Rye, curd cheese (twaróg), poppy seeds, caraway, dill, mushrooms, dried fruits and fruits of the forest to name just a few.
In the next few months I will be trying out some of the recipes especially those that are a bit different.

I am always amazed at what gems you can find in Charity shops.

This book on Finnish Cookery is my latest find.
The ‘Finnish Cookbook’ by Beatrice A. Ojakangas.
First published in 1964 and this edition in 1989.
It is aimed at the American market so the recipes are in cups etc.
I will go with cups and tablespoons for liquids but for ingredients such as flour, sugar and butter I will convert these to grams when I try them.
I have learnt a lot about Finland from this book.
Because of its closeness to Russia it is not surprising that some of these recipes are similar to ones found in Russia.
It then follows that some of the recipes are also similar to ones found in Eastern Poland and to ones which I have posted.
Lingonberries, Rye, Cabbage & Herrings are just some of the similar ingredients.
The ‘Cabbage Pasty’, which is served as a’ ‘Soup Accompaniment’ is one example, which is very similar.
Look out for recipes from this book as the New Year (2024) goes on.

Do you know any Finnish Recipes?

Tag: Cookbook