Ciasta i Ciasteczka – magazine inspirations

  • Whenever I go to Poland I try to get some magazines and books to add my collection and to give me new ideas.
  • This time I bought two magazines which have recipes for cakes and biscuits/ small cakes or cookies.
  • Known in Poland as ciasta and ciasteczka.
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  • Do you get excited by new cookery books and magazines?
  • I bookmark all the ones I think I will try.
  • As this is autumn many are for nuts, chocolate and spices.
  • Also a few fruity one and there is one that contains twaórog (curd cheese) .
  • Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be trying out many of these.

“Our Food is Our Identity”

  • Claudia Roden was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1936.
  • She moved to Paris in 1951.
  • Then to London in 1954.
  • Her family was Jewish.
  • She collected recipes from family, friends and anyone else who would contribute.
  • She has written many cookery books.
  •  I recently bought a second hand copy of ‘Jewish Cookery from Samarkand to Vilna’- mainly because of the Polish connections, especially Vilna (Wilno), the nearest large town my father identified with.
  • A few years ago I heard a programme on the radio in which Claudia said
  • “Our Food is Our Identity”.
  • I so agree with this statement.
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  • Polish Cookery is influenced by food from other countries  – in the past from France, Italy & Germany as well as – Lithuania, Finland & Sweden.
  • Jewish cookery has also influenced some of the dishes served in Poland.
  • Many people say  that when they made a recipe they always remember the person that gave then this recipe.
  • Do you have such recipes?
  • Here are just a few of my Mama’s recipes, which will always remind me of her.
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  • Bigos
  • Pierogi
  • Polish Apple Cake
  • Polish Potato Pancakes