The variety of regional products and their flavor and nutritional values easily allow for composing a meal suitable for any time of day.
Baked Goods
The capital of Małopolska is the only city in Europe to have two bakery products registered on the EU list of regional products: Prądnik bread and obwarzanek. Prądnik bread, baked from rye flour with sourdough, can be round or elongated. Its characteristic feature is its size: the largest loaves weigh up to 14 kg. Obwarzanek, sprinkled with salt, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds, is given a round shape – symbolizing the wheel of life and said to bring luck. It is also worth mentioning Kraków sticks, baked since the 13th century. They were handmade from grain grown locally, and decorated with salt brought from the Wieliczka salt mine.
Meat, Sausages, and Fish
Małopolska boasts delicious traditionally produced meats. One of them is Podhale lamb, obtained from small herds grazing traditionally on unfertilized meadows. Additionally, goose lovers will find something for themselves – the Zator goose is recognized as a regional breed. The list of Małopolska sausages is also very long. Notable is the Piaszczyna sausage – produced already in the times of Casimir the Great according to a special recipe in the former village of Piaski Wielkie near Kraków. A favorite of John Paul II was Lisiecka sausage, produced in Liszki and Czernichów, and there are various types of bacon to choose from. Małopolska also offers something for vegetarians: on the traditional products list is Zator carp, including smoked versions, bred in Zator since the 12th century, as well as Ojców brook trout.
Dairy and Eggs
Małopolska is famous for highlander cheeses – among them are smoked oscypek (in mini form called redykołka), salty Podhale bryndza, and bundz. All should be made from sheep’s milk, although a small admixture of cow’s milk is allowed. In Kowalowa near Tuchów, you can try gomółki – dried cheeses flavored with mint.
Fruits and Vegetables
Małopolska prides itself on a particularly long tradition of apple cultivation – the taste qualities can be appreciated by trying Łącko and Raciechowice apples. Delicious are also raspberries from Brzezna, popular both domestically and abroad, as well as Łukowice plums (so-called Suska sechlońska) dried traditionally in several Małopolska towns. Among vegetables, mention should be made of Piękny Jaś beans, grown in several communes located in the Dunajec Valley, known for their high magnesium content, and well-pickled cucumbers fermented in wells, which gain a unique taste and aroma.
Dishes
The list of traditional products also includes ready-made dishes. Soups include Kraków varieties of żurek and red borscht, Sułkowice and Orawa krzonówka with horseradish sediment, served with pieces of sausage, ham, and eggs, and the Podhale zoproska soup served with dried mushrooms and fresh herbs. The list is completed by Polish broth, still cooked according to traditional recipes by housewives from the Raba Valley. There is also something for pierogi lovers – the traditional flour-based dish filled with cheese, meat, or fruits (plum, strawberry, blueberry, cherry). In Podhale, various types of dumplings were often prepared – for example, hałuszki served for breakfast with milk, for lunch as a side dish to goulash and roast, and for dinner with cracklings – as well as tarcioki (grated dumplings) made from grated raw potatoes, giving them a light gray color. Traditional dishes also include mountain-style cabbage and pęcak groats with cabbage (still prepared today in the village of Siedlec). All dishes are, of course, seasoned with Bochnia or Wieliczka salt. In regional inns, it is worth trying kwaśnica (a hearty soup based on cabbage, ribs, bacon, and sausage), bigos (a dish based on cabbage, sausage, mushrooms, and tomatoes), and the robber’s pancake (a potato pancake fried in oil and served with meat goulash).
Sweets
From the picturesque town of Jodłownik come delicious cheese cakes, which were once baked only for weddings. Cheese is also the main ingredient of another cake – the Jura cheesecake, traditionally baked in special cherry wood frames. Małopolska products also include rose petal jam and blueberry-apple preserves, used for pancakes, cakes, desserts, and as a meat accompaniment. For refreshment, you can try ice cream from Nowy Sącz, which is the city’s calling card, or from Nowy Targ, known for its creamy, delicate consistency. It is also worth tasting the Wadowice cream cake, which was enjoyed and popularized by John Paul II – the Polish pope.
Drinks
Since beekeeping is very popular in Małopolska, traditional honeys can be tasted in the region, such as multi-flower forest honey from Podksięże or Suski spruce honey from coniferous trees. For centuries, alcoholic beverages have also been produced here: among them are Podgórska mead, Iwkowa ginger liqueur, Łącko plum brandy, and Izdebnik rowanberry wine. Wines with lower alcohol content are also available – to explore them, it is worth setting out on the Małopolska Wine Trail.
