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Traditional
Polish Beverages
MLEKO
Z MIODEM (hot
milk & honey): Combine in pot 1 c. milk (preferably whole milk but no
leaner than 2%) and 1 heaping T. honey and gently heat to a boil. An
excellent remedy for sleeplessness. For cold symptoms add 1 t. butter to
pot.
HERBATA Z SOKIEM MALINOWYM (tea & raspberry syrup): Sweeten
each glass or cup of hot tea with 1-2 T. pure raspberry syrup. This
is a traditional cold and flu remedy. Other fruit syrups (cherry,
strawberry, etc.) may be used but lack the medicinal properties of
raspberry. For added potency, add 1/2 - 1 jigger vodka to each serving.
HERBATA Z RUMEM (rum-flavored tea): To each glass or cup of hot
tea, sweetened to taste, add about 1 t. freshly-squeezed lemon juice and
1/2 - 1 jigger rum. Note: vodka plus several drops of rum extract may be
used if real rum is not available..
GRZANE PIWO (mulled beer): In pot combine 1 qt beer, 4 T. sugar,
1 bayleaf, 2 pinches of cinnamon and ground cloves and (optional) a
pinch of pepper. Heat to just below boiling, stirring to dissolve
sugar and serve. Increase or decrease sugar and spices according to taste.
GRZANIEC (mulled wine): In pot combine 1 qt dry red wine, 5-6 T.
sugar, a grating of nutmeg and a pinch or two of cinnamon and ground
cloves and heat to boiling. You can also use a sweet red wine, in which
case omit or decrease the amount of sugar.
KRUPNIK (hot
honey-spice cordial): In pot combine 1 c. honey, 1/2 c. water, 1 crumbled
bayleaf, 1/2 a vanilla pod, chopped (or 1 t. vanilla extract), 1 t.
lemon zest, a grating of nutmeg, 10 cloves and 2 pinches of cinnamon.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, skimming off scum and simmer covered about 10
min. Strain, discarding spices. Add 3 c. 100 proof vodka and heat
gently but do not boil! Serve immediately, preferably in crystal cordial
glasses. Warning:
This is not a beverage to fill a thermos bottle with or drink by the
cup!
Polish finger
foods are known as koreczki. These colorfully attractive shishkebab-style
hors d'oeuvres will add a touch of elegance to any event. Serve them as
the main attraction of a cocktail hour or a light appetizer
preceding a full course banquet. Allow 2-3 hors d'oeuvres per person and
prepare that many toothpicks or cocktail picks and skewer them with 4-6 of
the following ingredients:
- meat & sausage (unsliced):
Cut
into small cubes: Polish canned ham, other boiled or baked ham, smoked
kie³basa, Krakowska sausage, hunter's sausage (skinned), cooked meat
(chicken, turkey, beef, pork, veal), firm pâté, boiled beef
tongue, skinless frankfurters, etc.;
- firm yellow cheese (unsliced):
Cut into small cubes Tilsit,
Edam, Gouda, Swiss (Emmentaler, Gruyère), brick, farmer cheese, white
(not orange-colored!) American cheese or similar (except orange-colored
cheddar);
- fish & seafood:
Use whole canned mussels and baby shrimps,
but cut into pieces the size of your meat and cheese cubes any of the
following: smoked sprats, sardines, anchovy fillets and/or marinated
herring (well-drained on absorbent paper), smoked fish (salmon, trout,
carp, whitefish, herring, mackerel, cod, etc.) and solid tuna fish.
- fruits & veggies
: Use cocktail onions, canned button
mushrooms, pickled mushrooms, pitted spiced cherries, raw cranberries,
raisins, small seedless grapes, small olives (green & black),
capers and large peas (cooked or canned) whole. The following
should be cut into pieces of roughly equal size: dill pickles (vinegar
and/or brined type), gherkins, fresh cucumber, radishes, bell pepper
(red, yellow and/or green), rindless lemon wedges, pitted prunes, other
dried fruit, dates, pickled beets (well drained and patted dry so
they don't stain neighboring ingredients), and pitted spiced plums.
- bread:
rye, black bread, French, unglazed piernik (honey-spice
cake or gingerbread), etc.
Some suggestions:
- cocktail onion, smoked fish, cucumber, radish, cheese
- cucumber, chicken, radish, chicken, cranberry
- sausage, dill pickle, bread cube, mushroom, cheese
- cranberry, ham, bell pepper, bread cube, radish
- green olive, turkey, cocktail onion, cheese, black olive,
- raisin, cheese, caper, cheese, cucumber
- cocktail onion, sprat, lemon wedge, anchovy, cucumber
- mushroom, tuna, dill pickle, bread, cheese
- spiced plum, mussel, bell pepper, shrimp, green olive
- gherkin, tongue, piernik cube, cocktail onion
- spiced cherry, hunter's sausage, beet, black bread, smoked
kielbasa
- radish, cooked meat, cranberry, ham, date
- cocktail onion, cucumber, bell pepper, radish, cranberry
(for vegetarians)
- sausage, bread, tongue, cranberry, pâté, mushroom, ham
(for meat-lovers)
- smoked salmon, lemon wedge, tuna, caper, mussel (for seafood
fanciers)
- Swiss cheese, radish, farmer cheese, olive, edam or gouda(for
cheese-lovers)
These are just a few examples. Use your imagination to come up
with combinations of your own. Oranges, apples or grapefruits are
impaled with the hors d'oeuvres and placed around the room for easy
access. Snugly placing the orange, apple, etc., in a vase, bowl or glass
will keep it stable.
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