December 7, 2013
On Saturday evening, December 7, 2013, Slow Food Hong Kong members were treated to a traditional Polish Christmas dinner hosted by the Pietrowiak family who hail from Jarocin in western Poland.
There are usually three Christmas meals in Poland – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the Epiphany. Elements of all three were combined into one meal for this event.
We were greeted with “Apple Pie”, an aperitif made from Polish Bison Grass vodka, apple juice, and fresh mint. At our place settings we each had a “oplatki”, a small wafer. Before we sat down to eat, we greeted all the other guests by breaking and exchanging little pieces from our wafers and wishing each other a merry Christmas. It was a wonderful way to meet each other and start the holiday season.
The dishes were all made from traditional home recipes that had been in the family for generations. All dishes were homemade by a mother, sister, grandfather, and friend. Cabbage featured in the borscht and a stew. Both were based on a fermentation process which enriched their flavour.
There was smoked herring, rabbit pate, pierogis, and ginger and honey cakes, each item associated with one of the three Christmas season meals. The cakes were served with a sweet wine that was made by the grandfather.
Our meal was further warmed by intermittent bursts of traditional Polish Christmas songs and a great generosity of spirit.