Traditional Polish Food for Christmas

krmarchese

10 years ago

Can anyone tell me what foods are traditionally served on Christmas in the Polish culture?

Thank you -

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bookmom41

10 years ago

hey party_music, babka in my house is an egg bread, three rises, baked in a loaf shape with a braid on top. I saw a "fight" on, I think, Epicurious, over people's family babka recipes--and according to some of them, what I bake isn't a babka. My nana said it is a babka, and that is good enough for me! :)

I don't put raisins in mine, but some of my old aunties always did. Best toast ever.

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Comments (12)

tami_ohio
10 years ago
I don't remember my DMIL having anything special for Christmas. She has been gone since 1986, so my memory will be a little foggy! I think we had ham, potato salad, and some kind of veggie.Oh, and home made Polish sausage! And opwtick. I know that isn't spelled correctly. It is the wafer shared with the hope of seeing each other next year. I look forward to seeing other comments.
User
10 years ago
Jenny Jones, anyone remember her, has a cooking/recipe website.

She's Polish and has a lot of traditional recipes. You might be able to assemble a good menu.

Jenny Jones - jennycancook
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ghoghunter
10 years ago
In my husband;s Polish family the important meal was Christmas Eve. It was a meatless meal and his mother served baked fish, a mushroom soup, a special potato sauerkraut dish and pierogies. Also a special blessing was given and oplatke, which is an unconsecrated host was shared. So Christmas Eve was the big night..I don't remember what was served on Christmas but probably a ham!

Joann

If you google Polish Christmas Eve dinner I am sure you will find a lot of info!
bookmom41
10 years ago
Christmas Eve dinner is the Wigilia and like ghoghunter said, meatless. I remember sharing the oplatek and good wishes--but our dinner was a "nod" to tradition rather than a strict adherence. We usually had oyster stew, pierogies, and my mom would end up making keilbasa (completely against the "rules") for my dad. Christmas day dinner was usually turkey and pretty much like Thanksgiving all over again.
party_music50
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
My mother's side is Polish and xmas eve dinner is always ham, kielbasa, pierogies, babka, and kapusta if someone makes it, along with sides like creamed potatoes, fruited jello salad, etc.

ETA: babka in my family is an egg bread with raisins. :)
Islay Corbel
10 years ago
Dad was Polish and he said definately a carp for Christmas eve. A 12-course, meatless meal. There's a lot of info on the web.
stir_fryi SE Mich
10 years ago
I don't remember this at all -- but my mother said we always had fish and cream of mushroom soup (neither of which I like!) for Christmas Eve at my Polish father's family's house!
Marilyn Sue
10 years ago
My Mother was Polish and we never had any Polish food! I wish we would have had. We did have our Christmas on Christmas Eve back then.

Sue
User
10 years ago
You have to realize Christmas Eve is different from Christmas.

Eve is often meatless: Fried smelts, pierogie, borowik soup or duck's blood soup.

Christmas is full on meat with kielbasa and ham.

Oh, and Cold Duck served very cold or not at all!
dandyrandylou
10 years ago
I don't "remember" Jenny Jones, but since I've found her I follow her faithfully. Not only does she have great recipes (make her no-knead bread often), but she is entertaining, likable, knowledgeable, and fun to watch. Go for it.
craftyrn
10 years ago
Christmas Eve was always meatless-- salmon loaf & oyster stew ( tho that was probably Dad's ( Irish ) tradition. Mom ( Polish) always made cheese pierogies , almond soup ( which is like a soupy rice pudding) , kapusta & scallopped potatoes-- there was rye bread, pickled beets with horseradish -- then after Midnight mass it was kilbasa sandwiches on rye ( Dad made his own--never smoked it was always serve fresh-- boiled a bit in white wine & water then covered into the oven ).

Christmas Day was a sweet picked ham Dad had pickled-- more Polish sausage--

Traditional Polish Food for Christmas

bookmom41

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