Flavours of the Przemsza region

Jurassic lamb of the Olkuska sheep, roasted whole Zatorska goose, cabbage in the sour rye soup from Imbramowice, Baksalory large meat-stuffed potato dumplings... These are just a few specialties you can taste on the Przemsza Culinary Trail. The local cuisine is famous for its original and traditional dishes, always prepared without any artificial additives. Need proofs? Just recently two local products presented by the Local Action Group "Nad Białą Przemszą" were listed in the special Traditional Products List under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture. These were Czar Pustyni (the Desert's Charm) and the Jurassic lamb of the Olkuska sheep. Research confirms the over 25-year-long tradition of preparing these dishes in the area.

Taste the lamb but be careful with the Desert's Charm 

Lamb is not only delicious but also healthy and low-fat. The Jurassic lamb of the Olkuska

sheep is characterised by a low content of intramuscular fat while being rich in proteins and mineral ingredients. It makes any one who eats it feel better both physically and mentally, reducing the risk of lifestyle diseases. Real pleasure in every bite.

Czar Pustyni - the Desert's Charm in turn is liquor made with rye and peas that grow on the fields by the Błędowska Desert. Its flavour is enriched by the pure water from local wells used in its production. The recipe that has remained unchanged over many years guarantees the liquor's unforgettable taste. Be careful though - the Charm is better enjoyed in moderation. Still there are some who convince that thanks to the Charm's natural ingredients even a substantial quantity of this magical beverage causes no discomfort afterwards.

Like a traditional tavern, but not always

Restaurants, taverns, and guest farms that form the Przemsza Culinary Trail are very diverse, though facilities serving traditional regional and Polish dishes prevail. They are definitely worth trying in order to forget for a moment that we live in the times of fast-food and processed alimentary products. Gustatory sensations are best combined with the aesthetic ones: plenty of restaurants are located in wooden buildings, which architectural design refers to a traditional tavern. Usually they are more spacious though and many are available for hosting and catering for parties and conferences.

Below you will find a few of the local many restaurants. The descriptions include the restaurants' websites to assist you in making the choice.

Podzamcze (Castle Boroughs) Restaurant

You can try the Polish traditional tastes in the old-Polish restaurant Podzamcze located at the foot of the destroyed castle in Rabsztyn, which majestic walls dominate the area.

The menu offers, among others, peasant soups, e.g. Kwaśnica Podzamecka sour cabbage soup, various meats, fish and home-style side dishes. The restaurant is situated in the picturesque Eagles' Nests Landscape Park, right at the starting point of many hiking trails. More about the restaurant at www.podzamcze-rabsztyn.pl: the website presents not only the menu but also the history of Rabsztyn Castle.

Gościniec Czarny Las (Black Wood Inn)

The restaurant is located in picturesque surroundings, far from the city noise, at the very shore of the Wolbromski artificial lake. Spacious and elegant interior in classic style is ideal for any events and celebrations, including wedding receptions, banquets and business meetings. More at www.czarnylaswolbrom.pl

Dworek przy lesie (Manor House By the Woods)

This impressive building located in the shade of the pine wood in Kraków's Valley Park evokes the architecture of a Polish manor house with its white walls, roof with dormers, and columns accentuating the building's vertical lines. All that is surrounded by a garden where you can immerse yourself in the green among flowers and spurting water.

The hall inside the restaurant can accommodate 300 people. The menu is sophisticated and recommendable. Not to be missed! www.dworekprzylesie.pl

Ristorante Giulio Cesare

Genuine Italian dishes at the very heart of Olkusz. The restaurant is very often praised on the Internet forums for its delicious food - from starters, through tasty pastas, to marvellous desserts and excellent house wine.

Victoria Motel - Restaurant

The restaurant is located in the centre of Olkusz by the main road connecting Kraków and Katowice, which makes it a perfect place for various events and celebrations, including conferences. Its elegant building provides 45 rooms (with very stylish decor) and four spacious halls, including a conference room. The chef offers both traditional Polish dishes and the European cuisine - all beautifully served. In summer the restaurant's garden opens for open air events. The castle ruins in Rabsztyn are just five kilometres away from the motel. www.victoria.olkusz.pl

Zajazd Finezja (Finezja Inn)

This restaurant located in Łobzów offers two air-conditioned halls, ideal for any event or celebration. The chef serves excellent traditional and regional dishes.

Gospoda „Pod lasem” ("By the Wood" Inn)

This restaurant located in Wolbrom offers good beverages, warm meals as well as inexpensive guest rooms.  The place is suitably equipped to host company presentations and trainings, providing necessary audio and video devices. www.gospoda-pod-lasem.pl

Pizza Fan

Very easy to get there - Fan Pizzeria is located in the centre of Olkusz, right by the main square. The menu offers several types of pizzas. On warmer days you can enjoy the pizza and cold beverages in the restaurant's garden.

Club 21

In this club in Olkusz you can both eat - Chinese dishes or Kebabs - and have great fun. Guests are invited to entertain themselves playing billiard, electronic darts, bowling and trying their strengths at video game machines.

A huge TV screen allows guests to follow important sports events.

Aldan Banquet Hall

Elegantly decorated and fully air-conditioned, the Aldan Banquet Hall in Jaroszowiec near Olkusz is available for wedding receptions, banquets and conferences.

www.sala.aldan.com.pl

Taverna Restaurant

The Taverna Restaurant in Wolbrom serves traditional dishes of the local cuisine that will satisfy even the most sophisticated palates.

Zajazd Pan Tadeusz (Pan Tadeusz Inn)

Guest rooms, Wi-Fi access and inexpensive homemade meals offered round the clock is what distinguishes this facility located on the verge of the wood near Olkusz. Address: Kogutek 1.  www.zajazdpantadeusz.olkusz.plSala

Da Grasso Pizzeria

This Olkusz located pizzeria belonging to the Da Grasso pizza franchise offers not only innumerable variants of pizzas always served with uniquely flavoured sauces but also excellent grilled meat, fish, pastas, snacks and salads as well as desserts. The Da Grasso Tastes include also new dishes from the Mexican cuisine. www.dagrasso.pl

List of Tastes To Enjoy

Below is the list of the most popular specialties of the Przemsza region.

• Czar Pustyni (Desert's Charm)
• Pierogi dumplings with beef and buckwheat groats
• Imbramów cabbage in sour rye soup
• Jurassic cooked lard
• Łobzów stuffed cabbage leaves in the Białoprzemszański sauce
• Potato sausage
• Kettle potatoes
• Zalewajka potato soup
• Potato doughnuts
• Baksalory (large meat-filled potato dumplings)
• Kluski tlone (browned flour dumplings)
• Strawberry Chłodnik (cold soup) with mint
• Pierogi dumplings with spinach
• Wolbrom cheese cake
• Lamb
• Roasted Zatorska goose

And what should we try on Slovak - Hungarian - Romanian tours?

In Romanian Ocland the most popular dish is Székely stew. Other regional dishes worth tasting include stuffed cabbage with sauerkraut (töltött káposzta), polenta with white cheese (túrós puliszka), chicken soup with meatballs (húsgombócleves) chicken soup (tyúkhúsleves), lamb's head soup with tarragon (tárkonyos bárányfejleves), stuffed lamb (töltött Bárány) and sausages from grilled minced meat Miccs (pronounced "mɪtʃ").

What is best to eat in Slovakia? Smazony - fried, breaded cheese, best served with tartar sauce has no doubt the most fans. And of course excellent Slovak beer is a perfect match with it.

Cserépfalu is famous for its delicious white wines (the domestic type of grape is Leányka ("Virgin") and red wines (the most common type of grape in Hungary is Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch, Frankovka modrá) which gives dense wine with a bouquet and taste of cherries). You cannot forget about palinka - the fruit distillates. There are more and more new types – available to buy from local farmers. The most characteristic and probably the healthiest is törkölypálinka - the local equivalent of the Italian grappa. It is prepared from grapes left over from wine production. The remains of fruit are kept in barrels for about half a year then they undergo distillation. The drink used to contain 52 percent alcohol. Currently its strength is normally limited to 48 percent, so it has a much better, fruity flavour.

Other regional flavours in Cserépfalu? Bükkalja Presszó Inn prepares regional dishes on request (Kossuth út 140, Tel: +36 49 423-373). János Morcsányi with his wife produce delicious goat cheese. (Alkotmány út 12, +36 49 423-070) Irénke Ernőné Dósa prepares for groups knuckles of pork from a traditional brick-oven (+36 30 8388665).