Polish Holiday Cookery and Customs

"Polish Holiday Cookery" is an excellent cookbook for Polish Holiday food. Whether you are an American cook searching for some new dishes or a Polish-American cook who wants to connect to your Polish heritage, this book is for you. I have two (minor) quibbles. 1. The Polish-American cook will want to find another book to give more information on Polish traditions and customs for the major holidays. 2. There are no photos of the final dishes. If you are new to Polish food, try the Clear Beet Soup, Easy, or the Sauerkraut Soup, Fast-Day, or Honey-Spice Hearts, as a start. There are many easy dishes presented. However, some of the dishes are not easy and may take quite some time (days) to prepare properly. If you have never had the dish before, try to find an experienced Polish-American cook for advice on achieving the best results. Also, there are internet sites that are very helpful on some signature dishes. I recommend this book.

If anyone is at all seriously interested in Polish/Eastern European cooking, then this is your book. Rob Strybel is also known as "the Polish chef" because of his profound knowledge of Polish cuisine and cultural history. This book is not just another cookbook about regional foods but it is an insight to a great cultural Polish heritage throughout European history. One can experience the influence of various countries such as Germany, Italy, Russia and France on Polish cuisine just by reading this fascinating book, this is not simply a compilation of recipes but rather an historical summary of Polish society seen through the eyes of an accomplished chef..