I have been alive for years long before it became a popular quarantine hobby long before it became a popular quarantine. And I love to sometimes plan vacation to plan the bakeries that I want to meet. My husband learned to go with it.
My Polish mother also had a deep love of bread, so I honestly got away. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I also enjoyed a fresh loaf occasionally.
My mother emigrated from Poland at the end of the 1950s, and her idea of a treat during her childhood was no sweets, chocolate or cake. These were expensive, often rationed or dependent on ingredients such as cocoa powder or sugar that were difficult to obtain.
Instead, her mother and sisters had the soft, pillow inside of a fresh bread (no crust allowed) from time to time and combined it with a cold glass of buttermilk.
In Poland from the communist era, this was not just a snack. It was a belly filler and a little luxury at a time when nothing was wasted, and fresh bread and real buttermilk were treasures that were worth enjoying. As a child, I thought it was the strangest combination.
Now I long for the same calming combination, usually with a good sourdough -loaf and a glass of lively kefir.
Simply recipes / Kris Osborne
The Polish way of enjoying a bread bread
I am not sure whether this is really the “Polish” species or just the path of my Polish family, but it is as you do it right: start with a fresh, crispy loaf – then it was always rye; Sour dough or land rye work beautifully. Place the RAIB in the oven for five minutes until the crust is crispy and the interior is warm and soft. In the meantime, make sure that your buttermilk or kefir is cold. Half of the pleasure is in the refreshing contrast.
If you are civilized, as I was (short) for this photo, you can do parts of the bread as with any loaf or boules. But if you want to do it as my mother did, it is a lot more fun. Open the loaf with your hands and pull out the parts of the delicate crumbs and leave the crust back. Yes, it feels indulgent – that’s exactly the point. In my mother’s childhood it was a luxury to choose the best that you rarely had.
Take a small sip of the cold, spicy dairy products, then a bite of warm bread. Slowly alternate. Or dip the bread directly in the glass. The pillow -like texture against this tense, cultivated tang is very beautiful. Chleb i sólOr bread and salt is a cornerstone of Polish hospitality. So if you want to honor the Polish tradition even more, you also sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt on the bread.
Simply recipes / Kris Osborne
Tips for the best bread experience
- Choose a loaf with a firm crust and an airy crumb. Country sourdough is ideal, but every rustic bakery -laib with a good proportion of wheat flour works well.
- The bread should be warm (not hot), and your kefir or cultivated buttermilk should be really cold. If the bread is not warm, the contrast falls flat. If the drink is not cold, you will lose this refreshing “snapshot”.
- If you don’t find a good cultivated buttermilk, it is easier to make a good alternative. It is actually my preferred drink and it is closest to the naturally spicy liquid that my mother reminded of childhood. It is also loaded with probiotics and does it well and good for you.
