One of the main attractions of eco-tours is the opportunity to taste local flavours and aromas. Only in local products manufactured with remarkable commitment, in the workshop, based on traditional recipes, naturally and with the heart, can one feel the authentic flavour and aroma notes of a given place. The value of the products, their freshness comes directly from nature and the qualities of the local land... In every place in the world, the table, the place of eating, is also the place of integration, making new friends, listening to endless stories... Hence, local food and the table of hospitable hosts are pillars of the ecotourism adventure. However, it is easy to get lost in the maze of food products and gastronomic offerings in today's world. Therefore, we suggest what you must try when visiting Małopolska and where to look for products of the highest quality and best taste.
Regional products…
The first thing to look for in shops and at local market squares is regional products that have been certified by the EU and entered in the Register of Protected Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications or the Register of Traditional Specialities Guaranteed. These products are of the highest quality and owe their uniqueness to a specific geographical origin or a traditional production method. The EU label has been applied to exceptional baked goods: obwarzanek krakowski - the best-known and tastiest symbol of Kraków is a round bread with a hole in the middle symbolising the wheel of life, and Prądnicki bread, whose tradition dates back to 1421 and which was - and still is! - exceptional bread: 14 kg, one metre long and about half a metre wide! However, a "mini" version weighing "only" 4.5 kilos is on sale every day...
Małopolska is also famous for its aromatic cheeses. The regional product status is held by sheep oscypek produced in Podhale and its smaller "cousin" - redykołka, made from the leftover cheese from its larger "cousin", as well as Podhale bryndza - a soft rennet cheese made from sheep milk (possibly with an admixture of cow milk), owing its unique taste to endemic plants and herbs growing in the meadows and pastures where the animals graze.
The EU mark was also given to meat products with a unique taste: Podhale lamb, the taste of which, as in the case of bryndza, is due to Podhale flora, eaten with taste by sheep grazing in small herds, Lisiecka sausage - produced in two municipalities near Kraków: Liszki and Czernichów, smoked in fruit tree smoke, Piaszczańska sausage - marinated in a mixture of herbs with juniper and then smoked in oak smoke, and Old Polish dry Kraków sausage characterised by the taste of cured, smoked and roasted meat with distinct notes of pepper and a delicate aftertaste of garlic and nutmeg.
In Western Małopolska, Zator carp, traditionally bred in the Carp Valley, dominates our tables. It used to please the palates of Polish kings and today is a sought-after delicacy not only for Christmas Eve supper.
Małopolska is also a kingdom of vegetables and fruit: Galician garlic with a strong aroma and numerous health properties, Piękny Jaś bean from the Dunajec Valley distinguished by its large seeds, high magnesium content, sweet taste, delicate structure and texture thin and soft skin, Łąckie apples of exceptional juiciness, which grow in the orchards of the Sącz region, and suska sechlońska, a dried, slightly smoked plum with a unique aroma known for centuries, enjoy the taste and make the region's brand famous. The whole set of products is sweetened with honeydew honey from the Islands Beskids region with an intense resinous aroma.
Małopolska has a total of 15 regional products. It is worth looking for them on shop shelves and tasting them during your travels around the region.
Traditional products…
In addition to regional products, Małopolska also has more than 240 traditional products, i.e., agricultural products, foodstuffs and beverages whose quality or unique characteristics and properties result from conventional production methods and are part of the cultural heritage of the region in which they are produced. The List of Traditional Products, maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture, is a guide to regional Polish cuisine and a treasury of information on traditions, ways of production and unique values of the oldest delicacies. The traditional products of Małopolska are marked with a distinctive sign, "Tradycyjny z Małopolski" (Traditional product from Małopolska), which means that they meet several high-quality standards and are produced based on regional recipes. The list includes numerous baked goods, fruit and vegetables, meat and fish products, dairy products, and unique dishes, the recipes of which have been handed down from generation to generation for centuries.
Waters and wines…
Mineral waters complement the region's culinary offer with exceptional taste, supplementary and therapeutic qualities. Małopolska is a true land of waters. The mountain regions are famous for their many springs, from which crystal-clear water with a wealth of minerals and microelements flows. Interestingly, every second bottle of water on a shop shelf comes from Małopolska. The right choice of water for dishes and wines, for which Małopolska is also famous, is a real art. More than 100 wineries operate in the region, 45 of which make up the Małopolska Wine Trail. It is a thematic route connected with the revival of the tradition of vine cultivation in the region. Aromatic and tasty wines should be sought in two wine-growing areas - the vicinity of Kraków and the Tarnów region, with its gentle hills of the Ciężkowice Foothills. It is there, on the southern slopes, that the fruit ripens, from which the best, noble liquors are made. Gourmets say that white wines are particularly successful here.
So, set off on a culinary journey through Małopolska. Discover new tastes, and let your meetings at the table be an opportunity to make new friends, talk and strengthen your ties. The guides „Podróżuj po Małopolsce w rytmie eko” ("Travel Małopolska in an Eco-Rhythm") will help you plan your eco-tour.