How to Prepare a Traditional Polish Christmas Eve Dinner
The menu for a traditional 12-course Polish Wigilia dinner served on Christmas Eve may vary, but it is always meatless and usually includes carp. Remember to fill your heart with good will and fast until the first star, Gwiazdka, appears in the sky.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Christmas Gifts
- Gift Ribbons
- Tissue Paper
- Polish Cookbooks
- Christmas Tree Ornaments
- Candles
- Gift Bags
- Gift Bows
- Wrapping Paper
- China
- Silverware
- Table Centerpieces
- Tablecloths
- Polish Christmas Carol CDs
- Tissue paper
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1
Collect family recipes, or find new ones in Polish cookbooks or on the Web.
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2
Check major book dealers, secondhand book shops, antique malls and flea markets for old Polish cookbooks, or link up to Polish bookshops through periodicals such as the "Polish-American Journal."
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3
Plan a menu based on traditional foods, but adapt it to suit your personal tastes. Dishes customarily served include oplatek, a blessed bread representing communion; barshch, a vegetable stew; fish soup; herring; fish in aspic; carp; stewed cabbage or sauerkraut.
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4
Serve sweets such as the following: dried fruit; kutia, a treat made from wheat, poppy seed, honey and almonds; poppy seed or honey cakes or strudel; rolls or bread. Coffee, tea and cold drinks are standard beverages.
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5
Consider substituting more common Polish favorites such as kielbasa (Polish sausage), peirogi (filled dumplings) or stuffed cabbage rolls.
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6
Make a list of ingredients, shop and prepare dishes.
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7
Set the table with a white tablecloth, including an extra place setting for missing family members.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Cooks worn out from preparing this huge Christmas Eve feast might be relieved to learn that in Poland tradition dictates that no cooking is done on Christmas Day.
If company is coming, consider asking each guest to bring a particular dish.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to buy ready-made Polish foods fresh or frozen in local stores.
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Comments
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Les Blachut
Dec 24, 2010
Actually it's not the twelve month of the year but the twelve apostles. Also there is a custom to keep one spare seat and an extra set of 12 dishes in case someone shows up uninvited. It is our national hospitality and pride to be prepared for welcoming any stranger to join the celebration. -
rno102408
Dec 31, 2009
the 12 dishes represents the twelve months of the year
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rno102408
Dec 31, 2009
the 12 dishes represents the twelve months of the year
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Bonnie
Dec 26, 2006
why 12 dishes
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Bonnie
Dec 26, 2006
why 12 dishes
