Book: Polska – New Polish Cooking

I call myself a “Storyteller Cook”, because everything I do is to do with cooking and telling stories through the medium of food. I want to inspire the world to cook and eat more Polish food.

I have written a cookbook “Polska” – a love letter to the country where I was born – that has been published in the UK, America, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.

A Storyteller Cook

Zuza Zak

I call myself a “Storyteller Cook”, because everything I do is to do with cooking and telling stories through the medium of food. I want to inspire the world to cook and eat more Polish food.

I have written a cookbook “Polska” – a love letter to the country where I was born – that has been published in the UK, America, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.

Featured Blog Posts

Where to eat in the Baltic States - My Top 10

Where to eat in the Baltic States - My Top 10

This was meant to be “my top 5” list but there are so many great places to eat all over the Baltic States right now that it turned into “my top 10”. This list is sort of in order of favourites…

My Top 3 Polish Christmas Recipes

My Top 3 Polish Christmas Recipes

Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year, and it’s not because I was born just a few days before the big day (and my daughter also) on Winter Solstice. Actually, as far as birthdays go, it’s not ideal. It gets hurried…

Spiced Pumpkin Pierogi

Spiced Pumpkin Pierogi

The time has come to reflect and review… this year has been all about home for me… and so many things in my life to be grateful for – my daughter, my family, my home, my friendships…

Social

NETTLE USZKA OR PELMENI: Traditionally, in Russia

NETTLE USZKA OR PELMENI: Traditionally, in Russia and the Baltics these little dumplings are stuffed with meat, in Poland it’s often wild mushrooms or mushrooms and sauerkraut (and served in borscht). However, I wanted to make use of the last nettles, so we put them in the dough and in the filling with a feta-like goats cheese. As the wonderful @polishfolks has pointed out, it is Slavic Green week, so they are perfect for now #💚💚

MAKING DUMPLINGS: As it’s been such a hot month,

MAKING DUMPLINGS: As it’s been such a hot month, the nettles are starting to flower, but you can still find some unflowered ones in the shade. We used nettles to make #littleears today, otherwise known as #pelmeni or #uszka and they were so good that I have to add this recipe to my next cookbook! Nusia’s little fingers made the cutest #🥟

FINISHING OFF: Why do the last weeks before birth

FINISHING OFF: Why do the last weeks before birth feel so hectic? I know I should be relaxing, but I’m still trying to perfect recipes for my next book, like this vegan pate and fermented wild garlic hummus with crispy rye wreath that we ate for lunch. I’m still trying to finish off my PhD literature review (although I just found out today that my supervisors will supervise me during my year off, thank god) and still getting the house and garden ready (a never-ending project it seems). On the bright side, I am also meditating and bouncing on my big ball. If you have any other pre-natal tips I would love to know... #prenatalcare

THINGS I LOVE TODAY: Foraging for #elderflowers an

THINGS I LOVE TODAY: Foraging for #elderflowers and nettles in the woods, their springtime fragrance filling my kitchen. Our homemade tent in the garden, which makes me feel like I’m somewhere else. The pretty and peppery wild leaf salad from @farmdrop full of wild flowers at this time of year #thingsilovetoday

NEW BLOG POST: After years of Communism, East Euro

NEW BLOG POST: After years of Communism, East European cooking seems particularly well suited to this new way of living - using #leftovers, being adaptable and not wasting food. As we are feeling our way out of lockdown, I won’t go on about #lockdownmeals much longer, however, I have written a post about it on my blog if you would like to get some cooking inspiration or just see how the pandemic has affected our little family - link in bio. Much love 💕 #foodblogeats

KIDS: It hasn’t been easy keeping the little one

KIDS: It hasn’t been easy keeping the little one engaged at home and there’s been many meltdowns, but let’s focus on the positive... I’ve compiled a list of things that we’ve had fun doing over the last couple of months. Since we will need to stay home for at least another 6 weeks, I would love it if you could share any of your favourite lockdown kids activities too... #isolationcreations 🍓Wild flower arranging - This was Nusia’s idea and she pretended our little courtyard garden was the woods.
🍓Fairy garden - Making a fairy garden out of pebbles, moss, sticks etc.
🍓Edible playdough- making animals out of edible playdough (melted marshmallows with a tiny bit of water and icing sugar) was one of Nusia’s favourite activities. So sticky...🍓Obstacle course in the garden - we used chalk to draw hopscotch, arrows etc. Most of the fun is in the making of it.
🍓Cooking and baking, of course - I think we are all doing plenty of this, but kopytka and rogaliki have been most fun for us.
🍓Marble run - Time for mummy to have a mini meltdown, but this is a brilliant thing to do because Nusia is still playing with it most days. You use a cardboard box and toilet rolls for the run, then paint and plasticine to decorate.
🍓A little puppet theatre - we made one out of cardboard, sticks and tissue paper, the puppets (aliens) are plasticine figures stuck onto sticks. We now have a whole family of aliens who perform the alien version of the shark song.

LOCKDOWN RECIPES: I’m doing a lockdown recipe se

LOCKDOWN RECIPES: I’m doing a lockdown recipe series on IGTV- simple, adaptable East European food, so far it’s all been veggie too (I’m not vegetarian but I do eat mostly veggie food). And if you’ve noticed my feed looking a bit slicker recently, that’s thanks to @thelittleplantation presets - they’re brilliant, go check them out if you want to take your Instagram to the next level! #recipeshare

THE BALTICS: Warm, soft sand underfoot, a salty se

THE BALTICS: Warm, soft sand underfoot, a salty sea breeze... What are you missing most right now? I miss the freedom of movement around Europe. It may be a while before we can do that again, especially since I’m about to have a baby, so need to stay extra safe this summer. Still, we can always reminisce and when the time comes we will appreciate it all the more. 📷 from #latvia by @sarsipius3rd #guardiantravelsnaps