Żymlok is a traditional Silesian blood sausage consisting of a mixture of pork blood, bread rolls, ground pork offal, onions, spices, and seasonings stuffed into intestines. The ground meat is cooked in meat broth and the bread rolls are soaked in the same broth before they are combined and added to the intestines.
Bread rolls are called żymła in Silesian and bułka in Polish, hence the name of this sausage. Żymlok is usually flavored with aromatic spices such as marjoram, nutmeg, black pepper, bay leaves, allspice, and juniper berries. Although it appears to be a regular sausage, its consistency is similar to black pudding.
Szałot is a traditional salad in Silesian cuisine that is made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots, pickled cucumbers, peas, hard-boiled eggs, and either bacon, sausages, or brined herring. It is dressed with mayonnaise and seasoned with salt and pepper, with mustard being added as a flavor enhancer.
Szałot is very popular in Poland, especially in the historical region of its origin, Silesia. It is usually served cold or at room temperature with a few slices of bread on the side.
Traditionally prepared on Christmas Eve, makówki is a layered sweet treat consisting of soaked white bread and a creamy mixture of cooked and flavored poppy seeds. The dessert is usually assembled in large glass bowls, which creates a visually appealing treat that is ideal for the festive Christmas season.
Even though similar desserts are found in many European countries, this Silesian delicacy is considered to be a unique part of traditional Polish cuisine. Before serving, it is usually decorated with powdered sugar, nuts, raisins, and whipped cream.
Wodzionka is a traditional Silesian soup made with stale bread. The type of bread used is ideally a more dense and heavy one, such as sourdough bread, and it should be several days old. The bread is soaked in water or broth, and then melted pork fat, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper are added to the pot.
Butter and cream can also be used. It is said that this dish was traditionally enjoyed in autumn or winter, when milk was scarce.
One of the staples of traditional Polish cuisine, krupnioki śląskie is a blood sausage made with smoked pork, pig's blood, and buckwheat, combined with salt, pepper, allspice, onions, garlic, and marjoram. The origins of this prized Silesian delicacy can be traced back to the late 18th century.
Once enjoyed only on special occasions, the krupnioki blood sausages are nowadays available throughout the year and found in every Polish delicatessen. They are traditionally served hot, accompanied by bread, mustard, pickled vegetables, and a glass of strong Polish beer.
Moczka is a traditional dish originating from Upper Silesia. This dish has so many versions that it's sometimes treated as a dessert and other times as an appetizer. The sweet soup is made with gingerbread that's soaked in dark beer, water, or stock alongside nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts and dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, apricots, figs, dates, or pears.
Dark chocolate, butter, and flour are also sometimes added to the sweet soup. Moczka is traditionally prepared during the festive Christmas season and it can be served warm or cold.
Knysza is a thick, semicircular bread roll filled with various ingredients, drenched in garlic sauce, mayonnaise sauce, or hot sauce, and topped with roasted onions. A typical Polish street food, it is found in a vegetarian, meat, and cheese version.
Vegetarian knysza is slathered with sauce and filled with vegetables, usually cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, canned corn, pickled cucumbers, and the mandatory roasted onions. The meat version is the same as the vegetarian with the addition of sausages, pork or chicken chops, salmon, or tuna fish, while the cheese version consists of vegetarian knysza with grated cheese.
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