Not Only From France – Cheeses in Gdansk
Despite its long history, cheese, apart from cottage cheese, is rarely featured in old cookbooks. There are no recipes for cheese toast or baked pasta dishes. This is due to a completely different status that cheese held within the meal structure.
Sugar was once a spice for everything and a very exclusive one, added to fish, meats, and vegetables. But what does sugar have to do with cheese? Well, before sugar became widespread and desserts began to resemble the ones we know today, instead of "dessert" wety were served. At that
time, fruits, nuts, and cheeses were served alongside wine, and later on, "confections" like fruits preserved in sugar (both dry and wet) and heads of colored flavored sugar were added. In this arrangement, various dairy products formed the core of the last course.
Returning to cheese – one of the varieties that appears early in old recipes is Parmesan, which, of course, was imported from Italy. However, in Pomerania, in Gdansk, local cheeses were also consumed, particularly since our region abounds in excellent pasturelands. One place where dairy products could be sourced was the nearby Żuławy. The Mennonites (Dutch settlers) who lived there, specialized in producing Dutch cheese. This cheese can still be tasted today. "Wederkäse" was saved from oblivion in 2015 thanks to a reconstructed recipe and the work of a team of chefs, historians, and enthusiasts.
We can also obtain excellent cheeses in the Kashubian region, where the tradition of cheesemaking still thrives. The very popular Kaszëbsczi sér, with its characteristic rough rind and granular texture, owes its unique flavor to milk with an unparalleled bacterial flora found nowhere else. Among the local cheeses, there is one that is somewhat controversial – steamed cheese with caraway seeds. This easy-to-prepare cheese may not be for everyone, but its importance in the daily life of Pomeranians was such that since 2011, it has been listed as a Traditional Product of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Among the cheeses that still grace Gdansk's tables today, everyone will find something to suit their taste – whether it’s for preparing a classic sandwich, a sophisticated wine tasting, or an elaborate old Polish wety.
Sugar was once a spice for everything and a very exclusive one, added to fish, meats, and vegetables. But what does sugar have to do with cheese? Well, before sugar became widespread and desserts began to resemble the ones we know today, instead of "dessert" wety were served. At that
time, fruits, nuts, and cheeses were served alongside wine, and later on, "confections" like fruits preserved in sugar (both dry and wet) and heads of colored flavored sugar were added. In this arrangement, various dairy products formed the core of the last course.
Returning to cheese – one of the varieties that appears early in old recipes is Parmesan, which, of course, was imported from Italy. However, in Pomerania, in Gdansk, local cheeses were also consumed, particularly since our region abounds in excellent pasturelands. One place where dairy products could be sourced was the nearby Żuławy. The Mennonites (Dutch settlers) who lived there, specialized in producing Dutch cheese. This cheese can still be tasted today. "Wederkäse" was saved from oblivion in 2015 thanks to a reconstructed recipe and the work of a team of chefs, historians, and enthusiasts.
We can also obtain excellent cheeses in the Kashubian region, where the tradition of cheesemaking still thrives. The very popular Kaszëbsczi sér, with its characteristic rough rind and granular texture, owes its unique flavor to milk with an unparalleled bacterial flora found nowhere else. Among the local cheeses, there is one that is somewhat controversial – steamed cheese with caraway seeds. This easy-to-prepare cheese may not be for everyone, but its importance in the daily life of Pomeranians was such that since 2011, it has been listed as a Traditional Product of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Among the cheeses that still grace Gdansk's tables today, everyone will find something to suit their taste – whether it’s for preparing a classic sandwich, a sophisticated wine tasting, or an elaborate old Polish wety.