The cuisine of people from mountains

The cuisine of Highlanders is simple but filling. Harsh climate conditions, poor soil and a short growing season posed a challenge to hostesses from Podhale as they never had a wide selection of ingredients while making meals for their families. They had to prepare nourishing food which would give strength and warm up. Dairy products including oscypek (traditional sheep cheese), vegetables which did not mind the poor soil, for instance, potatoes or cabbage, constituted the base of their cuisine. They also added some flour, butter or lard with pork scratchings. Highlander women were really smart cooks – out of these products they always created delicious and substantial meals which are served in local inns and restaurants at present. Today, in Podhale we can relish kwaśnica (barberry), mutton, moskole (potato shortbreads), hałuski (potato noodles) or bambolki (baked yeast cakes). Let us not forget about Highlander tea! Sometimes recipes are modernised and elements of European cuisine are added or they are made in a traditional way.

The wooden inn

In Czarny Dunajec, at the crossing of two roads Jabłonka – Nowy Targ and Rabka – Zakopane, there is ‘Na Rogu’ Regional Restaurant. It is located in a beautiful, wooden building ideally integrated into the mountain landscape. Looking at it from outside, we can feel the atmosphere of the mountains. Wooden logs, rich ornaments, wood carvings, wooden shutters and windows which give off the warmth which is inside. This is an inn of Podhale, an inn in the true meaning of this word. It looks exceptionally picturesque in winter. What is inside is equally interesting. There are wooden tables and benches. The interiors are cosy and we can have a good time listening to regional music. There are three rooms which can accommodate 180 people – this is an excellent space not only for a meal but also for a bigger event.

The menu for everybody

The inn serves regional, and Polish cuisine with some European accents. We can order traditional broth with homemade noodles, beetroot soup with cream and more regional żurek (soup made of fermented rye flour). As far as the main courses are concerned, we can choose from a wide selection of meats – regional ones with cranberry or mushrooms on the side and more modern variations. The menu offers dishes for vegetarians and, obviously, pizza with a variety of ingredients – even with oscypek!

You should definitely try barberry – it is soup based on sauerkraut. It is usually served with potatoes. Very often it is cooked on mutton and served with bread. Oscypek served with cranberries – this is a must of every restaurant.