Culinary discoveries are part of every trip. Abroad, tourists happily reach for local delicacies, so it is worth doing the same when travelling around your own country. What flavours does Łódź cuisine offer?

Zalewajka - a soup from the Łódź region

Zalewajka is the name given to soups in various regions of Poland, but the earliest mentions of it come from the area around Łódź. It is a traditional village soup based on żur (fermented rye starter) and potatoes: peeled, diced potatoes are cooked with spices and then covered with żur, with onion, garlic and pepper added (sometimes also carrot and mushrooms).

Zalewajka can be tried in many Łódź restaurants - the city even has its own Łódź Zalewajka Trail, a list of several dozen restaurants that serve the soup every day, including Piwnica Łódzka on ul. Sienkiewicza 67. It is worth checking the current list before visiting, as restaurants and cafés change more often than other places in the city.

Kluski żelazne (grey dumplings)

Kluski żelazne have been part of Łódź cuisine for generations. The main ingredient is potatoes, sometimes with an added egg. They should not be confused with Silesian dumplings (kluski śląskie) - the way the two dishes are prepared is completely different. They are served, for example, with cabbage and ribs, or drizzled with cracklings and browned onion.

Tatarczuch - a buckwheat flour cake

Tatarczuch is a rectangular buckwheat flour cake with a sweet, honey flavour, baked in the area around Radomsko. The tradition dates back to the 19th century and is linked to the presence of Tatars in the Stobiecko Miejskie area, who traded in groats among other things, while their wives baked cakes from buckwheat flour and sold them at the market. Tatarczuch z Radomska is on the Ministry of Agriculture's list of traditional products, though it is not sold on a permanent basis today - it is easiest to find it at local fairs and festivals in the region.

Piernik marchewkowy (carrot gingerbread)

Piernik marchewkowy is one of the sweet Łódź delicacies, and works well on a festive table. It tastes best made with sweet carrot, raisins and warm spices: candied orange peel, cloves or nutmeg. This keeps the cake moist and aromatic.

Polewka gruszkowa (pear soup)

In the 19th century, pear soup was one of the most frequently made dishes in the region. It is a thick, sweet-and-sour, brown soup with a distinct aroma of ripe pears, which used to grow along field boundaries and country roads. Over time the fruit found its way into both desserts and soups, becoming a local delicacy.

Wodzianka

Wodzianka is a simple, filling soup with cracklings, made from stale bread cut into cubes and covered with boiling water, salt, grated garlic and fat. With so few ingredients, it can be made even when there is not much left in the fridge.