Culinary tourism in Podkarpackie

Current tourism trends indicate that it is not only important to visit historical sites and monuments, and that man does not live by history and architecture alone. Equally important to a region's heritage, as well as a matter of biological survival, is... cuisine. Podkarpackie has much to boast about in this regard!

Food is the basis of life. Every region has its own food culture, resulting from many factors. These can include, for example, the availability of certain products, knowledge of culinary techniques, or location on former trade routes, which facilitated the mixing of cultures and cuisines. In a way, the art of cooking also reflects the social composition of the region in the past – if it is mostly simple, it is a peasant culture, and if the dishes served are exquisite, the upper classes likely had more to say. Culinary arts are one of the elements of intangible culture because, although they ultimately take the form of dishes and drinks, these delicacies would never have been created without knowledge of the recipes.

Culinary tourism is primarily about eating. Well, maybe not eating, but tasting regional products and dishes in areas where they were historically common. However, the matter does not end with eating, as it is also necessary to develop awareness and knowledge about the history and culture of the place where one is savouring culinary novelties. Culinary tourism arises not only from an interest in culture, monuments, and history – it is a delve into the structure of thought, needs, and ways of satisfying them.

It is obvious to engage in culinary tourism in world-renowned culinary hotspots – like Italy, Greece, or France. But how to do it in Poland, in your own backyard? Well, we suggest, first of all, to look for information about traditional dishes of Podkarpackie in guidebooks or on the Internet. Then, It i's worthwhile, while traversing the roads of our region, to seek out restaurants with a folk character. A look at the menu will reassure that such a place is not a dyed-in-the-wool fox – if there are proziaki, fuczki, Hutsul pierogi, hryczanki, or fish dishes, then it is the right spot. You can also look for places that offer culinary workshops. These are primarily local museums or restaurants in historically significant places. Workshops will allow you to learn and understand the nuances of the development of Podkarpackie's cuisine, from product selection, through techniques, to flavours.

Without hesitation, it can be said that cuisine is one of the pillars of Podkarpackie's tourism. There are many excellent restaurants here, which not only serve traditional dishes but also experiment with modernising them. The results can exceed the wildest expectations! Among other places, one can point to local food producers. An example is "Czar PGR-u”, Nikos Manolopoulos' farm focused on cheese production, or the "Etnoranek" workshops organised in the Ethnocentre of the Krosno Land. An interesting option is also the confectionery workshops at the Lollipop Museum in Jasło.