Polish bread is a flagship product of our cuisine. Abroad it is praised for its diversity and unique taste, in Poland it has a special place not only on the table but also in our culture. Among its enthusiasts are artists and politicians, such as Mick Jagger or Henry Kissinger.
A rich variety of bread types is an important feature of Polish traditional cuisine. Bread has been manufactured since the 13th century and has a special meaning in Polish culture. Respect for bread has religious and patriotic foundations. It is a well-known custom to welcome important guests with bread and salt. Bread was treated as a godsend and until recently it was marked with the sign of the cross before eating. It was forbidden to drop even a single crumb. Polish national poet Cyprian Kamil Norwid wrote in a famous poem:
For that land where a scrap of bread is picked up
From the ground out of reverence
For Heaven’s gifts…
I am homesick, Lord!…
C.K. Norwid, My song (II)
