Wrocław cookbook aims to bring communities together with international food recipes
A new cookbook of recipes from Wrocław’s international community has been published as part of an initiative to foster deeper relationships between the city’s native citizens and migrant communities.
Entitled ‘Let’s Meet at the Kitchen Table’, the vibrantly illustrated English and Polish cookbook is a collection of 16 recipes contributed by 11 migrants of various nationalities, permanently living in the city of Wrocław.
The all-vegetarian book contains recipes for dishes including Indian Paneer, Israeli Kugel cake, Turkish Green Beans, Canadian Berry Galette, American Utica Riggies, Indonesia Tempeh and Ukrainian Borscht.
The all-vegetarian book contains recipes for dishes including Indian Paneer, Israeli Kugel cake, Turkish Green Beans, Canadian Berry Galette, American Utica Riggies, Indonesia Tempeh and Ukrainian Borscht.
Commission and published by the Wrocław NGO ‘Go ‘n’ Act’ Foundation in collaboration with the municipal agency, Wrocław Centre for Social Development, the book was born from a desire to replace the NGO’s 2019 workshop, ‘Let’s meet in the kitchen’.
The recipes are written in both Polish and English.
Unable to go ahead due to the pandemic, the idea was that families from different cultures would invite each other for dinner to cook together and share each other’s food cultures.
Magda Szymańska, president of Go ‘n’ Act said: “Due to the pandemic, the organisers of the project had to change their plans, however we wanted to find a way to meet in a different form, which would contribute to building dialogue and breaking down barriers.”
Entitled ‘Let’s Meet at the Kitchen Table’, the cookbook was commissioned and published by the Wrocław NGO ‘Go ‘n’ Act’ Foundation in collaboration with the municipal agency, Wrocław Centre for Social Development.
Aleksandra Stachura, vice-president of the foundation and coordinator of the cookbook added: “Important conversations take place at the table and create new friendships, and a shared meal is a great invitation to integration.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic ensued which prevented us from sitting down at a common table. However, we have found a way around the situation.
“Thanks to our heroines and heroes, we can go on a culinary journey around the world without leaving our own kitchen.”
Two of the book’s contributors, Indian couple Rhea Gupta and her husband Amit Sharma who have been based in Poland since 2015 and run an Indian food and culture blog ‘indiancoupleinpoland.com’, contributed their recipe for Samosa.
Writing in the book introduction, Magdalena Szymańska tells readers: “Through this joyful, family-oriented and creative activity of preparing new dishes, we hope to encourage you to get to better know the cultures of different parts of the world.”
Two of the book’s contributors, Indian couple Rhea Gupta and her husband Amit Sharma who have been based in Poland since 2015 and run an Indian food and culture blog ‘indiancoupleinpoland.com’, contributed their recipe for Samosa.
The couple were part of Go ‘n’ Act’s ‘Let’s Meet in the kitchen’ project in 2019 where Rhea ran workshops about Indian cooking.
According to the book’s introduction: “Through this joyful, family-oriented and creative activity of preparing new dishes, we hope to encourage you to get to better know the cultures of different parts of the world.”
Rhea told TFN: “I think the cookbook is a great idea. When I first arrived in Poland in 2015, people were a bit hesitant, but as soon as I invited them to try some of the Indian food I’d made, we started talking and it went from there so I definitely believe in the power of food to unite people.
“In my experience, Poles are very impressed and curious about Indian cooking. When I arrived, there were not so many Indian restaurants in Wrocław, so I started my own kitchen making Indian food and running workshops, but now there are many Indian restaurants and people have really embraced Indian cooking, which is why last year I published my own book called ‘Made in India, Cooked in Poland’.”
To download the book for free click HERE.
