Special food for special occasions
in PolandPrimary School nr 8 in Chrzanów,
PolandActivity for the Comenius Meeting in
Bulgaria12th-17th March 2013
ADVENT
During Advent (a time of waiting for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus) we bake the Christmas piernik (gingerbread).
Pierniki are made in a variety of shapes, including hearts, animals, and St. Nicholas figures. Old traditional decorations include handmade stars, decorated eggshells, colorful paper garlands.
Christmas time
Wigilia, the Christmas Eve Supper – 24th December
In Poland, Christmas Eve is a day first of feasting Christmas. The Wigilia feast begins at the appearance of the first star. On that evening, children watch the sky anxiously hoping to be the first to cry out, "The star has come!" Only after it appears, the family members sit down to a dinner table.
Opłatek
The supper begins with the breaking of the opłatek. Everyone at the table breaks off a piece and eats it as a symbol of their unity with Christ. They then share a piece with each family member.
12 dishes
A tradition exists among many families to serve twelve different dishes at Wigilia symbolizing the Twelve Apostles, or perhaps, an odd number of dishes for good luck.
There is no red meat served but fish, usually carp. The supper, which includes many traditional dishes and deserts, can sometimes last for over two hours.
„Barszcz” and „uszka”A traditional Christmas meal in
Poland includes barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (ravioli)
CARPThe second traditional dish is fish -
carp Carp provides a main component of the
Christmas Eve meal across Poland: fried carp, carp fillet, carp in aspic etc.
PierogiUniversal Polish Christmas foods are pierogi
Our teacher Mrs Henia Feć is teaching how you should
prepare „pierogi” for Christmas Eve
Sauerkraut with lentils
For Wigilia herring dishes are also very popular
VEGETABLE SALAD
Bread
Christmas Eve For desert, makowiec
or noodles with poppy seed (kluski z makiem)
Typical drink
There is a compote of dry fruits for a drink
N E W Y E A R ’ S E V E
31st December
• Dishes and drinks
Saint Valentine’s Day
Breakfast for people in love
Saint Valentine’s Day
Saint Valentine’s Day
One week before Lent on „fat” Thursday People eat a lot of doughnuts
or carnival cakes.
„Fat” Thursday at our school
Ash Wednesday – the first day of LentTHE DAY OF STRICT FAST. YOU CAN EAT ONLY THREE TIMES
A DAY BUT YOU CAN’T EAT MEAT!
GOOD FRIDAYGOOD FRIDAY IS A DAY OF
FAST FOR CATHOLICS.YOU CAN EAT LIGHT MEALS
ONLY THREE TIES A DAY.YOU CAN EAT EVERYTHING
BUT NOT MEAT !
DISHES FOR LENT
Holy SaturdayThe priest blesses food brought to church in the morning. This food is
eaten for Easter breakfast
Decorated Easter Eggs
Easter eggs for breakfast
Żurek – typical Easter soup
Babka – Easter sponge cake
Easter - Mazurek
RELIGION AND FOOD
Understanding the role of food in cultural and religious practice is an important part
of showing respect and responding to the needs of
people from a range of religious communities.
Food is an important part of religious observance and spiritual
ritual for many faiths including Christianity, Judaism, Islam,
Hinduism and Buddhism. The role of food in cultural practices and
religious beliefs is complex and varies among individuals and
communities.
There are no forbidden foods for Christians. Although some Christians
may fast at certain times such as Lent days of fasting and abstinence
from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas Eve for the wider faithful. There is also the
traditional abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year.
Food, or rather eating and fasting, has a special importance
in Catholicism.
ASH WEDNESDAY
ASH WEDNESDAY, THE START OF THE SEASON OF LENT. A PERIOD OF
PENITENCE AND CONTEMPLATION, LENT IS THE 46-DAY PERIOD (40 DAYS NOT INCLUDING SUNDAYS) LEADING
UP TO EASTER.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS TWO PRIMARY RULES FOR EATING ON
ASH WEDNESDAY.
1. No meat if you are 14 or older
Fish is permitted, as are eggs, milk, cheese, etc. But no chicken, steak or hamburgers - animal organs and meat should be avoided.
2. Fasting if you are 18 to 59
Those between the ages of 18 to 59 are expected to fast. This doesn't mean eating nothing, however; rather, it means eating less than usual. You should eat one full meal and two smaller meals that, combined, equal less than the main meal. Snacking and eating between meals are not allowed.
However, there are some exceptions to these rules. Those who are sick, pregnant or nursing; those who perform manual labor; and those who have other physical or mental health limitations do not have to fast and may eat meat if necessary.
During Lent, Catholics are to abstain from meat on Fridays as well.
GOOD FRIDAY
GOOD FRIDAY IS A DAY OF FAST FOR CATHOLICS.YOU CAN EAT LIGHT MEALS ONLY THREE TIES A DAY.YOU CAN EAT EVERYTHING BUT NOT MEAT !
Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve Catholics shouldn’t eat meat.
But they can eat fish.
Thank You for watching Activities for the meeting in Bulgaria were prepared by Students from
Primary School nr 8 in Chrzanów, Poland:Presentation and film prepared by students:
Janek Filipski and Aleksander Potockiand the teachers:Bernadetta Utzig
Henryka FećAnna Oprządek
(there ‘s also Polish film „Special food for special occasions”