Polish cuisine is experiencing some dynamic changes, thanks to the collaboration of producers and chefs, as well as French culinary experts. This cooperation was represented in Berlin from February 6th to 8th at the Fruit Logistica fair, the annual event for fruit and vegetable producers from around the world.
The meeting organizer is Polish Berry Cooperative, the largest association of blueberry producers in Europe. The project is supported by Nicolas Rey, winner of the Polish MasterChef “The Best”, as well as Michał Czekajło, TopChef finalist.
Growers and chefs show how the Polish cuisine is changing. It stays delicious while being much lighter. The food culture all along the Vistula river is a tourist attraction in its own right. Kraków became the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture. The city received this nomination from the European Academy of Gastronomy as the first city in Europe.
The chefs are learning fast. They discover the Polish products and meet the producers. That is the pivotal moment. They become aware of the product, the taste, and they can better feel the technique and treatment met hods. They then work their magic to make the cuisine lighter. In Poland, the trend is towards lighter food. That’s the direction the Polish cuisine is taking,” explains Nicolas Rey, culinary expert, winner of MasterChef “The Best”.
Chefs and producers cooperation
“For years, young chefs new to the profession were relying on foreign recipes and products. It took them some time to go back to traditional fruits and vegetables. We’re really heading in the right direction,” confirms Michał Czekajło, Gault&Millau chef, TopChef finalist and co-founder of Food Think Tank. He is one of the least conventional chefs of the younger Polish generation.
“Cooking is like speaking. We want to change the stereotypes of a heavy, fatty Polish traditional cuisine dominated by meat. There is a visible change. We speak more and more of the delicious Polish fruits that can be used in the kitchen in so many ways. The Polish cuisine is progressing in the right direction. It is tasty but also getting less and less heavy. We contribute to it as much as the producers,” explains Dorota Zęgota, president of the ELLIOT Blueberry Producer Group in the Subcarpathian region.
Consumers are becoming more aware of the health benefits of fruits, including berries. The berry sales increase each year by 6% globally, and 8% in the EU. Overall, the sale of berries is superior to the sale of apples. Poland is an important producer of fruits and vegetables. It is also the leader in Europe in terms of their exportation. The blueberry is already the second most important Polish fruit with respect to exportation, and it keeps gaining in popularity.
Blueberries: the business card of the Polish cuisine
“Our blueberry lunch was a success, it is light and delicious. Yoghurt from Polish milk, blueberry jelly, crumble, sourdough rye bread...and also the “kluski leniwe”, a paste made with curd, eggs and flour. In Poland, this dish brings back the taste of childhood. The dish is simple, traditional and light, thanks to the added blueberries. Visitors were also handed blueberry-flavored lollipops, designed to be a delightful gift for children,” explained Dominika Kozarzewska, president of the fruit producer group “Polskie Jagody” (Polish berries).
“Blueberries are a real business card for Poland. They are the star of Polish exports and are produced by passionate growers. The climate of Poland is ideal, cool at night and very hot during the day, which contributes to a balance in taste between sweet and sour. It gives Polish blueberries an exceptional taste, sometimes difficult to obtain in Southern Europe. Many believe they are the best blueberries in the world,” according to Nicolas Rey, culinary expert born in France but passionate about Poland.
“Blueberries are indeed the top Polish export product. We grow them on acid soils, in collaboration with nature. They are then harvested by hand and more importantly, we cool them within 30 minutes. The blueberries cool off so fast that they keep the taste and quality of fresh fruits a lot longer,” explained Mateusz Pilch, cofounder of Berry Group and PBC member.
The fair in Berlin
Fruit Logistica is the largest professional fruit and vegetable fair in the world. It takes place each year at the beginning of February. It is a meeting place for professionals of the sector. The number of visitors is estimated at about 80,000 people from 130 countries.
The promotion at the fair strengthens the image of Poland as a producer and commercial partner. The taste of the Polish berries is already well-known to consumers in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Italy. In total, they are present in more than 30 countries on 4 continents.
View the film in French: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVpfyYtKEA&feature=youtu.be
View the photos at the Fruit Logistica 2019: http://bit.ly/Salon_à_Berlin