Headline »

September 16, 2017 – 2:31 am

In this insightful gem, journalist and life coach Wanda Hennig writes wisely, hilariously and sometimes poignantly about sex and food; living for three-and-a-half years at the San Francisco Zen Center; moving solo from one continent to another; meditation; creative mindfulness strategies and more. Cravings: A Zen-inspired memoir about sensual pleasures, freedom from dark places, and living and eating with abandon (Say Yes Press). Edition Two (Mouth Orgasm edition) published August 2017 (ISBN 9780996820523 paperback; ISBN 9780996820523 eBook).

Read the full story »
Home » Culinary Adventures, Featured, Food Culture, Poland travel, Slow Food, World Travel

Krakow’s Stary Kleparz Market: a must for foodies visit Poland

Submitted by on August 18, 2016 – 6:40 am
The historic Stary Kleparz marketplace dates back to the 12th century. Visit it for a sensual photo adventure and more.

This story first appeared online on Examiner travel

By Wanda Hennig

Stary Kleparz market scene.

To try before you buy is OK at Stary Kleparz.

Having a culinary focus while traveling opens up many options beyond the obvious ones of having more excuses to eat while on a journey and learning about cultures, customs and traditions through eating local while exploring the world.

A big one — perhaps the biggest, looking at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and all the food pics posted, even by those who don’t think of themselves as culinary travelers or foodies — is taking photographs of food.

“Stop, don’t touch!” we demand — of ourselves and our friends — even on a normal visit to a neighborhood restaurant that serves up some version of plated eye candy. We click away as stomachs rumble, the food gets cold, the salads wilt…

For the culinary traveler with a camera, food markets have a special lure. It is possible to go wild and have abundant pleasure without eating. To engage with locals and learn a bit about food traditions and the culture simply while pointing and shooting, no purchases required.

Foraged mushrooms Stary Kleparz

Foraged mushrooms at the Stary Kleparz Market in Krakow.

And, of course, the abundant pictures one returns with are a legacy of the trip.

Krakow’s Stary Kleparz Market is a joy and a treat.

I rented a self-catering apartment for a week when I was in Krakow. This meant I could, in fact, purchase from the market and enjoy its bounties. Minimally, I admit, given that the joys of travel are focused on being out and about, experiencing and enjoying. A night time summer al fresco market offered the best of both worlds for this experience.

Stary Kleparz was tops for a sensual photo adventure

But the Stary Kleparz was tops for a sensual photo adventure.

I went back again and again to wander between the stalls of a place that has been going strong since the 17th-century, according to Poland Culinary Vacations, who tell me on their website that a lot of what I was hearing and not understanding (sigh — my lack of Polish fluency) was sellers shouting about their wares, gossiping and exchanging recipes.

Stary Kleparz market shoppers

My cousins do some shopping and tasting at the market.

Krakow is the capital of Małopolska, or Lesser Poland, a historical region with rich culinary traditions. Some of what I found in the market were two types of cheese the region is famous for that one might mistake for bread rolls (visually).

Oscypek is the most recognized brand of Małopolska. It is a hard sheep milk cheese, spindle in shape, smoky and slightly salty. It is a “protected designation of origin” cheese, now protected, as many other traditions are, by EU law (and recognized by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity).

Also roll-like in appearance — but cylindrical in shape — is the cow’s milk gołka cheese. This is another variety sold in abundance at the market.

Berries and wild mushrooms

More photogenic of course were the berries and the freshly harvested wild mushrooms. And the piles of colorful fresh fruits and veggies — not to forget the fresh flowers in abundance. This is a market mainly frequented by locals and so there is fish in abundance. And cold meat and fresh meet purveyors.

You need to ask where the market it. It’s easy to find but you won’t stumble over it as it’s a couple of streets from Krakow’s gorgeous historic market square.

You head north through the Old Town gates (at Barbican), pass the Grunwaldzki monument and turn first right. Oh, and there’s free WiFi.

See more on the great food markets of Poland at the Poland Culinary Vacations website.

I flew into Warsaw on an Emirates flight and caught the train on to Krakow.

See more on the Visit Małopolska website.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Leave a comment

Add your comment below. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS

Be nice. Keep it clean. Stay on topic. No spam.

You can use these tags:

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> 

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap