Polish | Charlotte's VVeb

Zubrówka Pop-up Cinema at Browns Courtroom

25/07/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

I am a huge fan of Zubrówka. I first experienced it at Na Zdrowie (now The Polish Bar) in Holborn while studying at university. Since then it’s become one of my favourite tipples so I was terribly excited to hear that the premium Polish vodka brand is opening a Pop-Up Cinema at Browns Courtrooms in Covent Garden.

Zubrówka has teamed up with Appletiser to create the Frisky Bison which can be enjoyed while watching iconic films such as: Cocktail, Point Break, Animal House and Rebel without a Cause. Tickets cost £15 and include a complimentary Frisky Bison and Bison Bites. There are just 70 seats available each night so make sure you book your ticket before they all run out!

Zubrówka Pop-up Cinema at Browns Courtoom runs from 26th to 29th July 2011.

For more information visit www.friskybison.com

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An Introduction to Poland’s Robert Majkut

09/03/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Last week I became aware of the work of Robert Majkut who was born in Szczecin in 1971 and has become one of the most important leading Polish designers and creator of places with a special character. Since 1988 he has been involved in art as a graphic artist, painter and creator of installations.

He is a man of a breakthrough era and his creations interpret the social and cultural changes in Poland. For Robert the cultural aspect of design is the inalienable permeability of the past and present; his mantra, “the future is tomorrow invented today”.

He has been honoured by the highest authorities of the Repubic of Poland, sector and journalist groups, and among others, nominated for an Elle Style Award.

He is internationally renowned as the one who changes Polish public spaces offering his nation a better quality of life and has designed everything from banks to cinemas.

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LFW Krystof Strozyna AW 2011

21/02/201106/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Polish designer, Krystof Stroznya showcased his Autumn/Winter 2011 collection last Friday, on the opening day of London Fashion Week. Check out our show round-up and favourite pieces from the collection below…

Krystof Stroznya

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Futuristic styles and metallic colours and textures were key to this autumn/winter collection

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Grapplesovka – Polish Apple Vodka Cocktail

27/10/201006/03/2017 by Charlotte J

Last week on the 21st of October apple enthusiasts celebrated National Apple Day (who knew?!). I’m sorry to say I let this one pass me by, but I was interested to hear that to celebrate National Apple Day premium vodka brand, Grasovka, created the perfect autumnal cocktail, the Grapplesovka.

The seasonal cocktail is a blend of Grasovka, a Polish bison grass vodka, and cloudy apple juice. The bison grass infused vodka offers an aromatic, fruity base, making it the perfect partner for English apple juice (and is one of my personal favourites).

So I decided to try it out at home. It was certainly easy to make and it was a wonderful refreshing wintery drink. Here’s the recipe:

– 25 ml Grasovka
– Cloudy apple juice
– A wedge of fresh apple
– Ice

Pour measured Grasovka into a high ball glass over cubed ice. Top up glass with ice cold cloudy apple juice, and finish with fresh slices of apple.

Grasovka Vodka, RRP £18.95, is available from www.drinksdirect.co.uk

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Side Dish for September: Polish Potato Cake Recipe

10/09/201023/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Poland and most of Eastern Europe tend to opt for grain dishes, such as kasha, to accompany most meals. However, Poland does use some potato and these potato cakes are really easy to make. The small discs are tasty, crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Here’s my recipe…

Ingredients

450g mashable potatoes

50g butter

1 small white onion

45ml sour cream

3 eggs

25g plain flour

25g breadcrumbs

Instructions

Boil the potatoes until cooked, strain and adding half the butter, mash until smooth

Fry the chopped onion in the remaining butter until soft and add the sour cream

Blend the onion mix if you want a fine texture, if you prefer a bit more crunch add straight to the potato

Mix well and add two egg yolks to the potato mixture

Add the flour to the potato mixture

When everything is well combined form small balls then fold flat onto a well-oiled baking tray

Beat the remaining whole egg and glaze the cakes

Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cakes

Cook on 180°C for 30 minutes or until golden brown

Serve as a side dish to a main meal

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Polish Sailing Ship Fryderyk Chopin Drops Anchor By Tower Bridge

02/09/201023/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Tomorrow, the sailing ship Fryderyk Chopin, the world’s second largest brig, will cruise up the River Thames and at 11am will moor at St. Katherine’s Pier for ten days, each packed with events devoted to her namesake, the great 19th century Polish pianist and composer. Live concerts, performances and presentations taking place aboard and around the sailing ship will be based on the themes that embody the true Polish spirit: passion, youth, music, love, romanticism, freedom and creativity.

This message will be expressed through the universal medium of music and dance and conveyed by a group of enthusiastic young Polish students who will arrive aboard the ship as Ambassadors of modern Poland. President of the Polish Tourist Organisation, Mr Szmytke will be in London to offically launch the Chopin celebrations in the UK. The event will start at 2pm aboard the Fryderyk Chopin, in the presence of representatives of London boroughs, the Director of the Mayor’s Thames Festival and VIP’s from Poland and the UK.

Every day, there will be visits aboard the ship for the public, with the young crew acting as guides. Other Chopin events staged in London between 3 and 12 September will include: breathtaking shows by dancer, interactive sessions for the public, including painting mock pianos and erecting a statue of Chopin using umbrellas and bowler hats and classes in Poland’s national dance, the Polonaise.

The events will be part of the Mayor’s Thames Festival, starting on 11 September. Poland’s presentation will take place in five marquees situated in the New European Village 2010 in front of the Royal Festival Hall. The Polish National Tourist Office will also be joined by partners from several regions of Poland.

The ship’s voyage is part of a Europe-wide project, launched in June 2010 by the Polish Tourist Organisation, to commemorate the 200th birthday of Frederic Chopin. It has addressed wide audiences across Europe, highlighting Poland’s cultural and artistic achievements and showcasing Poland as a modern country with strong roots in the common cultural heritage of Europe.

The ship will dock on 3rd September 2010 at 11am

Information about the Chopin project can be found at www.chopinthecourse.com/en-gb

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PNTO at London’s Thames Festival

06/08/201022/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Polish National Tourist Office at Thames Festival 2009 — POLSKA at Thames Festival 2009

The Polish National Tourist Office has announced that it will once again be taking part in this year’s Thames Festival in London. The famous annual event held between Westminister Bridge and Tower Bridge takes place on 11 and 12 September this year. Polish stands will be located opposite The Royal Festival Hall. The PNTO will be joined by partners from the Wielkopolska region (the home of Poznań) and the Pomorskie region (the home of Gdańsk among others).

This year, during Thames Festival there will be celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Chopin’s birthday. To mark the anniversary the tall ship “Fryderyk Chopin”, which has been sailing around Europe promoting Poland since mid June, will sail into London. From 3 September Chopin will be in London, where it will stay until 12 September.

Many attraction and activities are planned including: the construction of a bust of Chopin using country-specific components like umbrellas, Polonaise dance classes with an attempt to beat the Guinness world record, classes and lectures devoted to Poland and Poles. However, all these wonderful events are open to everyone, whether of Polish decent or not!

For more information on Poland visit www.poland.travel/en-gb

For more information about the festival visit www.thamesfestival.org

For more information about the Fryderyk Chopin ship visit www.chopinthecourse.com/en-gb

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STS Fryderk Chopin Sets Sail from Szczecin

15/06/201022/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Chopin's Grave, Paris — Chopin’s Grave, Paris

Last week STS Fryderyk Chopin set sail from the Szczecin Seaport to promote Poland in several European ports over the next few months. The project is organised by the Polish Tourism Organisation and commemorates the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin’s birthday. The artist may be considered one of the ambassadors of the Polish culture in Europe and one of the most recognised Poles abroad. Chopin’s works and life are related not only to Poland, but the whole Europe. Under the project the sailing ship “Chopin” will visit seaports in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. A number of events are planned in the ports all aimed at promotion of Poland, including its tourist and historical values, cultural and artistic events, encouraging foreigners to visit Poland and presentation of Poland as a EU member state and a country which is active in many fields, including artistic, educational, scientific fields and with great cultural heritage. The cruise is attended by students of tourist universities, selected during recruitment and obliged to actively participate in the events and communicate project ideas. Examples of activities at ports include construction of a bust of Chopin using country-specific components (e.g. in London – umbrellas, France – wine bottles), Polonaise dance classes with an attempt to beat the Guinness record, ballet, classes and lectures devoted to Poland and Poles, open for all event participants.

The arrival dates are as followed:

Ystad June 14th

Malmo June 17th

Copenhagen June 18th

Stockholm June 23rd

Karlskrona June 28th

Hamburg July 2nd

Aarhus July 7th

Lubeck July 9th

Rostock July 13th

Kiel July 16th

Amsterdam July 22nd

Brugge July 26th

Antwerp July 31st

Ostenda August 5th

Brest August 14th

Nantes August 19th

St Malo August 26th

London September 3rd

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Polish Treats at Dobry Smak in Aldershot

21/05/201022/10/2016 by Charlotte J

It’s always nice to come across a specialist store doing well, particularly one that specialises in Eastern Europe. The Dobry Smak store in Aldershot stocks a wide range of Polish goodies, all types of food, drink and even media.

Here’s a quick look at what you can pick up

Dobry Smak, Aldershot — Selection of beer

Dobry Smak, Station Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, UK

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New Polish Section at Tesco: Pierogi & Smetana

07/05/201022/10/2016 by Charlotte J

Last week I happened across the new Polish section in Tesco on Queensway. Tesco has always supplied some Polish goodies (depending on the store) but this was very much a new and improved section with all manner of sausages, hams, cheeses etc.! Now while I am a real advocate of real food rather than ready meals and ready-prepared food but I thought I’d try out a couple of packets of pierogi (Polish dumplings) and a small tub of Polish smetana (sour cream).

The pierogi is available with meat, cheese or cabbage fillings. My favourite has to be the cheese. The meat tastes a little too generic and I’m just not a fan of cabbage. Add the pierogi to boiling salted water, when the first pierogi begin to rise to the surface, cook for 1 minute and then serve. I like to put a little melted butter over the top. For non vegetarians a little crispy bacon could be added. Alternatively, top with a few breadcrumbs toasted in butter. Delicious, if not particularly healthy!

I have no idea why but East European smetana (sour cream) always tastes differently to the sour cream normally available in the UK so this little tub was a real treat!

Go get yourself some Polish delights now!

Tesco

Pierogi with meat £1.40

Pierogi with cheese £1.40

Smetana £0.78