Spring ushers in the reawakening of nature and the start of the agricultural season – and myriad culinary inspirations with it!

By Szymon Gatlik (Kraków Food & Travel)

This year’s motto of the Slow Food International movement is “Regenerating Our Home – the Earth”. It is a call to return to the roots of farming, cultivation and food production following the cycles of nature, preserving biodiversity in agriculture and foregoing invasive fertilisers and pesticides. Spring is the perfect time to follow these worthy message. Let’s explore Kraków with all its fresh springtime smells and flavours!

The best place to start is at one of the city’s farmers’ markets. Kraków boasts over twenty such markets, including five (at Stary and Nowy Kleparz, at the square by Hala Targowa, the Dębnicki Market Square and the Na Stawach Square) in the city centre. Another special site is the Pietruszkowy Market at Niepodległości Square in Podgórze – one of just 76 markets awarded the title Earth Market by Slow Food International. Every Wednesday and Saturday, between 8am and 1pm (but come early as stalls sells out fast!) you’ll find produce from small, local organic family farms.

The markets are popular among local gourmands including chefs working at some of the finest restaurants in the city. One of them is Marcin Sołtys from Filipa 18 Food Wine Art. “My kitchen is literally a few steps away from Stary Kleparz, and I’m here every day,” he smiles. “Like all regulars, I have my favourite traders. My favourite early spring vegetables are celeriac, spring cabbage and carrots which I blanch quickly to preserve their crispness. I add chives and spring onions to soups, I make aromatic parsley oil, and young radishes are perfect with cold yoghurt dressings. And cress is fantastic for pepping things up!”

If Marcin’s words are making you hungry, make sure you visit his and other Kraków’s restaurants. In spring, chefs breathe a sigh of relief as they put away their pickles and ferments, and swap dried ceps for fresh morels. They build new dishes around green peas, baby carrots and spring onions, adding lettuce leaves and radishes. Even food trucks jump on the seasonal bandwagon with dishes such as the cult maczanka krakowska served with broad been and mint puree with strawberries. Delicious!

In late April and early May, many restaurants present brand-new, seasonal menus. Make sure you discover their latest ideas by following the trail of eateries awarded by the Michelin Guide (including the One Star-winning Bottiglieria 1881) or heading to restaurants focused on plant-based dishes. Kraków is a true hub of fascinating culinary concepts, and ideas such as “seasonal”, “local” and “authentic” aren’t just empty words.

Fortified by lunch, let’s head out beyond the city centre. The Srebrna Góra Vineyard at the foot of the hill crowned by the Camaldolese Monastery is perhaps the only wine producer in Poland which can be reached by public transport, taking just 15 minutes on the bus from Salwator. Better still, take a leisurely hour to get there by bike following a picturesque route along the Vistula, offering glorious vistas of the Wolski Forest and the gentle, rolling hills of the Tyniec Hills on the opposite bank.

“Springtime is a fantastic time for vintners,” says Mirosław Jaxa-Kwiatkowski, one of the owners of Srebrna Góra. “We eagerly await the sap flowing from where the vines had been pruned in winter and from the places where buds will open. It’s a sign of the vines reawakening. In May, we protect the tender buds against any late frost, and in June we tend the flowers to ensure a good autumn harvest. We are also working really hard in the cellars, preparing last year’s wines for sale. Come along for a tour and tasting!”

The region is a special terroir enjoyed by connoisseurs of Polish wines. It is home to dozens of vineyards including several certified as organic: the Wieliczka Vineyard in Pawlikowice, the Jura Vineyard in Rybna and the Sun and Wind Vineyard in Świńczów. You can find inspiration for tours and tastings on the website of the Małopolska Wine Trail: malopolskiszlakwinny.pl.

If you fancy tasting the spring with all your senses, feeling it in your ears and on your skin, head to the Jurassic Będkowska, Kobylańska and Racławka valleys. When exploring the latter, step off the main trail to visit the Dębnik 52 farm producing delicious cheeses from Jersey cow milk. “We’re fortunate in that our farm is surrounded by forest, so we can enjoy spring in the field and in the forest,” says Gosia Kania who runs the farm with her husband Piotr and their daughters Julia and Marysia. “Our pasture, at over 400m above sea level, means our cattle can enjoy fresh green grass instead of hay and silage. You can immediately taste this change in the milk and cheese! We pick wild chives growing on the edge of the forest. This little-known wild plant, tasting a little like onion or garlic, is one of the first to grow in spring and it’s packed full of vitamins and minerals. It’s delicious with our cottage cheese! And not long after it’s time for young nettles, which we also add to our cheeses.”

If you’re in a mood for more appetising trips, I can heartily recommend Pogórze and the Island Beskids, with orchards stretching from Raciechowice via Jodłownik and Tymbark, Sechna with its acclaimed smoked prunes, all the way to Łącko and Łukowica. The sight (and fragrance!) of apple, pear and plum blossom is unforgettable, and you can stock up on fruit preserves from local farmers.

Spring often surprises us with its sudden arrival, inspiring us to be more active and sample fresh delicacies. Let’s make the most of it!

Szymon Gatlik (Kraków Food & Travel)
Guide to local culinary and wine delights, lover of local cuisine and member of Slow Food International – an organisation promoting good, clean and fair food. Expert at the educational programme “Polish Culinary Treasures” and organiser of culinary events. He applies the principles of slow tourism in his work.

Photo: The Srebrna Góra Vineyard by Robert Słuszniak

A version of this article appears in Spring ’22 edition of “Kraków Culture” magazine.