Just about everything that involves my husband is baffling to me: his name, Waldemar Kalinowski, his native Polish (which sounds like the buzzing of bees) and his unique twist on English syntax peppered with malapropisms. Added to that is my cultural confusion when he weeps with nostalgia for his childhood blood sausages, slimy pickled mushrooms and sour milk soup.
So now, 35 years since our first date, two children and a house later, I’m returning Waldemar to his Mothership, Poland, so we can unravel at least some of the food mysteries that surround him. We’re here for TRANSATLANTYK – POZNAN INTERNATIONAL FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL – POLAND 2012 (www.transatlantyk.org), invited by Founder and Director Jan Kaczmarek to lead Master Classes on Film and Design. When we weren’t teaching, we were eating; and the surprise is that we weren’t eating jellied pig’s knuckles or mystery meat borscht. Polish food has fully arrived in the 21st century, even if Waldemar hasn’t.
One of our favorite restaurants around Poznan was WERANDA for fresh seasonal juices, and Alice in Wonderland style salads served in gigantic lettuce heads.
Weranda in two locations: at Świętosławska 10, Poznan 61 +48 853 25 87 and at Stary Browar Dziedniniec ( Old Brewery Mall) ul.Pólwiejska 32, 61-888 – +48 (61) 850 69 69
CONCORDIA DESIGN RESTAURANT was the festival sponsor with the heavy responsibility of throwing all night parties, every night, as well as the after-parties for both the opening and closing galas of the festival. They generously kept their kitchen open deep into the night when many of us went hunting for food.
http://www.concordiadesign.pl/Concordia Design
Zwierzyniecka 3 60-101 Poznan, Poland
61 667 44 00
Why, you might well ask, did we create a mother/daughter double portrait in the ladies room of the Concordia Design Restaurant? The answer is, we don’t know….
Poznan’s OLD TOWN SQUARE is a rich texture of historic bright townhouses served by cafes and restaurants.
COCORICO is another contemporary breath of fresh air and fresh vegetables at Świętosławska 9, 61-001 Poznan
61 852 95 29
LOST IN TRANSLATION
It looks like Waldemar will just have to haul out his treasured 1958 Polish cookbook to find the old country dishes from his childhood. The kids and I loved the new Polish cuisine, but we’re doing our best to be brave about eating his old-fashioned duck blood soup when we get home.
COMING SOON: BERLIN!
The Arts of Adventure 
Flo … thanks for sharing! Looking thru the pics I felt as if I was there with you 🙂 The Duck breast salad and the one below it were most appealing to me. Love you guys !!
LC
i have always thought people who took pictures of their food were nuts, now i get it. i want to eat it all and cook it all. keep sending, love to see what you are up to. ooxxweston
Oooh Weranda Cafe – it is on my list for a review 🙂 it is a nice one when it comes to decoration. But there was a time when the service was hor-ri-ble. Really. The waitresses always looked the other way. I remember waiting for the menu for half an hour. Then when I chose what I wanted before they checked on me another 30 minutes.. and then the obvious 30 minutes that it took them to prepare a salad. I hope that changed?
i hear that there will be no food picture from G. sorry to hear you were sick. wt
We’ll see about that!