Food

Polish Easter Soup

My husband Joey and I had a great time visiting family in Chicago last weekend for Easter. It was my first time sharing in a traditional Polish Easter. Ever since I met Joey, I have continually been introduced to new foods, traditions and a general different way of doing things. Some have to do with the Joey’s Polish culture and some are just social differences between Chicago and Minneapolis. It has been fun to adapt and choose those traditions that work best for us, making it the perfect mix of both sides, which is what is important to us as we grow our family.

My husband and the in-laws blessing Easter baskets at church
My husband and the in-laws blessing Easter baskets at church

I have always been intrigued by different cultures, the food of everyday lives and celebrations. These cultural foods develop over centuries, each representing and contributing something unique to the development of the people, in which much can be revealed and learned at a family dinner table about their heritage. Most of us have those special recipes, family favorites and holiday treats, that may only come out a few times a year; most represent something special and have specific emotions and memories tied to them. Food is a natural human connector and even if you are unfamiliar with a specific language or culture, people can always come together and gather around food to share and be in community at some point.

Filled Polish Easter Baskets
Filled Polish Easter Baskets

My favorite part of the Polish Easter celebration is the blessing of the baskets. People bring their Easter baskets filled, not just with candies and chocolate bunnies but with the food of substance, bread, cured sausages, butter, eggs, salt even wine to be blessed and then shared with at the Easter celebration. I especially liked the blessed wine, what fun it was to bless a basket of food, give thanks for all we have and share it with friends and family. For me it brought a new sense of community and shows how we gather around food, not only for physical nourishment but also to fill emotional and spiritual needs giving thanks and celebrating the life it gives us.

Some of the items in the basket include eggs, bread, butter, sausages; horseradish, salt and wine all have specific meaning and representation.
Some of the items in the basket include eggs, bread, butter, sausages; horseradish, salt and wine all have specific meaning and representation.

One of the recipes Joey’s mother always makes during Easter is what the family calls Easter Soup or in Polish bialy barszcz or Zurek, which is a soured Lenten/Easter soup that is served with sausages, potatoes and eggs. Like most good cooks and family recipes that have been passed down for years Joey’s family is like no other. So there is no actual written recipe for this soup and even if there was, it would be written in Polish and in grams anyways. So I researched to find this recipe that seems very close to what she did. I took pictures to document her process and I promise by next year I will share our “family Polish Easter Soup” recipe with you, but for now try this one out. If you don’t want to make the Zur from scratch, that is what makes the soup a bit sour, check out a European market, as most will sell it in a jarred or packaged formula. If you are in the Minneapolis area, check out Sikora’s Market as they have it year round.

(Joey’s mother making the Polish Easter Soup, I was busy taking notes)
(Joey’s mother making the Polish Easter Soup, I was busy taking notes)

 

Polish Easter Soup

Polish Easter Soup

 

Check out the Recipe HERE

What are your favorite family food traditions or special holiday recipies?

How much food do you need for a photo shoot?

“You need how many cases!?”

Don’t be alarmed when your stylist asks for what may seem like a ridiculous amount of product for your food photo shoot.  This may not always be the case, but if the product being shot is fragile, or has ice cream or melted cheese, a few extra would not hurt.  Remember, the photo you are creating will serve your company for a long time – start with the right product and enough of it to get the best results!

It often benefits to get a bit extra product because it can get damaged in shipping, or we need to sort through and find the perfect shape and size of a particular item.  Also keep storage in mind when ordering product. You want to be able to keep it fresh and stored properly for the best results.  Consult with your stylist about ordering product. He or she will be able to help gauge what is an appropriate amount.  If possible it may be beneficial to have the product shipped in component pieces.

Example: Pizza
Purchase blank crusts or dough, then the correct amount and type of sauce, cheese and toppings can be assembled in the studio for the perfect shot!

The amount of product needed can also be dependent on how the photo is going to be set up.  Here are some situations that can affect the amount of product ordered:

* If someone will be eating it
* If a scoop or slice will be taken out
* If the project is more recipe-focused rather than as an individual product

In some of these situations, the stylist will buy for roughly three times the recipe – one set for practice and to learn about how to best handle the food, one for the photographer to get the lighting on set correct for the shot, then one for the final perfect beauty shot.

Again, there are many variables that can factor in with how much product to order.  Consult with your stylist before the shoot to make sure you can get the right foods for the job!

If you are looking for a food stylist, please contact Impressions Food Styling at (612) 636-1994 or visit https://impressionsathome.com.