One and only Poland's coolest Tree-House Hotel

Those who have never in their childhood had fantastic experiences with tree houses, probably won't understand why in modern times the term carries such positive connotations for many (not only the adventurous) people. A house in the trees is a DREAM that many of us have cherished at one time or another, and I would be really surprised if none of you was at times "a proud resident" of one of these kind constructions. Chances are high that this primitive desire to escape to a simple, secluded place where Mother Nature, rather than "Graham Norton Show" satisfies your entertainment needs, is still burning. 

What you focus on is magnified. For that and many other reasons, I hold an undisguised admiration to the Fraszka family for making their childhood DREAM come true. Thanks to their determination and surely an ingenious idea, like modern Robinson Crusoes, they found the place to build the house and began in labours. And now, a few years later they can proudly say they own not one, but three tree house (if you are interested to see how the houses were growing from zero to their top shape, you can follow W Drzewach profile on Facebook by clicking here ).  

So, it has been two years since "W drzewach" (Polish for "In the Trees") has been inviting their guests to try out to have a sleep up in the leaves. From 4 to 5 meters off the ground, they built a complex of three luxurious lodges called: Sosna, Jodla and Grab. While some of you think of just planks of wood nailed together in the tree tops, this first in Poland tree-house hotel is something much more than this. Built around a gigantic pine and fir trees the apartments offer a very special experience living close to nature and I appreciate the efforts of making the whole interior look simple but luxurious. Each of the eco-lodges has a bedroom, kitchen unit, sleeping loft and private balcony (or two) for dining and lounging.  

Another highlight of these modern high-flying apartments is its surrounding that fully surprises tourists with its lush greenery and sentimental atmosphere. As a former local resident (I used to live in the Lublin Area), I am genuinely, genuinely delighted to see how this region is progressing!!

 Why is it unique: 

• ideal for a group or family holiday
• ultimate adventure accommodation
• eco-friendly, completely built with sustainable materials
• ingenious, modern design with a choice of three lodges each of them having its own look
• extremely comfy and high quality cabins
• tranquil environment in the nature preserve in Naleczow
• beautifully done lodges including kitchen unit, open plan living space and en-suite bathroom. It has a simple design and perfect balance between comfort and luxury. 
• one in a lifetime experience

Oh, and there is a home made apple pie and a cup of tea delivered to your tree-house, just if you need more convincing :) I think this place is just too cool not to visit! x

In no particular order, JODLA, SOSNA and GRAB inviting their guests to an unforgettable stay in the heart of Naleczow's naturally beautiful forest reserve. 

All pictures - courtesy of "W drzewach". 
For more information about eco-lodges in
Naleczow visit www.wdrzewach.com  

Sunday Breakfast

I just couldn't be any happier! I can officially announce that I managed to revive my grandma's recipe for Poppy Seed Buns, Polish popular sweet breakfast rolls which everyone in the country calls "drozdzowki z makiem". I was going through old recipes kept in the family for years, then suddenly got a burst of inspiration and a sense of warmth in my heart. I am not sure if this is only me, but very often smell and taste of what I eat can literally instantly bring me back memories of emotions I had when I first tried the food. And I absolutely and positively love the feeling when it brings great memories from my childhood!

I do not know what my and my kids' mornings would be like, if  my grandma did not just once baked these goodies, filling my and my sisters' noses with the most amazing scent of freshly baked drozdzowki. Back in Poland they are traditionally served for breakfast and are best freshly baked, so don’t  even try to save them – eat them up immediately! lol

So here it is, my perfect Sunday Breakfast. Something lovely to eat on lazy morning. A trademark and an old beloved tradition. Homemade Polish Poppy Seed Rolls accompanied by a glass of milk. Exactly how I remember from being a kid. If there are any readers of Polish descent - Is this is how you ate them too? I am genuinely interested to know!

I do hope it inspired you to have a bite. When in Poland you certainly can try them out in any bakery and patisserie or... you can simply start baking them at your kitchen. Freshly baked buns in the morning? Oh, why not. Making them is really not as hard as it may feel. It takes just under 2 hours and makes 12 buns which is my family's daily supply lol. Yes, it is a quite long-winded process, though everyone agrees it is worth the hassle. Smacznego!

Happy Easter everyone!

A world-renowned "Gyros" salad (a 15-minute recipe)

We all know "Caesar", now it's time to introduce you to "Gyros" lol. One of the most famous Polish salad recipes of all time, a nice chicken and veg combination. There is no extraordinary story behind how I was introduced to this recipe. The salad was simply made by my lovely sister, Domi, who wanted to treat us with something fresh, healthy and hearty at the same time. Ever since then this recipe has been a hit in our house for years and it still steals my friends' hearts away each time they attend our dinners or parties.  I guarantee it will be loved by everyone regardless their personal taste and acquaitance with Polish cuisine. 

Ingredients:

1 can sweet corn
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large chicken breast, diced
4-5 gherkins, finely chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
Gyros seasoning (available in all Polish supermarkets for about £0.49)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Preparation steps:

Place chicken breast in a frying pan and sprinkle it evenly with gyros seasoning. Fry it. In a medium bowl place fried chicken pieces and cover with ketchup. This would be a very first layer of your salad. The order of ingredients makes the difference in taste so make sure you put layers as follows:

*chicken breast
*ketchup
*onions
*gherkins
*sweet corn
*mayonnaise
*lettuce

All ready to eat! Healthy and easy to make. Great for any occasion. My favourite serving suggestion?? Accompanied by a fair portion of French fries :)

"Colour Lakes" in Rudawy Janowickie Mountains

Visiting Lower Silesia, the southern part of Poland, can be a really rewarding experience, especially if you are a true nature freak and like to be surprised at times. The region is very popular and this popularity can surely be attributed to its beautiful wild nature and great heritage. Even though there are many who have in their minds only one powerful association between Silesia and industrial chimneys, I am going to prove today they cannot be much further from the truth. 

Here come Colour Lakes in Rudawy Janowickie Mountains, a complex of three lakes-ponds created in the pits of former German pyrite mines - probably the most beautiful place in Rudawski Landscape Park. In my opinion, truly magical and unique. All in one, spectacular phenomena, freaks of nature and great examples of existing industrial symbiosis. By the way, it is hard to believe how well nature and heavy industry can work together. Or maybe how the nature outwit the industry, I should say.

Usually unusual places come with extraordinary stories behind them. Our story is going back to 18th and 19th centuries when there was pyrite mined here from mica schists. The works continued until 1925; the mines were abandoned and the old pits flooded by the water which resulted in creating a spectacular view: three small lakes: "Purpurowe" (Red),  "Błękitne" (Turquoise) and "Zielone" (Green). Their colours are the result of different chemical compounds present in the waters and they are in fact, some kind of mineral solution. 

First on the educational track, you'll see the biggest of all three, Purple Lake. It is a flooded pit of the oldest (established in 1785) German mine called "Hope". Its deep red yellowish colour owes to iron and copper compounds still present in the water. It is easily recognised by its distinctive smell and high acid pH = 3.1. 

Further up the track is situated smaller Blue Lake positioned in a small pit previously being an open mine called "New Happiness". It is the smallest and shallowest out of all three lakes. Contrary to the Purple Lake its water is clean and odour-free. Due to copper compound water has stunning emerald colour which reminds me of the Caribbean Sea. 

The last on the track, The Green Lake, was established in the mine pit called "Gustav Grube". The work in the copper mine continued until 1902. After leaving, it was flooded by water which resulted in creating a wonderful lake, also called the Black Pond. Unfortunately, viewing the Green Lake is not always possible as in period of drought disappears.

With many thanks to the author of all photographs published in today's post, Zbigniew Rękas, born and bred in Lower Silesia. To see more of his stunning pictures visit his blog: www.zbychflash.blogspot.com and fotoblog: http://zbyrek.flog.pl

Useful information:

*Colour Lakes are situated on the northern slope of Wielka Kopa mountain near the town of Wiesciszowice. 
* to read more about Colour Lakes visit: http://www.kolorowejeziorka.pl/eng/index.html

* the so called Green Track through Colour Lakes is more than lakes on their own. The area attracts its visitors with tunnels, caves, canyon and majestic wildlife around them. 

* here on the site, it is planned to soon open a natural water reservoir. What a lovely project! Fingers crossed!

Polish food tastes so good! - Meatballs with tomato-garlic sauce

This is one of those quick, easy and comfortable traditional dishes that every Polish lady of the house is very proud to serve! :) The benefit of it is the fact that you can modify the recipe in many ways and it always tastes so good. Today I will give you the traditional recipe with a tiny bit of modern twist. My only modification to my mum's original recipe was fortifying a sauce with an extra garlic and a scallop of natural yogurt. Other than that, the taste of it is exactly the same as I remember from being a kid.  

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

500g minced pork
1 free-range egg
2-3 tea spoons freshly chopped or dry herbs to season (like marjoram, basil, salt and freshly ground black pepper)
1-2 table spoons bread crumbs

For the tomato-garlic sauce:

1 can tomatoes
2-3 fresh tomatoes (prior to chopping leave them in hot water for 10 minutes, then peel the skin off)
1 tea spoon of tomato paste (optional)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper according to your taste
1 medium onion
1 table spoon olive oil
fresh coriander

Preparation method:

1. In a bowl, mix the minced pork with herbs, beaten egg and bread crumbs. Make sure the mixture is nice and smooth. Season it with salt and pepper then place it in a fridge for about 10 mins.

2. Meanwhile, make the tomato-garlic sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onion and sweat on a gentle heat until soft

3. Add the canned tomatoes, empty can fill in half with water and add it to the sauce too.

4. Chop fresh peeled tomatoes and add it to the sauce together with crushed garlic and sauteed onion. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. Cook it all covered for about 10-15 minutes until tomatoes soften and the sauce gets its right texture. You may need to use a hand blender to make it nice and smooth.

6. Keep making small round meatballs and place them in a sauce. Sweat covered for another 15-20 minutes on a very gentle heat until meatballs are cooked.

7. Evenly top with a fresh coriander. Serve hot with potato puree, plain rice or pasta (optionally a scallop of natural Greek yogurt). Tastes like heaven and it looks like million dollars to me! lol

Pictures prove it! Enjoy!

Guess where I am

Guess where the pictures were taken! 

With many thanks to my dear student Aneta Jakubaszek who kindy agreed for the above photographs to be published on this site!