Poolse Pierogi-kookcursus met winkelen op de boerenmarkt

We had the most amazing day cooking with our new friend, Tomasz! Everything from the booking, the planning, and the communication leading up to the day was clear, friendly, and easy to follow. We met Tomasz near the market (we always love visiting local markets everywhere we travel, as we think that helps us better understand the culture) and this one was really special. We likely never would have found the market without Tomasz guidance and expertise. But, before we walked over to the market, we learned enough Polish from Tomasz so that we could actually request the necessary ingredients from the vendors ourselves! That was such a great touch and really helped us feel like we were part of the experience, rather than just observers! It was clear that Tomasz has a real passion for Polish food and culture, and he was careful to explain everything we saw - you can tell he is a regular - he was greeted enthusiastically by everyone we met! After we had procured the ingredients, we hopped into his car and he drove us to his home, explaining the neighborhoods and landmarks we saw along the way. After arriving in his lovely home, he made us feel so welcome and comfortable and we got right to work learning how to make pierogies. He had some local snacks and beers for us along the way, all locally sourced and each different from the other. Best of all, we learned how to make pierogies and how important they are to Polish culture. And they were delicious! Our time with Tomasz was paced perfectly. We never felt rushed, and we never felt like anything was dragging on. At the end of the class, Tomasz drove us back to our hotel - stuffed like ticks but so delighted to have learned so much not just about pierogies, but about the beautiful city of Krakow, its history, and its culture. We had visited Auschwitz the day before, and this was a wonderful way to decompress and lift our spirits. Knowing that we had done this the day before, Tomasz also offered several suggestions of movies to watch (which we'd have never learned about otherwise) and books to read for more perspective on Polish culture. We also learned (and tasted) some unique vodka - and he told us about a couple of delightful hidden gems of wine/cocktail bars in Krakow that we'd have never ever found without him. (BUT I won't share them with you, you'll have to ask him!) This was an absolutely fabulous use of our time in Krakow and our impression of the city and the Polish people was made even better than it already was because of our time spent with him. Go! Enjoy Krakow! Make pierogies! Thank you, Tomasz, for a fabulous day!

Alicja was amazing, very fun and informative. The pierogies were some of the best we had eaten in Poland. Even though the market was closed since it was Christmas Day, we still enjoyed the class.

We had an amazing time with our guide Alicja! She took us to a local farmer's market which was a very interesting experience. She then took us to her home and we made delicious dumplings with traditional Polish snacks. Some of our group are learning Polish so enjoyed the opportunity to practice the language. Alicja was very thoughtful, charming and an excellent host, we would definitely recommend you join her for a tour!