Hey, have you tried czernina yet? Coming to Poland and heard it’s a classic, iconic dish? Wondering which restaurants in Kraków and Warsaw serve the best czernina?
A Dish You May Never Taste
Hate to break it to you, but there’s a good chance you won’t get to try this duck blood soup in Poland. What?! Why not? Hold on, we’ll explain in a second. First, let’s see what czernina is all about.
What is Czernina?
Czernina, also known as czarnina or czarna polewka, is a soup made from broth (often called rosół in Poland) with the addition of blood—usually duck, goose, rabbit, or sometimes pork. It’s served with noodles, grains, or organ meats, and often sweetened with dried fruits like apples, pears, or plums. Common spices include marjoram and savory, and in wealthier homes, cinnamon or cloves might be added. The key ingredient that gives it its sweet and sour flavor is vinegar, which also prevents the blood from clotting.
Steeped in Tradition and Polish Culture
This dish was traditionally served at important events, especially weddings. It became particularly popular in Kujawy, Pomerania, and Greater Poland, but was known in other regions too.
Almost every kid in Poland knows about czarna polewka, thanks to Adam Mickiewicz’s Pan Tadeusz, a national epic from the Romantic era that’s a required read in school. In the book, czernina is served to one character as a traditional symbol of rejection in a marriage proposal—which is how most Poles associate it today.
Can You Still Try It?
So why won’t you find czernina easily, despite its rich history? Because it’s more of a “historical” dish! It’s not completely gone, but it’s a rarity. Even at traditional weddings, you’re more likely to find rosół or flaki. In classic Polish restaurants, barszcz and żurek reign supreme, and on daily Polish tables, it’s all about pomidorowa, ogórkowa, or krupnik. If you really want to try it, you’ll have to hunt it down! But keep in mind, for most modern Poles, czernina is more of a nostalgic literary reference than something they’ve ever eaten.
What every adventurous foodie must try—and you’ll find in any meat shop—is kaszanka. This type of sausage, made from pork blood, offal, and grains (usually buckwheat or barley), is basically “czernina you can eat with a knife and fork.” It tastes best grilled or fried up in a pan with some onions.
Enjoy!
