Polish Feast: 1001 ideas for a successful party [2011].

“Biesiada Polska. 1001 Ideas for a Successful Party” is an impressive, lavishly illustrated publication that is a compendium of knowledge about the art of hosting parties and celebrations in the Polish tradition. Published in 2011 in Chorzow by KMK and ARS-POL publishing houses, the book combines the function of a guidebook, an album and a treasury of knowledge about Polish hospitality.

The volume contains more than 1,000 practical tips, recipes and inspiration – from traditional dishes and drinks, to table arrangements and room decorations, to play scenarios, music, chants and rituals associated with various occasions (weddings, name days, anniversaries, family and national holidays). The publication is an invaluable aid for those wishing to cultivate Polish feast traditions, as well as a valuable source of knowledge for ethnographers and researchers of folk culture.

The rich illustrative material, and the thoughtful layout of the content make this book both a practical guide and an ornament to the home library.