Warsaw has an incredibly rich history and really interesting culinary practices. After it was destroyed in World War II, the old town was rebuilt exactly as it used to be. It therefore has a lovely vibe to it – really pretty streets and some great places to stop and eat. This is where I visited the iconic Pod Barbakanem milk bar, where elderly Polish ladies are busy at the serving hatch. Milk bars have been an important part of Polish culture for the last 50 years. It was here that I tried classic Polish potato pancakes (see here).

Stopping off to warm up in a café in the old town, I was served the most delicious green cake. It took me a while to figure out its ingredients as it wasn’t overly sweet but it was so moreish. The green colour came from spinach; a ‘healthy’ cake of sorts with a fairytale name – ‘forest moss cake’. Layered with sour cream, it is studded with pomegranate seeds, which give a refreshing pop to each mouthful. My version is here and I’ve added a layer of pistachios to it which work incredibly well.

There is also a modern, post-war part of Warsaw, which is where I visited Odette, the hot new patisserie run by Jarek Nowakowski. It felt like the place had been styled right out of an episode of Mad Men. Jarek’s pastry skills are second to none – he is really bringing things to another level by introducing modern twists when using traditional Polish ingredients.

A quirky place to visit for a slice of potato cheesecake is Café Misianka, which is in a converted toilet block in the Skaryszewski park. It is run by a lovely lady who has been there for years and has made a very good business for herself. Traditionally, cheap potatoes were used to pad out the more expensive dairy ingredients.

The Piwonski Bakery opened in 1955 and is now run by the third generation of the same family. Grandfather Piwonski hid in the bakery to escape the Nazis, keep warm and find food. He ended up working there, then owning it, and his son now runs it with his two daughters. The ovens they use are huge floor-to-ceiling ones which are on for 24 hours a day. It takes a team of three to run them, as there can be up to 300 loaves in them at any one time. Their signature loaf is the plaited chalka bread, for which I’ve given you a recipe here.

The baking scene in Poland is very exciting and I was so glad I got the chance to go and experience it for myself. With their country’s signature bakes, the Poles certainly do have something to be extremely proud of.