Zurek ~ Remembering the Taste of Easter in Poland!

Zurek is the most humble of all Polish soups, and at the same time the most exotic. It is traditionally eaten at Easter. This soup is not based on meat or vegetable stock. It is made from rye bread and water (see link below) kept on the counter until it becomes a fermented drink.

In Poland, this fermented drink is called - Zakwas. It is available in bottles at some grocery stores. Outside of Poland, you can find it in specialty ethnic markets, and even online.  Now, if you wanted to make it yourself, it does require planning a few days in advance as you can imagine since it is a fermented drink. Rather, it is easier to buy zakwas than risk something going wrong as in not tasting good.

Zurek is more than just a soup made from a sourdough like 'fermented drink'.  It can be either a thin and delicate soup or hearty, stuffed with chunks of ham, sausage, and diced potatoes and boiled eggs. The Easter version always contains biała kielbasa, or “spicy white sausage".

Zurek, like its Italian cousin, zuppa di pan cotto, which is also served with hard-boiled eggs. And, like its Italian cousin, Zurek is always sour, salty, and creamy at the same time, which makes it unlike almost anything else.

*Source ~  https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/white-barszcz-zurek-sour-bread-soup
  Rye Bread Starter ~  https://www.polishyourkitchen.com/polishrecipes/polishryebreadstarter/