Polish Culinary [#06] - Toruń Gingerbread

The most famous products that have popularised Toruń are gingerbread biscuits. Tradition says that no one visiting the city can leave without first tasting the aromatic cookie. The history of gingerbread making dates back to the Middle Ages and continues unbroken to this day.

In the Middle Ages, gingerbread was produced by apprentices and craft guilds. In ancient times, gingerbread was shaped like coats of arms, carriages, or hearts. In the mid-18th century, the first gingerbread factory was established. In 2015, the Toruń Gingerbread Museum was opened in the building of the former factory, where, in addition to traditional tours, workshops for cookie making are also conducted. 

To make gingerbread, flour, honey, and spices are needed. They can be made at home, but the recipe, as well as the proportions and baking temperature, have been closely guarded by generations of Toruń gingerbread makers. Today, they are sold in various shapes and forms, and can be found in chocolate, icing, or plain. The most famous shapes include:

• Katarzynki,
• Hearts,
• Kisses,
• Flisaczki,
• Cubes covered in chocolate,
• Uszatki.

They can be purchased in shops all over Poland, but they taste best in Toruń. There, around the market and the old town, there are many shops and bakeries, where the very smell encourages the purchase of larger quantities. Gingerbread is a signature of Toruń, as well as a delightful addition on the route of exploring the beautiful Gothic city.