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"Bigos was being cooked in every kettle
In human language it is hard to settle
The marvels of its odor, hue and taste;
In poetry's description one has traced
Only the clinking words and clanging rhymes....
This bigos is no ordinary dish,
For it is aptly framed to meet your wish.
Founded upon good cabbage, sliced and sour,
Which, as men say, by its own zest and power
Melts in one's mouth, it settles in a pot
And its dewy bosom folds a lot
Of the best portions of selected meats;
Scullions parboil it then, until heat
Draws from its substance all the living juices,
And from the pot's edge, boiling fluid sluices
And all the air is fragrant with the scent."
--Adam Mickiewicz' epic Pan Tadeusz (1834)
(transl. Watson Kirkconnell)

Not for vegetarians! This is just crammed with meats and sausages, with the sweetness of apples more than balanced by the sharpness of sauerkraut--but it's hearty and delicious and really quite unforgettable. Traditionally served in Poland as a good-luck New Year's dish, it was originally eaten only by the Polish aristocracy (they being the only ones allowed to hunt game on their estates...and the only ones who could afford so much meat). Sophie Dill of Las Vegas, Nevada, notes: "being of Polish heritage--this soup always included chunks of potato. Also, adding 1/2 head of fresh cabbage makes it a much healthier soup! Otherwise, it brings back memories of "soup for dinner"--about 5 nights a week when I was growing up, about 50 years ago!!" Serve hot to 6 people as a filling meal, with boiled potatoes, a dish of sour cream, and lots of bread on the side.

AUTHENTICITY ALERT! I've been contacted by Kazimierz Ziezio, who gives the following excellent advice to true hunters: "Some Hunter's stew--Where's the game? Add vension! Maybe some pheasant and rabbit. Saute the meat in butter add good Hungarian paprika, then sauté the mushrooms in the drippings. Add the best kielbasa you can afford. Not to do a plug, but go to www.Hapskielbasa.com if you can't find kielbasa made by a Pole. Wash the kraut out of the sourkraut! Then slowly cook the Bigos a few times in a crock for a few days. Serve it with sour cream, rye bread, good beer or dry mead!!" Kaz, prompted by me, says about himself, "My dad was not a hunter, but my uncles were. My dad would usually make Bigos for his poker games with the guys he grew up with on the Polish side of Utica, NY. That was where I learned to make his variation & play poker. But I've also had Bigos in a Polish-Chinese resturant that used to be open locally where the Polish chef made "Bigos from Warsawa"--tomato based & completely meatless! And in Poland where it resembled spare ribs & sour kraut. There are as many variations as there are Polish kitchens. Wesolych Swiat!"

• 1 cup chopped bacon
• 1 pound of boneless pork, cut into small cubes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 onions, quartered
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed under cold water and drained
• 3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, with juice, cut into pieces
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 and 1/2 cups Polish sausage, cut into small chunks
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: sour cream, served on the side

Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven, to render the fat, then toss in the pork chunks, garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Saute until the meat is browned--about 5 minutes.

Pour in the stock, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, bay leaves, sauerkraut, and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. Stir in the ham and sausage, then cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 30 more minutes.

When ready to serve, remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and serve with boiled potatoes, a bowl of sour cream, and thick, crusty bread.