Europe on the Fork 2016 [PROGRAMME, MENU]

The Office for the Promotion of the City and Tourism at the Wroclaw City Office and the two exquisite cooks and fine story-tellers Robert Makłowicz and Piotr Bikont are going to serve us with an event like no other. This is because this year's festivities coincide with Wroclaw taking over as the European Capital of Culture. The idea for this year's festivities in the Market Square to showcase the specialities from former European capitals of culture seems to be as excellent as it can be.

Wroclaw Deputy Mayor Adam Grehl, Beata Śniechowska and Robert Makłowicz while promoting this year's Europe on the Fork, which coincides with Wroclaw taking over as the European Capital of Culture and the anniversary of Poland's first free parliamentary election (4 June 1989). Photograph: mawi

Needless to say we all remember that the festival coincides with a defining day in Poland's modern history, that it, the date of the first free parliamentary election in 1989, which is now a reason to celebrate with fine food and other associated events.

Wroclaw flavours galore

The main attractions of Europe on the Fork fall on two days: 3 and 4 June. The former is conceived as Wroclaw Day. Those of you who come to the Market Square on 3 June will have to live to the challenge of Wroclaw Cuisine. Dishes will be served in special samples 5PLN each, which is a new idea at the festival. Special vouchers will also be available for sale on the following day.

Wroclaw specialities will be based on the recipes from "Wroclaw Cook Book", a publication promoting Wroclaw as the European Capital of Culture 2016, composed of recipes, stories and anecdotes offered by the residents of Wroclaw and Lower Silesia. Available for sale throughout the Cook Book Fair, the book will be promoted by Wroclaw's Ambassador and local Master Chef Beata Śniechowska.

Specialités de la maison by former ECCs

The festivities, as the organisers of the event suggest, go the whole way on 4 June. You will be able to engage with this year's chefs, who are going to join a traditional parade to march across the city. The chefs have been working on 36 dishes from 16 European Capitals of Culture (see the menu below). Everybody wonders which dish is going to win the hearts and palates of Wroclaw's residents.

The organisers of the festival in a photograph with its main heroes, i.e. cooks and chefs who are now working on 36 different European dishes and several specialities from Wroclaw Cook Book. Samples will be available throughout Wroclaw Day and at the feast in the Market Square. Photograph: mawi

As required by tradition, the stands are going to abound in strawberries and bundles of asparagus, all of them from the best farms in Lower Silesia. You will also be able to taste the bread baked during a special workshop, and those of you with a sweet tooth are in for a sumptuous cake.

All these wonderful smells and flavours will be accompanied by music from performers such as Wroclaw Respect Orchestra, conducted by Mariusz Dziubek, competitions and other typical culinary fair attractions. You can also join us at 1 pm in the Market Square to watch a special video clip by Antoni Ferency that commemorates the first free election anniversary. It must be added that similar screenings will be held in Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraków and Poznań.

Strawberries, asparagus, asparagus-and-apple juice (new!) and refreshing mineral water are , fot. mawi

Food trucks, fine beer, food majors, loads of water and coffee in heaven

On 4 and 5 June, Browar Mieszczański will be drawing visitors with specialities served as part of the Food Truck and Fine Beer Festival. The event which is held under the auspices of Europe on the Fork will also be endorsed by the Food Design Expo, during which Food Design majors from the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz will be serving food that is both tasty and exquisitely presented as part of the open-air cooking workshops that showcase their BA or MA projects.

Staropolanka, which is this year's Europe on the Fork partner, is there to entertain the youngest participants (3-4 June). The cultural activities organisers will show children why and how water matters in human life and that of the environment. This brings an opportunity for parents, grandparents and the rest of the adult participants in the festival to join Dinner in the Sky, a special meal to be served for the second time under the sky on a special platform in Plac Solny.

Stamp collectors are invited to see the collection at the Post and Telecommunications Museum (preview on 3 June).

European Capitals of Culture on the Menu: Europe on the Fork 2016

Great Britain - Liverpool 2008

• Pulled Pork Burger
• Cheeseburger Soup - burger soup with beef and cheddar cheese

Made by: Damian Kogutiuk

Fancy a burger? Photograph: Wroclaw City Office

Belgium - Brussels 2000

• Stoofvlees/Carbonade flamande - FLemish beef and beer stew
• Sjasliek met mint en aardbei/Brochettes avec des fraises et à la menthe - strawberry and mint kebabs in hot chocolate dip

Made by: Edward Jany

Czech Republic - Prague 2000

• Svatebni kolàčky - yeasty stuffed rolls
• Svičkovà na smetaně - beef in cream sauce

Made by: Zbigniew Koźlik

Yeasty rolls from the Czech Republic. Photograph: Wroclaw City Office

France - Avignon 2000

• Tarte aux pommes - Provençal apple cake
• Flamiche aux poulet - chicken, spinach and gruyere cheese tart
• Ratatouille - vegetable stew made of aubergines, courgettes, peppers, onions and tomatoes

Made by: Marcin Śliwa

Greec - Athens 1985

• Mουσακάς (moussaka) - aubergine and meat casserole
• Yιαούρτι (messika) - natural yoghurt with figs

Made by: Servet Kovaci

Figs served on Greek yoghurt are so enticing. Photograph: Wroclaw City Office

Spain - Donostia - San Sebastian 2016

• Gazpacho - Andalusian cold soup
• Camarón en español - Spanish pranws with a salad bowl

Made by: Robert Grygiel

Republic of Ireland - Cork 2005

• Pork Sausages with Colcannon - fried pork sausages with Irish potato purée
• Irish Beef Stew - beef stew with savoy cabbage
• Apple Crumble

Made by: Damian Jeleń

Lithuania - Vilnius 2009

• Cepelinai - large potato dumplings with meat and smoked bacon scratchings
• Koldūnai - chicken broth with traditional Lithuanian meat-stuffed dumplings
• Šaltibarščiai - buttermilk and beetroot juice cold soup

Made by: Olena Marciniak

What an exquisite set of Lithuanian specialities! Photograph: mawi

Germany - Essen 2010

• Spargel mit Sauce Hollandaise - asparagus with Hollandaise sauce
• Rheinischer Döppekooche mit Apfelmus - Rhenish potato and sausage cake served with apple mousse

Made by: Grzegorz Pomietło

Poland - Kraków 2000

• Flaki po krakowsku - thick meat soup
• Maczanka krakowska - caraway pork served in a bread roll

Made by: Agnieszka Hajbura-Michałowska

Portugal - Lisbon 1994

• Caldo verde - kale, potato and chorizo soup
• Bacalhau com natas - dried cod baked in cream sauce

Made by: Sebastian Witkowski

Romania - Sibiu 2007

• Mititei - spicy fried sausages served on bean purée
• Ciorbă - traditional sour soup

Made by: Grzegorz Chmolowski

Sweden - Stockholm 1998

• Kladdkaka - Swedish chocolate cake
• Senapssill - herring in mustard-and-honey sauce
• Biff à la Lindström - beef chops with capers and marinaded beetroots

Made by: Sylwia Korzeniewska

Sweet specialites from Scandinavia. Photograph: Wroclaw City Office

Turkey - Istanbul 2010

• Imambayildi - stuffed aubergine
• Baklava - Balkan dessert

Made by: Piotr Zieliński

Hungary - Pécs 2010

• Marhapörkölt - meat and pepper stew
• Tokaj Szörbet - Tokaj sorbet

Made by: Tomasz Gotfryd

Italy - Bologna 2000

• Tagliatelle alla bolognese
• Tiramisù
• Sorbetto alla fragola

Made by: Robert Poliński

Wroclaw menu

Contemporary Wroclaw cuisine primarily derives from family memories and remote culinary traditions. This has been reflected in "Wroclaw Cook Book", which is going to have a première during this year's Europe on the Fork festival. Find out more about Wroclaw's specilaities:

• Hubertówka na trójniaku - game, mushroom and mead soup by Maciej Dorosz
• Gołąbki babci Karoli - stuffed cabbage with millet groats and potatoes by Łukasz Kolibabka and Dariusz Kulczycki
• Pork ribs and sauerkraut casserole by Łukasz Kolibabka and Dariusz Kulczycki
• Young beet greens and goat's cheese casserole by Łukasz Kolibabka and Dariusz Kulczycki
• Śląskie niebo - pork and dried fruit stew by Przemysław Bogucki