Człowiek nie wielbłąd, pić musi!

Unchartered but not Unknown.

Visual by @aisvarja

Yes, I know! that title may sound like absolute gibberish if you aren’t from Poland. Those who are Polish experts will know that this could easily pass off as an unofficial slogan for the Polish. “A man is not a camel, he must drink!” is befitting title of my time in Warsaw last year. The food and alcohol gave me a vastly different view of an overlooked community in the culinary world.

Poland, being in Eastern Europe, can be often considered a harsh place for someone who was born with a permanent tan (maybe it’s the jealousy or lack of melanin!). But my visit to Poland confirmed my affinity towards the region and its people. Having been to the Czech Republic (home of the best beer) and Slovakia (a culinary darkhorse) I have often identified with Eastern Europeans and understood the reasons behind this image they seem to have. The media has always portrayed this region as harsh, racist to an extent, and unwelcoming to tourists. The media in this case chats absolute shit! Poland can controversially be called the birthplace of vodka, or so I was told on a tour and tasting in the former Wybrowa (the brand of vodka served at the Oscars) vodka factory. I had attended wine-tastings in Italy, but this was just taking that to another level. I thought the sole purpose of this tour would be to get absolutely wasted but in reality, it was truly an enriching journey into the essence of being Polish and also getting a bit drunk.

To learn about Polish culture, we need to delve into solving the many misconceptions we tend to read about, of course accompanied with a pint of Perla beer. The Poles, much like the Czechs and Slovaks were victims of the most horrible period of modern history, being constantly subdued and oppressed by outsiders. In modern history they were victims of Hitler’s wrath and corrupted communism. That is basically how the term Kafkaesque was inspired. The taste of Polish vodka to a large extent reflects this. Often too strong to have on its own, Polish vodka was a staple to drown the sorrows and forget the problems during these harsh times. I saw why Eastern Europeans seemed to have this very hard outer shell that gave them the bad reputation, they were simple people whose trust in the outside world had been constantly broken, not to mention the bad reputation of alcoholism. Vodka hence became the river of recovery. It brought out memories of better times, when these very people celebrated together and were free to express themselves. Historical context is everything, it helps us understand why we are the way we are.

Poland is truly an example of resilience, an example of getting back up stronger than ever. Beating adversity with a smile and redefining Polish identity. I say it’s very similar to a night out in Poland; at first taste Wodka Smakowa (flavoured liqueur made by Polish Grandmas) may seem almost like fruit juice (a mixture of blended fruit and unspecified percentage of homemade vodka!) but the warmth that follows can be only be compared to the hospitality of the Polish strangers you drink with who end up on your Instagram stories like long lost friends. Waking up the next day after being beaten by the hard-core night of merrymaking, a fresh home-made batch of pierogi awaits (sweet and savoury polish dumplings). The plate almost smiles at you, almost whispering through its steam that everything is going to be okay. It is almost cathartic I guess, but Poland in its raw self, shows you the will to survive against all odds and face adversity with a smile and shot of vodka.

Alt-Eater is the culmination of overdosing on Action Bronson and Anthony Bourdain's lesser explored work. Exploring the world without a plan, without the demands of what Instagram expects to be a vibrant yet repetitive tale of over-aroused "foodies". I aim to seek the reasons why we eat what we eat, drink what we drink and truly understand what makes communities unique.