Location:
Province: Małopolska
County: Brzesko
Commune: Iwkowa
Distance from Tarnów: 48 km
Driving directions from Tarnów: Tarnów – Wojnicz (National road No. 4, towards Kraków) – Zawada/Zakliczyn (Province road No. 975, towards Nowy Sącz) – Jurków (Province road No. 980) – Tymowa (Province road No. 75, towards Brzesko) – Iwkowa
Wooden Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Iwkowa is located on a Małopolska wooden architecture route. But Iwkowa is also famous for the annual ‘Feast of the Prune’, and is located on a unique trail – Prune Route. Good location and soil-climate conditions make growing and drying plums one of the most popular agricultural activities. In the villages: Dobrociesz, Wojakowa and Kąty in almost every homestead there is a traditional beech wood fuelled drying-shed, where fruits are smoke-dried or in case of modern devices they are heat-dried. Shortly after the harvest fruit are pre-dried consignment by consignment and stored in bags. When all the fruits are pre-dried they are poured into a fire-grate and dried properly.
When in Iwkowa tasting local products made from plums is a must:
Suski – dried plum and so called “Iwkowa mix”, that is a composition of different dried fruit. Those delicacies are available in many homesteads in Dobrociesz, Kąty and Wojakowa.
Frykando świńskie – roasted pieces of pork haunch with prune filling served with plum sauce. Frykando comes with galuszke noodles (Hungarian) or potato balls. Frykando is served in „U Zygi” restaurant in Iwkowa.
Topionka – pork lard with prune. Its unique flavour is a mixture of bacon, sausage, fresh apples, dried plums and aromatic herbs.
Szynka wiejska „Jarzmik” – cottage ham – is prepared by Tadeusz Jarzmik from Wojakowa from pork gammon with traditional recipe.
Kiełbasa wiejska „swojska” – pork sausage, traditionally smoked, prepared by Tadeusz Uryga from Wojakowa, Janusz Uryga from Porąbka Iwkowska and Kazimierz Motak from Iwkowa. „Swojska” is a perfect supplement to koreczki, or cocktail sticks, with prune.
Śliwowica paryjówka. Extremely strong vodka, brandy flavored, made from plums. It was named after places which are hard to reach, called “paryje”, in which Śliwowica was produced.
Imbirówka – heated, pure vodka with ginger and sugar addition. Imbirówka is served in “Belanka” restaurant. One can also taste it in „Zyga” restaurant.
Udziec pieczony po iwkowsku „Bacówka”. Honey-gold pork gammon, served with aromatic gravy made from home-made cottage cheese with garlic addition. This dish is served in a bacówka (accommodation facility) the „Biały Jeleń” or “White Deer” in Iwkowa.
More information at: www.iwkowa.pl (Polish only) and www.sliwka.iwkowa.pl (Polish only)
- Latitude : 49.816721
- Longitude : 20.590096