Goose in Poland
Who among us knows what shoeing a goose was?
Thanksgiving in the USA means turkey on the table, slowly Independence Day also begins to mean goose on the table and for dessert St. Martin’s croissants or other pastry products, for which the St. Martin’s croissant became the prototype due to its marketing success.
For many years (our restaurant has been operating on Nowy Świat for 14 years) we have been promoting goose in our shops and restaurants.
We focused on promoting goose, and especially the exceptional quality of the White Kołuda goose breed, and if it’s a White Kołuda goose, it has to be from… Kołuda Wielka near Inowrocław from the Institute of Animal Production, Experimental Station in Kołuda Wielka, where this breed was bred and selected, the history of which began in 1962. Since 2012, the White Kołuda goose has been recognized as a native breed and today 98% of geese in Poland are White Kołuda goose.
Most Polish geese are exported, mainly to Germany (approx. 75%). Goose consumption in Poland is microscopic, although it has been growing steadily for several years and has increased from approx. 17 grams per person 15 years ago to almost 350 grams of goose per person… per year!
Young Polish white oat goose – due to the extensive breeding of geese – the breeding cycle lasts from the end of March for about 16-17 weeks. hence the name, from the 8th week of life the geese are grazed on pastures, where they are additionally fed with oats, the last three weeks of fattening are fed only with oats. Geese reach a weight of over 6.5 kg and it is considered that then the composition of their meat and fat reaches optimal values.
According to dietitians, goose meat is characterized by health-beneficial proportions of fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6. Goose meat contains a lot of protein containing all the amino acids that the human body cannot absorb on its own.
Shoeing geese – in the 19th century, Warsaw was the largest wholesaler of geese. The main recipients were Prussia. There was no other way to deliver geese to the places where they were contracted than to drive them to their destination. So that the geese would not go lame along the way, before setting off on a long journey, tar was poured and sand was scattered behind the tar. The geese would walk through tar and sand and thus “shod” could travel.
We invite you from 08.11. for our goose menu where you will find goose stomach goulash, 100% goose pate, sous vide goose breast, goose breast salad and of course goose leg. For those willing, we can roast a whole goose on request.