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== What is it about? ==

If you graduated from a Polish high school, then you are no doubt familiar with the poem. But if not, then let me give you a brief synopsis before we dive into the world of Old Polish food and drink. The epic is set in Soplicowo (pronounced ''sawp-leet-<small>SAW</small>-vaw''), a fictional manor located in what is now Belarus, at the time of Napoleonic wars. Ostensibly, the main plot is a litigation over the ruins of an old castle. The story begins with the titular 20-year-old Pan (Lord) Tadeusz Soplica (pronounced ''tah-<small>DEH</small>-woosh sawp-<small>LEET</small>-sah'') arriving at the house of his uncle, Judge Soplica, only to find it filled with the Judge's old lawyer friends who have all arrived for the dispute. The Judge, mind you, is not going to be a judge in this case; he's one of the litigants. Don't expect a courtroom drama, though; both sides of the dispute quickly resort to the tactics of ''faits accomplis'', culminating in an all-out battle later in the storyline. Before it comes to this, however, Tadeusz, his uncle, the lawyers and even the Count – who is the other claimant – spend most of their time together on their favourite activities – hunting and gathering, eating and drinking.

The rhythm of daily meals – breakfasts, dinners and suppers – form a framework for the sequence of events in the story. The numerous descriptions of dishes and beverages, farmlands and vegetable gardens, various gastronomic occasions, from vodka drinking in a tavern to opulent lordly banquets – allow us to get a pretty good idea about what was eaten and drunk in Soplicowo. So let's imagine we pay Judge Soplica a visit; what can we expect to be served?