Andruty Kaliskie

Andruty kaliskie are thin crisp wafers about fifteen centimetres across, made from wheat flour, water, sugar and a little fat and nothing else, baked for seconds between the plates of a hand-held iron over heat, which is why every one carries the pattern of the iron and the edges are irregular. They have been made in Kalisz since the first half of the nineteenth century, sold at first by women at the town's fairs and in the park, and the recipe and the technique have not changed - they are still made on irons, in small workshops, by hand. They hold EU protected geographical indication, granted in 2009, which ties the name to Kalisz. They are eaten plain, or stuck together with caramel or jam, and they go soft within hours of exposure to air, so they are sold in sealed packs. They are cheap, plain and specific to one town.

What you actually see

• Four ingredients - flour, water, sugar and fat, and nothing else.
• Hand-held irons - baked for seconds, each wafer carrying the plate pattern.
• A protected name - EU geographical indication tied to Kalisz since 2009.
• Sold in sealed packs - because they go soft in hours once opened.

When to go

All year. An hour.

Honest expectations

They are very plain - crisp and lightly sweet, and that is all. They soften quickly once opened. Outside Kalisz they are hard to find, and imitations sold elsewhere are not the protected product.

Nearby

Kalisz town centre and Goluchow castle are close by.