You’re a fan or you’re not a fan. I’m not a fan anymore for the same reason that I’m not heavily a hotdog fan: what goes into the mystery meat is too much of a mystery. But kielbasa is a staple and no Pole will admit to preferring something from across the border, any border.

And let’s lay down the rule about poppyseeds: densely packed in between cake layers. None of this “sprinkling” into the batter. Keep it rich and keep it sweet. Here’s an example from Blikle, the premier bakery in Warsaw (ah yes, afternoon snack time for me).