I n the very centre of the picturesque Sącz Basin is one of the oldest villages along the border of the Carpathian and Lesser Poland regions – Podegrodzie, the cradle of Lachian culture. Formed from a combination of highlander and eastern Krakovian traditions, it is distinguished by its dialect, folklore, the beauty of its festive costumes and the rich ornamentation of its everyday products. One of the original customs of the local people – the Lachs of Sącz – was the “wiązowiny”, when, a week after a child’s baptism, the godparents would send a “puppet” to the child’s home. It is an oblong, beautifully shaped bun, reminiscent of a challah, with a sweet flavour, with the lower crust toasted and the upper crust brown, decorated with braided dough patterns. It has a pale white or yellowish colour inside - rich housewives used to also add saffron to the dough - and the texture of yeast cake. The size and variety of the braid decoration, which could measure up to 1.5 m and weigh 10 kg, depended on the wealth of the hosts. Sometimes to get it out of the oven, it had to be dismantled, and it was carried to the godson’s house, covered with white cloth, on a board so it wouldn’t break. Even though the custom of "wiązowiny" has disappeared, the recipe for the Podegrodzka puppet has been passed down from generation to generation for more than 100 years, and each person making it has their own unique way of braiding the dough and decorating it. This regional delicacy is also baked for cooking shows and competitions or for guests visiting Podegrodzie.
