Grydzewski-gourmet, or the history of a certain case recorded in paradoxes

Abstract

The text is an attempt to present Mieczysław Grydzewski's silhouette as a gourmet, a connoisseur of exquisite food and drinks, an expert in culinary savoir-vivre, practicing feasting in three different eras and in different life circumstances: in the interwar period in Warsaw and during his travels around Poland and Europe, during World War II in the capitals on the Seine and on the Thames, after the war in exile in London and during nostalgic trips to France, Spain and Italy. Before the war, Kazimierz Wierzynski was Grydzewski's frequent companion on tourist and gastronomic sojourns; after the war, culinary topics became a frequent thread in correspondence between friends, in which memories of the past were mixed with longing for reunions. To sketch Grydz's culinary customs and refined tastes (rather unchanging in the changing realities of his life) and his long-standing close relationship with the poet, we used their mutual correspondence, which is being prepared for publication, and previously published memoirs dedicated to the editor of "News," whose authors were often not only observers of his activities, but also participants in important events. The sketch is a modest contribution to the private biography of the legendary editor, usually shown from the perspective of his achievements in the field of interwar and émigré culture and literature.