Oscypek is a decorative traditional spindle shaped smoked sheep's cheese from the Podhale region. Two things are needed to create the regional speciality: a special breed of sheep called Polish Mountain Sheep, a shepherd, a small mountain hut with a hearth, a shepherd’s apprentice and a pastureland.

For centuries, the tradition of making oscypek by hand has been passed down from generation to generation. This seasonal cheese is produced from May to September during sheep milking season (sometimes small amounts of milk from a special breed of cow - the Polish Red Cow is added).

The first mentions of the cheese, found in the documentation of a small village called Ochotnica are from the beginning of the 15th century. The first recorded recipe is from 1748.