Slovenia is a Central European country located on the Balkan Peninsula. The Alps protect it from cold winds blowing from the north, the waves of the Adriatic Sea also affect the climate in the country, which is why there are such mild winters and very warm summer days.
Having visited the Triple Bridge and near the Robb Fountain, having visited the Ljubljana Castle and the zoo of the capital of Slovenia, the traveler will be saturated with vivid impressions … but he will certainly want to "kill the worm", or even have a thorough snack. And there are still so many sights ahead: Lake Bled, Otočec Castle, Kranj, Celje … So, wouldn't it be better, before starting your tour of monuments and museums, to find an answer to a simple question: what to try in Slovenia?
Food in Slovenia
Slovenian cuisine has been influenced by Austrian, German, Italian, Hungarian and Slavic cuisines. Each of these culinary traditions has presented Slovenia with several recipes.
German cuisine has enriched Slovenian cuisine with dishes such as grilled sausages and apple-filled pastries, sauerkraut and schnitzels. In ancient times, the inhabitants of Slovenia learned from the Austrians the recipes for making strudel, omelet, and various cakes. Echoes of Slavic cuisine are soups and mushroom dishes, buckwheat porridge and some types of flour products. Several soups, chicken stew, beef stew and bograch goulash were borrowed from Hungarian cuisine. The cuisine of sunny Italy has presented the inhabitants of Slovenia with hard sheep cheeses, ridge (actually Italian risotto), gnocchi, zhircrof (a variant of ravioli). The fact that fish and herbs are widely used in Slovenian cuisine today is also a consequence of the influence of Italian cuisine.
There are several first courses that start a traditional Slovenian meal. It can be ukha or beef broth with long noodles, soup with sausages or mushrooms, and the locals are also very fond of pork soup with vinegar and vegetables. When it comes to the second course, numerous variations are possible. For dessert in Slovenia, honey gingerbread, strukli, potica or other types of local sweets are usually served.
The red and white wines produced in Slovenia are of high quality. A number of other alcoholic beverages are also produced here.
Top 10 Slovenian dishes
Kranjska sausage
Kranjska sausage
In Slovenia, this dish has officially received a very honorable title - “a masterpiece of national importance”. In the 30s of the XX century, the sausage won a gold medal at the international food exhibition. Festivals of this product are held annually in Slovenia and the USA. The sausage recipe is strictly regulated by the Slovenian government. This dish contains pork, bacon, garlic, sea salt and several other ingredients. Kranjska sausage - semi-smoked. It is usually served with sauerkraut or stewed cabbage, and pickled turnips can also be a side dish. Some people like Kranj sausage with mustard or horseradish.
Gobova Juha
Gobova Juha
Mushroom soup - usually made from porcini mushrooms. There are several variations of this dish, in the preparation of which other types of mushrooms are used. Other ingredients in the soup are potatoes, onions, carrots and cream. Some gourmets add white wine, which adds a spicy flavor to the dish. Often, mushroom soup is served in a plate made from a loaf of bread.
Iota
Bean soup - sauerkraut (you can replace it with turnips), potatoes, bacon, flour and spices are added to it. In the coastal regions of the country, the ingredients of the soup are also sweet spices and carrots, and this particular version of the dish is considered the most delicious.
The history of iota is simple: this hearty dish was once invented by Slovenian peasants, but then it fell in love with all residents of the country, and then guests of Slovenia. Today it is one of the most famous dishes of Slovenian cuisine.
Prata
The pork leg is mixed with chicken eggs, spices and bread. The meat is baked in the pork intestine with the addition of cream or oil. The dish is served hot.
Prshut
Prshut
This is a ham of pork. By the word "prshut" the inhabitants of Slovenia understand both smoked and dried pork, but it must be rubbed with salt. Now real prosciutto can be tasted only in Slovenia, since all rights to its production belong to local residents and are protected by law.
Gnocchi
Potato dumplings, especially popular in the seaside part of Slovenia. Potatoes, eggs, flour, salt, nutmeg - that's what gnocchi is made from. Sometimes pumpkin is used to prepare this dish. Dumplings can be a side dish or main course. Sometimes they are mixed with meat sauce or served with soup.
Chompe an scuta
Jacket potatoes and cottage cheese - this unusual combination of flavors is loved by all fans of chompe an scut, of which there are a lot not only in Slovenia, but also abroad. Every summer, the country hosts a festival dedicated to chompa an scuta. At this time, the Slovenian town of Bovec becomes the center of attraction for all lovers of an unusual dish, where this vibrant gastronomic festival takes place.
Strukli
Strukli
A dish like dumplings, but it has nothing to do with Russian dumplings. The filling of this dish can be almost anything: meat; apples; cheese; nuts; vegetables; berries; cottage cheese. There are about seventy recipes for preparing this dish, but the basis is always yeast potato dough, to which buckwheat flour is added.
Gibanitsa
Layered cake, one of the most popular Slovenian desserts. Not a single festive table in the country can do without it. Most often, gibanitsa consists of nine layers. The filling can be apples, cottage cheese, poppy seeds, nuts, vanilla, or raisins.
Potica
Potica
Another famous dessert that every tourist should try. This is a nut roll with poppy seeds and honey. It is made from yeast dough. Guests of Slovenia who have tasted this delicacy have repeatedly asked local residents to reveal its recipe. The hospitable owners willingly shared all the mysteries of making potitsa, so this dish gradually spread almost all over the world.
